The House Ethics Committee has released a report detailing allegations against U.S. Rep. Cory Mills. That report recommends that further investigation will occur.

The Office of Congressional Ethics prepared the report, which revealed specific allegations that Mills, a former defense contractor, “may have entered into, held, or enjoyed contracts with federal agencies while serving in Congress.”

“Prior to being sworn in to Congress, Rep. Mills made a series of public statements regarding his business dealings with U.S. law enforcement agencies and foreign governments over the years,” the report states.

“Government procurement records show companies owned by Rep. Mills have been awarded numerous federal contracts. These contracts primarily consist of purchase orders stemming from the manufacture and delivery of less than lethal ammunitions — products manufactured by the Member-owned entities Pacem Defense, LLC, Pacem Solutions International, LLC and ALS, Inc. — to federal law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Department of Justice.”

Pacem Defense and Pacem Solutions are both companies Mills once owned or had majority stake in, but which now are run by his wife, Rana Al Saadi. As for ALS, the report points at a LinkedIn page that at one point connected that business to Pacem Defense, but Mills never included mention of it in his financial disclosures.

The report also said a deeper investigation should see if Mills left information off financial disclosures or if his campaign accepted excessive contributions in the form of personal loans, which federal law only allows to come from a congressional candidate’s personal funds. It points at Mills disclosing personal loans while he was running for Congress, when he loaned his campaign more than $1.8 million. Over the course of the campaign, Mills also amended reports to show a higher income from Pacem Solutions International.

Mills, for his part, said he will cooperate with any investigation, but characterized the allegations as politically motivated.

The committee in December announced its review of allegations based on a complaint filed by former Republican Primary challenger Michael Johnson, and he said the new report just repeats the same allegations.

“Ethics has not even taken up the complaint and is simply reviewing whether it has merit to even be looked at,” Mills said.

“I’m committed to complying with all laws and ethics rules and was pleased that the Federal Election Commission recently dismissed a complaint with similar allegations also filed by my former primary opponent. We trust the House Ethics Committee will come to a similar conclusion.”

The latest report was released with a standard statement from House Ethics Chair Michael Guest and ranking member Mark DeSaulnier that “the mere fact of conducting further review of a referral, and any mandatory disclosure of such further review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee.”

But the further investigation comes amid speculation that Mills may run for Senate next year in a GOP Primary challenge against U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody — and during an unrelated criminal investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department after a woman living at Mills’ Washington home called authorities and alleged physical assault.

Of note, the report does end any scrutiny of some allegations, recommending dismissal of allegations the political committee Cory Mills for Congress had accepted excessive in-kind contributions in the form of credit, or that he had accepted gifts in excess of House rules and limits.

Also, there was one vote by the board against further review of allegations Mills accepted personal loans.

The report was prepared not by the House committee but by the Office of Congressional Ethics, which Mills suggested had a history of bias.

“It’s also worth noting that OCE , which is notorious for being partisan, not affiliated with the Congressional Ethics Committee in the House,” he said.

But he must deal with the investigation as the same time he withers scrutiny over an ongoing criminal investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department. Last month, Iranian American activist Sarah Raviani, co-founder of Iranians for Trump, reported an assault at a Washington apartment complex where both live. Mills has denied allegations.

Meanwhile, Mills has expressed a desire to run for U.S. Senate next year, which would potentially mean a primary challenge against Republican U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody.

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Over the last few years, Florida enacted landmark legislation that reined in abusive lawsuits, stabilized our insurance markets, and lowered costs for everyday families. Before these reforms, our court system was overwhelmed by frivolous lawsuits, which drove up prices across the state. Yet, these hard-won gains are now under threat of being rolled back by a new bill in the legislature, HB 947, which would turn back the clock on Florida’s progress.

Just a few years ago — before the legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis took action — our insurance markets were in turmoil. Litigation practices drove up premiums and destabilized the entire legal system. There were no limits on billboard attorneys and no restrictions on the aggressive tactics used by their firms. The end result was skyrocketing costs for everyday Floridians in the form of a hidden tax amounting to $5,700 a year per household – all because of excessive litigation.

 Every time a small business is sued — even if they are not at fault — they are forced to raise their prices to pay for higher insurance premiums.

Taking on the powerful lawyer lobby — the very force President Donald Trump recently called “the strongest lobby in the world”— Florida enacted comprehensive tort reform in recent years that changed the game and leveled the playing field.

Under DeSantis’ leadership, Florida’s pro-freedom agenda and commitment to commonsense reforms have propelled the Sunshine State to earn top rankings for education and the economy. The Florida legislature then stepped forward and enacted a series of laws that have reversed years of insurance market instability. We passed significant home and auto insurance reforms that curbed excessive litigation, ended one-way attorney’s fees, and implemented commonsense consumer protections.

