WASHINGTON, D.C. — Georgia Rep. Mike Collins’ chief of staff Brandon Phillips is under investigation after being accused of hiring a woman he was in a romantic relationship with as an intern.
A report from the Office of Congressional Conduct alleges that Phillips hired his girlfriend in 2023, but that she never actually did any work for the office.
The report says Caroline Craze was paid $5,044 for her role as a District Office Paid Intern in November and December 2023. She was also paid $5,244.44 for the same role between October and December 2024.
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But several witnesses reported that Craze had never been employed in the district office nor was she ever present in the office.
“I am unsure what role she had,” one witness told the OCC. “To my knowledge, she is not a student in any program which would be aligned for rules for an intern.”
Investigators say they were also made aware of concerns that Phillips was misusing office funds for personal expenses.
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The Board says they found “substantial reason to believe that Mr. Phillips used congressional resources for unofficial or otherwise unauthorized purposes” as well as “[discriminating] unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges by participating in the retention of an employee with whom Mr. Phillips had a personal relationship.”
They recommended that the House Ethics Committee review their findings, including issuing subpoenas to Collins, Phillips, Craze and others.
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