Andy Ogles has repeatedly used taxpayer funds for digital advertising campaigns, mass emails, and text messages highlighting his legislative record, with at least 15 such requests approved as "frankable" by the bipartisan House Communications Standards Commission since February 2024 (Leaf-Chronicle; Jackson Sun; Commercial Appeal).
Ogles has openly supported technology sector growth, describing a General Motors investment in Maury County as positioning the region and Tennessee at the forefront of electric vehicle innovation (Tennessean; Daily Herald).
In early 2021, Ogles strongly criticized major technology companies like Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Google for banning President Trump and accused them of targeting conservatives and Trump supporters, claiming such actions amount to censorship (Daily Herald).
Following the removal of President Trump from social media platforms, Ogles called for Tennessee state officials to divest any holdings in large tech companies and advocated for a boycott of their services until what he termed "censorship and prohibitions" ended (Daily Herald).
Ogles argued that the blocking and removal of Parler, a social media app popular with conservatives, was a deliberate effort to stifle competition in the marketplace (Daily Herald).
Potential vulnerability: Ogles' use of taxpayer funds for self-promotional digital ads—even though these were approved under official rules—may attract scrutiny or criticism over the appropriateness of using public money for this type of communication (Commercial Appeal).
2024: Ogles Sought Approval For 15 Taxpayer-Funded Digital Ad Buys Since February According to The Leaf-Chronicle, "Ogles has sought approval for 15 taxpayer-funded digital ad buys, mass emails and text messages since February." [Leaf-Chronicle, 5/6/24]
2024: Jackson Sun Reported Ogles Used Taxpayer Funds For Digital Ad Buys According to Jackson Sun, "Freshman Tennessee U.S. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, has used taxpayer funds to buy digital ads touting his legislative record during his first term in office." [Jackson Sun, 5/6/24]
2024: House Commission Deemed Ogles’ Ad Buy Expensable According to Jackson Sun, "Congressional records indicate Ogles' ad buy was deemed expensable, or 'frankable,' by the bipartisan House Communications Standards Commission. Ogles has sought approval for 15 taxpayer-funded digital ad buys, mass emails and text messages since February." [Jackson Sun, 5/6/24]
2024: Ogles Used Taxpayer Funds For Digital Ad Buys Touting Legislative Record According to Oak Ridger, "Freshman Tennessee U.S. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, has used taxpayer funds to buy digital ads touting his legislative record during his first term in office." [Oak Ridger, 5/6/24]
2024: Ogles Sought Approval For 15 Taxpayer-Funded Ad Buys, Emails, And Messages Since February According to Oak Ridger, "Ogles has sought approval for 15 taxpayer-funded digital ad buys, mass emails and text messages since February." [Oak Ridger, 5/6/24]
2024: Ogles' Ad Buys Were Approved As 'Frankable' By House Communications Standards Commission According to Oak Ridger, "Congressional records indicate Ogles' ad buy was deemed expensable, or 'frankable,' by the bipartisan House Communications Standards Commission." [Oak Ridger, 5/6/24]
2024: Ogles Used Taxpayer Funds For Digital Ads Promoting Legislative Record According to Commercial Appeal, "Freshman Tennessee U.S. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, has used taxpayer funds to buy digital ads touting his legislative record during his first term in office." [Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee), 5/6/24]
2024: Ogles Sought Approval For 15 Franked Congressional Communications Since February According to Commercial Appeal, "Ogles has sought approval for 15 taxpayer-funded digital ad buys, mass emails and text messages since February." [Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee), 5/6/24]
2024: Ogles's Ad Buys Were Approved As 'Frankable' By House Communications Standards Commission According to Commercial Appeal, "Congressional records indicate Ogles' ad buy was deemed expensable, or 'frankable,' by the bipartisan House Communications Standards Commission." [Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee), 5/6/24]
2024: Columbia Daily Herald Reported Ogles Used Tax Dollars For Digital Ads According to Columbia Daily Herald, "Freshman Tennessee U.S. Andy Ogles, R-Columbia, has used taxpayer funds to buy digital ads touting his legislative record during his first term in office." [Columbia Daily Herald, 5/7/24]
2020: Andy Ogles Stated GM Investment Positioned Maury County At Cutting Edge Of EV Technology According to Tennessean, "It puts Maury County and Tennessee at the cutting edge of electric vehicle technology," Ogles said. [Tennessean, 10/22/20]
2020: Andy Ogles Said GM Investment Positioned Maury County At Technology Forefront According to Daily Herald, 'It puts Maury County and Tennessee at the cutting edge of electric vehicle technology,' Ogles said. [Daily Herald, 10/22/20]
January 2021: Andy Ogles Called On Tennessee Leaders To Divest From Major Tech Companies According to Daily Herald, "Ogles calls on state officials to 'take the immediate steps necessary to divest any and all Tennessee-held equity and debt,' from companies Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google as well as its parent company Alphabet." [Daily Herald (Columbia, Tennessee), 1/15/21]
January 2021: Andy Ogles Criticized Tech Companies For Banning President Trump From Platforms According to Daily Herald, 'If the president of the United States can be censored and silenced by these companies without due process, then so can anyone,' Ogles said in a formal Jan. 13 letter to Gov. Bill Lee and members of the 112th General Assembly. [Daily Herald (Columbia, Tennessee), 1/15/21]
January 2021: Andy Ogles Accused Tech Companies Of Targeting Conservatives And Trump Supporters According to Daily Herald, Ogles said the social media giants are 'waging war on freedom of speech' in a manner that is targeting conservatives and supporters of Trump. [Daily Herald (Columbia, Tennessee), 1/15/21]
January 2021: Andy Ogles Condemned Capitol Violence But Opposed Tech Firm Response According to Daily Herald, 'Like most Americans I was appalled by the violence that took place at our nation's Capitol,' Ogles said. 'The actions of a few do not represent the majority. They do not represent me, nor do they represent you; they do not represent Tennessee values.' [Daily Herald (Columbia, Tennessee), 1/15/21]
January 2021: Andy Ogles Urged State To Boycott Tech Companies Until End Of 'Censorship' According to Daily Herald, 'The mayor called on state leaders to refrain from working with the companies until they end their "censorship and prohibitions."' [Daily Herald (Columbia, Tennessee), 1/15/21]
January 2021: Andy Ogles Said Blocking Parler Was Meant To Eliminate Competition According to Daily Herald, 'The Middle Tennessee mayor said the "systematic blocking and removal" of Parler, a social media app popular among conservatives, is also an attempt to "eliminate any and all competition."' [Daily Herald (Columbia, Tennessee), 1/15/21]