Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina has formally introduced a resolution seeking the expulsion of Florida Republican Cory Mills from the House of Representatives. The move comes as the House Ethics Committee conducts a wide-ranging investigation into Mills, examining potential violations including campaign finance law breaches, acceptance of special favors, allegations of sexual misconduct, and misuse of official congressional resources.
Allegations and Accusations
In a sharply worded statement, Mace accused the political establishment of protecting Mills for too long. "The swamp has protected Cory Mills for far too long and we are done letting it slide," Mace declared. She outlined what she called "overwhelming" evidence, alleging Mills engaged in physical abuse of women, cyberstalking, misrepresentation of his military service, and profiting from his congressional office. "Any Member who votes to keep him here is voting to protect a woman beater and a fraud," Mace stated, adding a direct warning to Mills: "Cory, your days are numbered. Start packing."
Mace had previously attempted to censure Mills and remove him from his committee assignments last year, but the House voted to refer that measure to the Ethics Committee instead. The current push follows the recent resignations of former Representatives Tony Gonzales and Eric Swalwell, who left Congress amid their own sexual misconduct scandals, intensifying pressure on members facing similar allegations.
Mills Fires Back, Cites Due Process
Mills immediately pushed back against the expulsion effort, emphasizing the principle of due process. "I personally think that you should allow due process," he told reporters. He suggested Mace was setting a dangerous precedent, noting that she herself is under a separate Ethics Committee investigation regarding allegations of improper reimbursement practices. "By her own admission, she's kind of also saying that she should be expelled as well," Mills argued.
Dismissing the resolution as "political theatrics," Mills expressed confidence it would fail. "Bottom line is she doesn't have the votes to expel me. I'm not concerned about political theatrics and fundraising for her failed governor's race," he said. Mills has consistently maintained his innocence, pointing out he has never been arrested, including after a police inquiry into a reported physical altercation with a girlfriend. He characterized another allegation involving threats to release intimate images as stemming from "a bad breakup."
House Dynamics and Leadership Stance
The resolution faces a steep climb, as expelling a member requires a two-thirds majority vote in the House. Speaker Mike Johnson has historically maintained that the Ethics Committee should complete its investigations before the full chamber considers punitive action. Johnson told reporters last week he would look into the status of the panel's probe into Mills.
However, some Republican support for ousting Mills is emerging. Representative Kat Cammack, also from Florida, publicly distanced herself from efforts to protect Mills, posting on social media, "Not this Republican. I don't care if you are Republican or Democrat. No one is above the law." This internal GOP division highlights the ongoing tension within the conference over how to handle members accused of serious ethical breaches, a dynamic also seen in recent calls to expel other lawmakers facing scandals.
Broader Context of Congressional Discipline
The effort against Mills occurs amid a period of heightened scrutiny on member conduct and the mechanisms of congressional discipline. The House has grappled with how to enforce ethical standards, often along partisan lines. The situation echoes past partisan clashes over member behavior, though Mace's move against a fellow Republican is less common. The outcome may set a significant precedent for how the House handles allegations before the completion of a formal ethics investigation, a process Mills and his defenders insist must be respected.
As the Ethics Committee continues its work, the political maneuvering underscores a broader struggle within the Republican conference. The party must balance a commitment to law and order with internal loyalty, a challenge that extends beyond this case to other contentious legislative battles, such as when the House GOP moved to uphold presidential authority on matters of international conflict. The resolution introduced by Mace ensures that the allegations against Mills, and the House's response to them, will remain a focal point of political conflict in the coming weeks.