In just a few short years, consumers have reaped the benefits. For example, after our reforms, three of the top auto insurance companies in the state announced significant insurance rate decreases, “marking a dramatic shift from years of increases.” With consumers squeezed by high costs elsewhere, now is not the time to reverse course.

Trial lawyers’ loss was everyday Floridians’ gain. Now in response, they have launched a new effort that would not only undo the important reforms enacted over the past few years but bring us backward. We can’t unwind the progress we’ve made.

The reforms this legislature passed just a few years ago are under attack in the Legislature. HB 947 has been introduced in the House. This bill would undo critical reforms and take money out of the pockets of Florida residents. If the lawyer lobby has their way, HB 947 would take us back to a system where trial lawyers could abuse our legal system and drive up the cost of litigation. The end result? A higher cost of living and doing business in our great state.

Perhaps most concerning are the ways this new bill rolls back the transparency and certainty HB 837 brought with regard to medical billing. This new rollback legislation would remove the accountability in medical bills that legal reform brought to our system and increase consumer costs. Instead of juries basing their findings on the real costs of medical treatment, we would be right back to the fraudulent system of using inflated medical expenses. This would bring about higher costs for consumers.

Elsewhere across the country, states have followed Florida’s lead.

Last week, the Georgia Legislature passed Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposed legislation to end lawsuit abuse and level the playing field. With our neighbors making progress, Florida cannot afford to go back to the bad system of the past. That is exactly what would be ushered in if this rollback legislation passes the Florida Legislature.

Most importantly, Florida consumers and businesses cannot afford it.

If we roll back our successful efforts to end lawsuit abuse, the average consumer will lose out at the expense of the lawyer lobby. The Florida legislature must reject this new bill and say no to the special interests that would benefit at the expense of Florida families across our state.

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Travis Hutson previously represented SD 7 in the Florida Senate.

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President Donald Trump made headlines this month with his strong endorsement of Teslas, even purchasing one in front of the White House. His vocal support for American-made EVs sends a clear message: the future of transportation is electric, and it’s being built right here in the U.S.

That’s great news and a reminder that American-made electric vehicles (EVs) are here to stay.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has championed American manufacturing and innovation and continues to support policies that promote affordability and opportunity.

It’s clear that EVs are rapidly gaining momentum in Florida and across the country, providing an affordable and reliable transportation option. Consumers, businesses, and even government agencies are embracing EVs to reduce costs.

For example, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office recently added a fleet of Teslas, citing cost-effectiveness as the primary reason. Similarly, the City of Tallahassee now operates nearly 50 light-duty electric vehicles, ensuring taxpayers benefit from these savings.

With this growing adoption of EVs, we should prioritize policies that make ownership more accessible and convenient.

Conservatives lead by embracing innovation and ensuring the government doesn’t get in the way. By paving the road for electric vehicles, we empower consumers to make their own choices — and with 250,000+ electric vehicles on Florida roads, it’s clear that more and more Floridians are choosing this option.

While other states have drowned innovation in red tape and bureaucracy, Florida drives consumer choice. We should stay the course and continue finding ways to benefit Florida families.

At the same time, policymakers should continue seeking ways to make EV ownership more affordable and to support American companies and manufacturing—principles that have long been core to conservative leadership.

Florida has already seen significant growth in charging infrastructure, which has been further accelerated thanks to federal funding opportunities. The state now boasts more than 3,600 electric vehicle charging stations open to the public, offering about 11,200 charging ports.

Additionally, Florida lawmakers are now considering smart proposals to use existing funding sources to supplement the state’s transportation trust fund. This would ensure that our roads and infrastructure remain well-funded without unfairly targeting EV drivers. Gov. Ron DeSantis has demonstrated strong leadership with his budget proposal, which takes a common-sense approach to modernizing Florida’s transportation funding while keeping costs fair for families.

State Sens. Nick DiCeglie and Jay Collins each plan to move this priority forward. In the Florida House, Reps Shane Abbott and Fiona McFarland also support efforts to direct existing electricity sales tax revenue to transportation funding.

These are common-sense steps that will allow Florida to invest in the future of transportation while keeping costs manageable for families, and we applaud our state leaders for their proactivity on this crucial issue.

The reality is that technology is always evolving, and transportation is no exception. But what hasn’t changed is the need for affordable and reliable transportation options. The demand is clear, and by embracing smart policies, we can make sure Florida remains at the forefront of this shift.

Supporting EVs isn’t just about individual convenience — it’s about strengthening our economy, bolstering American manufacturing, and ensuring that our infrastructure keeps pace with innovation.

By adopting policies that encourage growth rather than stifle it, we can create a win-win scenario that benefits our communities and our economy.

The future of transportation is here. Let’s make sure Florida leads the way.

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Zachary Colletti is the executive director of Conservatives for Clean Energy – Florida.

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