House ethics committee weighs complaint regarding U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, chief of staff
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Committee of Ethics has received a complaint regarding U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and his chief of staff.
The committee on Friday said that the case against Collins, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, and Brandon Phillips had been referred to its members on Oct. 7. In its brief release, the committee said it needed more time to consider the matter and would announce its course of action no later than Jan. 5.
It was unclear what the matter involved. Before Friday’s extension notice, which was required by law, the complaint was not public. The committee could release a preliminary report as part of it’s upcoming announcement that contains details.
A spokesperson for Collins, of Jackson, dismissed the matter but declined to share details of what has been alleged.
“This bogus referral is nothing but a desperate and baseless attack by Rep. Collins’ political opponents,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We look forward to the Ethics Committee completing its work and this frivolous complaint being dismissed.”
Collins was first elected to the House in 2022 after the seat was vacated by U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, who resigned to run for secretary of state. Collins is the owner of a trucking company.
Phillips served on President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign before teaming up with Collins. He has a long and somewhat controversial tenure in Georgia GOP circles, including allegations that he engaged in an altercation at the opening of a Trump campaign office in South Georgia in 2024. Phillips said at the time he was attempting to keep the fight from escalating.
Collins and Phillips did not immediately respond to inquiries about the ethics complaint.
A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll found that 30% of likely Republican primary voters supported Collins’ Senate campaign, making him the front-runner in a race that also includes U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter and former football coach Derek Dooley.
This article was updated to clarify that the Committee on Ethics received a complaint regarding Collins and Phillips.
About the Author
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
