ATLANTA (AP) – A report released on Monday by a congressional ethics watchdog indicates that there is substantial evidence suggesting that former chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, Brandon Phillips, may have improperly hired his girlfriend as an office intern. The report claims that the intern "did not perform duties commensurate with her compensation." The investigation into this matter has raised questions regarding the use of congressional resources and whether they were utilized for unofficial or unauthorized purposes.
Brandon Phillips, who is currently working on Collins' Senate campaign, has been at the center of this controversy. Collins, a Republican and one of three major candidates seeking to unseat Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff in Georgia this year, faces scrutiny alongside other notable Republican contenders, including U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley.
In defense of Collins, his lawyer Russell Duncan recommended that the Office of Congressional Conduct dismiss the allegations, labeling them as baseless claims from "two disgruntled, former members of Congressman Collins’ staff." Duncan characterized the hiring as appropriate, arguing that it was intended to help the office serve the interests of the district. He insisted in a letter dated December 31 that Phillips had the discretion to manage the congressman’s office as he saw fit.
The House Ethics Committee has acknowledged receipt of the report and is extending its review of the complaint, which originated in October. The Office of Congressional Conduct has uncovered that the intern, who has not publicly responded to investigators, received payments totaling $5,044 in November and December 2023 and $5,244.44 for the months of October, November, and December in 2024 for her work in Collins' district office in Georgia. Witness accounts claim that they have never seen the intern perform any work in the office.
Despite these claims, Duncan contends that the payments were for "valuable assistance" related to communications and other tasks performed over the years of 2023 and into 2025. However, the Office of Congressional Conduct concluded that there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Collins misused congressional resources.
The report indicates that the investigators had also received allegations concerning Phillips' potential misuse of congressional travel funds and the possibility that he conducted campaign activities while being on a congressional salary. Despite these claims, the office stated that it had not been able to substantiate these specific allegations. The watchdog has suggested that the House Ethics Committee issue subpoenas to Collins, Phillips, the intern, and three other current and former staff members. None of these individuals cooperated with the investigation.
In response to the unfolding situation, Collins' office criticized the complaint as a "sad attempt to derail one of Georgia’s most effective conservative legislators." The statement emphasized that Rep. Collins is eager to provide all factual information in order to dispel the allegations, which they describe as meritless.
Brandon Phillips has a controversial background, having served as Donald Trump’s state director during the 2016 campaign until he resigned following reports of his criminal history, which includes battery and felony charges from 2008. He later pleaded guilty to lesser charges that stemmed from incidents involving property damage. His connection to Collins raises further questions about the congressman’s judgment in staffing decisions.
Collins' opponents are already capitalizing on the situation. Harley Adsit, a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, stated that Collins will need to explain these serious allegations to the voters in Georgia, asserting that his candidacy could be detrimental to the Republican Party’s chances against Ossoff. Meanwhile, the Democratic Senate Majority PAC criticized Collins for employing someone with Phillips’ background and questioned why he retained Phillips in such a significant role.
