The Republican-led House Committee on Ethics announced Friday that it has opened an investigation into Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) and his chief of staff, Brandon Phillips — a move Collins is blasting as a politically driven hit job.
In a joint statement, Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) and Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) confirmed that the committee is extending its review of a matter referred to them on October 7, 2025, by the Office of Congressional Conduct.
“The Committee on Ethics has extended the matter regarding Representative Mike Collins,” the statement read. The committee emphasized that the extension does not mean any wrongdoing has occurred and does not reflect any conclusion about the allegations. An identical statement was issued regarding Phillips, Collins’ top aide.
While the committee has not revealed the nature of the allegations, past reporting has raised questions about Phillips. The Daily Mail reported in July that he hired his “much-younger girlfriend” to work in Collins’ congressional office. The Ethics Committee did not confirm whether the current review is related.
A spokesperson for Collins dismissed the referral as nothing more than political warfare.
“This bogus referral is nothing but a desperate and baseless attack by Rep. Collins’ political opponents,” the spokesperson told Politico.
Although Guest chairs the committee, it is evenly divided — five Republicans and five Democrats — giving Democrats substantial influence over what cases advance. That dynamic has often drawn scrutiny from conservatives who argue the panel has been weaponized against GOP lawmakers.
Collins has been in the spotlight for several reasons heading into his Senate bid against Democrat Jon Ossoff in 2026. Earlier this year, one of his campaign ads accidentally misspelled the name of his own state, a mistake that went viral. Then, on Friday, CBS reported that Collins’ campaign circulated an AI-generated video falsely showing Ossoff mocking farmers. The video included only a small disclaimer noting it was artificially created.
Ossoff’s campaign swiftly responded, saying, “The only reason a candidate would need to use a deepfake to make up an opponent’s words is if they didn’t think they could win on their own.”
The Ethics Committee said it will announce its plans by January 5, 2026. Until then, Collins remains adamant the investigation is nothing more than a partisan attempt to derail his Senate run.
The timing of the probe — combined with Collins’ rising national profile and his challenge to a vulnerable Democrat — has already raised eyebrows among conservatives who see familiar patterns of politically motivated scrutiny emerging as campaign season ramps up.
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