The House Ethics Committee announced a formal investigation into Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills on Wednesday evening just hours before the embattled lawmaker is set to face a censure resolution that could weaken his standing in Congress.
The bipartisan panel voted to investigate Mills for a host of allegations, including for receiving “special favors” and sexual misconduct. The Florida Republican, who has been dogged by a series of ethical controversies, is seeking to fend off a censure vote that could remove him from several high-profile committees Wednesday night. (RELATED: REPORT: Reigning Miss USA Files Restraining Order Against Congressman, Says He Threatened To Release Sex Videos)
The ethics panel specified their members detailed six areas of investigation into Mills’ conduct. They include allegations related to the failure to disclose required information, campaign finance violations, improperly soliciting or receiving gifts, receiving special favors, domestic violence and improperly using congressional resources and status.
A spokesperson for Mills did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who is leading the censure resolution against Mills, has excoriated the Florida Republican over the allegations of domestic abuse and improper business dealings. Mills has consistently denied any instance of wrongdoing.
The House Ethics Committee investigation comes after Mace wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday morning and requested that he be removed from his committee roles. Mace’s censure resolution would strip Mills of his committee assignments on the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs panels.
“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 wrote.
A federal judge granted a protective order against Mills in October following his former romantic partner, reigning Miss United States Lindsey Langston, alleging he threatened to release nude photos and videos of her.
Johnson said in October that he was open to the House Ethics Committee investigating Mills for sexual misconduct, “if it warrants that.”
The panel had previously been investigating Mills for potentially running afoul of ethics rules by continuing to benefit from federal contracts in office. Mills previously worked as a defense contractor before entering Congress in 2023.
Mace slammed the investigative subcommittee’s creation, arguing 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 of the ethics panel announcing its expanded investigation into Mills.
Paulina, Mace and several other Republican lawmakers have railed against GOP leadership for allowing a censure vote against Democratic delegate Stacey Plaskett to fail Tuesday night. Plaskett represents the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Of course they did,” Paulina wrote. “But remember folks ‘ThERE ArE No BaCk DOOr DeALs.’
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