In an era where shamelessness masquerades as justified swagger, and party unity demands that politicians ignore evidence of significant misconduct in their own ranks, Republicans are finally starting to lose their tolerance for U.S. Rep. Cory Mills.

It’s about time — long past time, in fact. Mills is accused of conduct so egregious, crossing so many boundaries, that he has effectively destroyed his ability to fulfill his duties as the elected representative of House District 7 (which includes all of Seminole County and part of south Volusia). The scandal clinging to him includes accusations of aggression toward women; of campaign-finance violations; of conflicts of interest between his congressional duties and personal financial interests. Topping it off: Credible challenges to the accuracy of his self-portrayal as a warrior hero — the ticket he rode into Congress in the first place.

As of Friday, Mills still seems to believe GOP leadership and his colleagues in Florida’s congressional delegation are willing to overlook any and all transgressions.

With good reason. Until recently, House Republicans have waved off questions about his actions or flat-out ignored them. “Let’s talk about some things that are really serious,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said during an Oct. 15 press conference, where he was asked about a tension-filled hearing that resulted in a North Florida judge ordering Mills to stay away from a former romantic partner. The order says the young woman had “reasonable cause to believe she is in imminent danger” from the congressman.

It’s hard to see how anyone remotely familiar with Mills’ stained record would regard these issues as not serious.

Growing anger

But things have begun to change — sparked at first by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina. Mace (who apparently has beef with Mills from an unrelated vote to discipline a Democratic House member, but also seems to be genuinely offended by the multiple scandals trailing Mills) filed a fiery resolution Wednesday demanding that Mills be censured for his conduct and removed from two committees. That was thwarted by leadership, who apparently orchestrated a 310-103 vote to send the matter to a special investigative subcommittee of the House Ethics Committee, where complaints sometimes languish for months, even years.

That — plus evidence of cynical dealing by Democrats and Republicans aiming to spare some representatives while throwing others into the fire of chastisement — seems to have jarred a few bricks loose in the wall of defense that has surrounded Mills for the term and a half he’s served so far. Wednesday, two Republicans from Florida’s delegation went to social media and then to local TV news to call out the hands-off treatment he’s getting from his colleagues.

“House leadership exchanged the vote to protect a Republican that’s having a lot of issues and should NOT seek re-election,” wrote Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Seminole. Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Gainesville, appeared on Fox 35-Orlando Thursday and had this to say: “Wrong is wrong and principles are not partisan. You either stand for truth and justice or you don’t.”

Cammack was particularly incensed by the series of events that resulted in a restraining order issued against Mills. In a tense two-day hearing in North Florida last month, Lindsey Langston, current holder of the Miss United States pageant title, detailed alleged behavior by Mills that included issuing threats against men she might date in the future, and refusing to stop contacting her despite repeated requests. Mills also hinted that he’d release video that she feared included nude images of her, Langston testified. (Mills has denied the allegations.) Langston broke off their relationship after she learned that police had been called to Mills’ apartment in Washington, D.C., by another woman, Sarah Raviani. That police report is also troubling: In it, officers detailed what they believed to be signs of physical abuse. It also described police overhearing a conversation in which Raviani was told, by a man believed to be Mills, to lie about the origin of her bruises.

The details of that incident have since been recanted by Raviani, who posted a stern rebuttal of Mace’s claims on social media this week — which Mills promptly reposted.

A pile of trouble

Of course, this is just one of the clouds hanging over Mills’ head. Last year, the House Office of Congressional Ethics found probable cause to believe that Mills — who has owned and may still have a financial interest in multiple weapons-manufacturing firms — may have profited from federal contracts after he was elected to Congress, a violation of House rules and potentially, federal law. It also questioned his campaign finances, including whether his campaign committee accepted personal loans or contributions that exceeded federal campaign-finance limitations. Finally, there’s a question of whether Mills “omitted or misrepresented required information” in mandatory financial-disclosure statements.

In her resolution, Mace also cited allegations that Mills had embellished his military record to the point where it constituted “stolen valor.” Prior to the 2024 campaign, the Sentinel spoke with high-ranking military leaders who said his official record did not support many of the boasts he made during his two campaigns — including a Bronze Star that was awarded in 2003, based on an account of Mills braving enemy fire in Iraq to rescue trapped soldiers. Multiple people who said they were present dispute Mills’ account. There are also questions as to why he claimed, in a job application, to have served in an Army ranger regiment and why he claimed to have been a sniper. His official records say he was a medic and do not reflect sniper training.

Where does it stop? Apparently, that question still needs to be answered. Friday, a new set of allegations emerged on nonprofit news site NOTUS, concerning Mills’ inappropriate behavior on a 2021 trip to Afghanistan that was intended to rescue Americans stranded after President Biden ordered troops withdrawn. That one will need digging into.

Rules for all

It’s important to note that Mills is not the only House member facing significant allegations. Thursday, U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Miramar Democrat, was indicted on 15 federal charges of that include theft of government  COVID funds, money laundering, making and receiving straw donor contributions and conspiracy to falsify a tax return, Clearly, these allegations should also be taken seriously by House members as well, and we plan to address them next week.

Mills’ case lacks criminal charges, but still, it’s no wonder that an increasing number of Republicans are getting fed up. Many of them are clearly, legitimately disgusted by the string of revelations that have emerged so far. State GOP leaders must also be keenly cognizant of the fact that the GOP primary in Mills’ congressional district is less than nine months away, and that thus far, no well-known or well-funded Republicans have filed to challenge him for that seat. Meanwhile, several appealing Democrats are vying for the chance to pick off Mills next November.

Voters in Mills’ district (which is solidly but not overwhelmingly Republican) should have a candidate they can get behind. Mills no longer fits that bill. If House leadership isn’t willing to see that — and respond appropriately and with a sense of urgency to the very real complaints that are piling up around him — maybe they deserve to lose the seat. But District 7’s voters certainly don’t deserve that kind of abandonment.

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Use insight@orlandosentinel.com to contact us.