Democrat Calls for GOP Rep. Cory Mills to Resign Amid Ethics Investigation
Democrat Bale Dalton demands GOP Rep. Cory Mills resign over House Ethics investigation involving sexual misconduct and campaign violations.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA — Democratic congressional candidate Bale Dalton called on Republican incumbent Cory Mills to resign from his position representing Florida’s 7th Congressional District, citing ongoing ethics violations and allegations of misconduct.
Mills has been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee since November regarding allegations of sexual misconduct, dating violence, campaign finance violations, and misuse of congressional resources.
Challenger Calls Mills “Unfit for Office”
“Cory Mills is clearly unfit for office and should be removed,” Dalton said in a written statement Tuesday. Dalton is challenging Mills for the north Central Florida congressional seat.
“He’s an arms dealer sitting on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he faces campaign finance violations and an ethics investigation, and he had a restraining order issued against him for being a danger to a Florida woman 19 years his junior,” Dalton stated. “Any one of these should be disqualifying for a job as serious as a U.S. Representative.”
Dalton criticized Washington politicians for failing to address corruption, saying he is “running to give Central Florida a better option — someone focused on the real issues facing working families, not their own self-interest.”
House Speaker Addresses Investigation
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that he would be “looking into” the investigation regarding Mills. Johnson’s comment came one day after Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell from California and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales from Texas announced resignations amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
While Johnson has remained noncommittal regarding Mills’ situation, he has taken a more decisive stance concerning another Florida representative facing ethics issues. The House Ethics Committee announced last month regarding South Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s case, though Johnson has been more emphatic about addressing her situation compared to Mills.
Background on the Investigation
The House Ethics Committee’s investigation into Mills encompasses multiple areas of alleged misconduct. The probe includes examination of sexual misconduct allegations, claims of dating violence, potential campaign finance violations, and alleged misuse of congressional resources.
Mills serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, a position that has drawn criticism from Dalton given Mills’ background in arms dealing and the pending ethics investigation.
The investigation has been ongoing since November, representing a significant challenge for the Republican incumbent as he faces re-election in Florida’s 7th Congressional District.
