House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) on Wednesday praised Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) as a “loyal colleague,” but suggested the Ethics Committee would investigate after a Florida judge issued a restraining order against Mills for allegedly threatening his ex-girlfriend.
Mr. Johnson, who has been at the Capitol throughout the government shutdown, told reporters at the Capitol: “I haven’t heard any details about it, I haven’t looked into it. I’ve been a little busy.” “We have a House Ethics Committee, and if it’s warranted, I’m sure they’ll look into it.”
When pressed on the issue, Mr. Johnson deferred to Mr. Mills.
“You’ll have to ask Congressman Mills about that. He’s a loyal colleague here. I know his work on the Hill. I don’t know all the details of every individual complaint, and I don’t know what he does outside of his life,” Johnson said.
“Let’s talk about something really serious.”
On Tuesday, a Florida county judge issued a restraining order against Mills, which was sought by his ex-girlfriend, Florida Republican state committee member and last year’s Miss United States Lindsay Langston. Ms Langston had petitioned for the emergency order in August, accusing Ms Mills of releasing explicit videos of herself and threatening violence against her future boyfriend.
Mills, who is married, was dating another woman in Washington. News reports about a physical altercation between Mills and his second girlfriend led Langston to end his relationship with Mills. She said that prompted Mills to issue a series of threatening messages threatening to release explicit photos and videos of her.
On May 15, Ms. Mills wrote to Langston, “I might want to say to all the men I date, when I meet them someday, buckle up your cowboy straps.”
“I can also send him some of your videos.[.] Oh, I still have it. ”
Mr Mills denied the charges and said the messages were designed “to determine whether the parties were attempting to reconcile or ‘dissolve’ the relationship.”
Circuit Judge James M. Swisher Jr. of Columbia County, Florida, rejected Mills’ argument, writing in a 14-page decision that the explanation was “difficult to understand and for the most part incomprehensible.”
His restraining order prohibits Mills from contacting Langston or coming within 500 feet of her residence or place of employment.
