NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles has been forced to admit he was “mistaken” about his college degree after questions were raised about whether he had embellished his education.
Ogles said this week he wasn’t made aware of the mistake until he requested his transcript from Middle Tennessee State University to verify his degree. It turns out that his degree was not in international relations as he had claimed, but in Liberal Studies with minors in Political Science and English.
The controversy comes after U.S. Rep. George Santos of New York has faced numerous calls for his resignation after acknowledging he fabricated, and at times lied, about parts of his education, work experience and even his family’s own religion and history.
“When I pulled my transcript to verify, I realized I was mistaken. My degree is in Liberal Studies. I apologize for my misstatement,” Ogles said in a statement released Sunday.
Questions about Ogles’ education were raised after Nashville-based WTVF-TV reported that Ogles had also called himself an “economist” even though he only took one community college economics course. The station then raised questions over Ogles’ claims that he has law enforcement experience and handled “international sex crimes.”
When asked directly by WWTN’s Dan Mandis on Feb. 21 if the congressman had embellished his resume, Ogles said that people should “look at the body of someone’s work” to determine if he’s an economist.
Ogles then clarified that he was reserve deputy for a local law enforcement agency, which overlapped with his time working for Abolition International — a Nashville-based nonprofit that combats sex trafficking.
Ogles’ statement released Sunday only addressed his college education, which he said he had to drop out of MTSU to help his family “during a difficult time.” He later returned as a “non-traditional student” and completed his remaining courses online.
The controversy has raised questions about Ogles’ credibility and honesty, especially in light of the scandal surrounding Rep. George Santos. It has also brought to light the importance of accuracy when it comes to representing oneself in public office, especially in the era of the Internet and social media.
Ogles is a former rural county mayor who won the Nashville-based congressional seat last year after largely avoiding the public spotlight and refusing to debate his Democratic opponent. This strategy was successful largely due to the GOP-led redistricting process, which carved Nashville’s congressional seat into three districts. Doing so provided enough cushion for a Republican to win.
It remains to be seen how the controversy surrounding Ogles’ education and experience will affect his career in Congress, but it will certainly be a topic of discussion in the months and years to come.
