The House Ethics Committee announced late Wednesday evening it has launched a formal investigation into Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills, just hours before he is scheduled to face a resolution that could censure him and weaken his standing in Congress.
The bipartisan panel voted to investigate Mills for a wide range of allegations, including claims of sexual misconduct and receiving “special favors.”
The Florida Republican, who has been grappling with multiple ethical controversies, is attempting to fend off a censure vote set for Wednesday night that could strip him of his high-profile committee assignments.
The ethics panel detailed six specific areas of inquiry into Mills’ conduct:
- Failure to disclose required information.
- Campaign finance violations.
- Improperly soliciting or receiving gifts.
- Receiving special favors.
- Domestic violence.
- Improperly using congressional resources and status.
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This expanded investigation comes shortly after Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who is leading the censure effort, called for his removal from committees. Mace’s resolution seeks to strip Mills of his assignments on the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs panels.
Earlier Wednesday, Mace wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson, urging him to remove Mills immediately. “Given the gravity of these allegations against Mr. Mills, the clear conflicts of interest and potential illegality presented by his business dealings, and the potential implications on U.S. national security and foreign policy, we urge you to remove Mr. Mills from the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs,” Mace stated.
Mills has consistently denied any instance of wrongdoing. RELATED: Beauty Queen Lindsey Langston Accuses Florida Rep. Cory Mills Of ‘Sextortion’
Protective Order and Previous Ethics Scrutiny
The ethics panel’s announcement follows a series of public controversies involving the lawmaker. In October, a federal judge granted a protective order against Mills after his former romantic partner, reigning Miss United States Lindsey Langston, alleged he threatened to release private nude photos and videos of her.
The committee had previously been investigating Mills for potentially violating ethics rules by continuing to benefit from federal contracts after entering Congress in 2023, having previously worked as a defense contractor.
Timing of Investigation Questioned
The timing of the formal investigation was met with immediate criticism from Mace, who slammed the creation of the investigative subcommittee. Mace argued that the development is a “naked attempt to kill my resolution to censure Rep. Cory Mills.”
Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna also questioned the timing, stating, “Of course they did. But remember folks ‘ThERE ArE No BaCk DOOr DeALs.’” The criticism from Mace and Luna follows broader discontent among some Republican lawmakers regarding the recent failed censure vote against Democratic delegate Stacey Plaskett.
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