A nonpartisan Congressional watchdog is alleging that Brandon Phillips, who has served as Rep. Mike Collins’ chief of staff, hired a romantic interest as an office intern and illicitly used his office’s Congressional resources.
The report from the Office of Congressional Conduct, released Monday, also claims the intern “did not perform duties commensurate with her compensation.”
“Based on the foregoing information, the Board finds that there is substantial reason to believe that Mr. Phillips discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges by participating in the retention of an employee with whom Mr. Phillips had a personal relationship,” the report states.
The status of Phillips’ employment with Collins’ office at this point is unclear.
Neither Phillips nor Collins, the Georgia Republican who is currently running for Senate, cooperated with the probe, though Collins’ office, in a statement, disputed the allegations.
“This bogus complaint is a sad attempt to derail one of Georgia’s most effective conservative legislators in Congress,” said a statement from Collins’ office. “Rep. Collins looks forward to providing the House Ethics Committee all factual information and putting these meritless allegations to rest.”
The House Ethics Committee does not comment on ongoing investigations but said it is currently reviewing the allegations against both Collins and Phillips.
The OCC, which fields allegations of misconduct against House members and staff, found evidence the Collins intern was paid thousands of dollars for her duties and appeared to have alternative employment while she remained on the congressional office payroll.
Testimony from individuals who have worked in Collins’ district office said she never “perform[ed] any duties” there, while other people who worked for Collins in Washington said it did not appear that she ever interned for the Capitol Hill office, either.
Some witnesses indicated that they were afraid of potential retaliation from Phillips, according to the OCC; the report cited a POLITICO story alleging that Phllips kicked a dog.
The report also detailed accusations that Phillips used Congressional funds for “Non-Official Travel-Related Expenses, Including Personal and Campaign-Related Expenses,” but OCC said it could not answer questions definitively about Phillips’ travel without Phillips’ and Collins’ cooperation.
OCC recommended issuing subpoenas to Collins, Philips and the intern, among others.
In a letter published with the report, Russell Duncan, a lawyer for Collins and Phillips, requested that the Ethics Committee vote to dismiss the allegations against his clients. Duncan claimed that the referrals were the result of testimony from “two disgruntled, former members of Congressman Collins staff.”
Duncan also maintained that Phillips’ hiring of the intern was within his discretion, and she “provided valuable assistance to the Office throughout both years regarding communications and other work of the Office.”
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