An attempt by the Washington, D.C. police to arrest a Republican member of Congress was pushed back by the U.S. Attorney's Office, whose acting head recently identified himself one of "Trumps' lawyers."
The D.C. police had requested an arrest warrant for Congressman Cory Mills to be signed by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia (D.C.), as part of their investigation into an assault reported by a 27-year old woman at a D.C. apartment.
The U.S. Attorney's office sent the warrant back, unsigned, and said the case needed further investigation, according to NBC4 and POLITICO. The case is also now being investigated by police internal affairs.
Representative Mills denies any wrongdoing. Newsweek has contacted him via email by for comment outside working hours.
Why It Matters
The arrest warrant was denied by the office of Ed Martin, acting U.S. Attorney for D.C. The mission statement of the organization he oversees states: "In all things, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is committed to ensuring the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans." However, since his appointment he has attracted attention for filing a motion to dismiss a January 6 defendant's indictment while he was still listed as counsel of record for the defendant, as well as identifying himself as Trump's lawyer.
President Trump ran in 2016 and 2024 on "draining the swamp" of corruption in Washington. By refusing to sign the arrest warrant for a MAGA member of Congress, Martin's apparently politicized office potentially raises questions of a conflict of interest and safeguarding in relation to a suspected victim of domestic violence.
What To Know
Washington DC's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was investigating the Florida Representative after a 27-year-old woman who is not his wife reported being assaulted at his property.
NBC affiliate News4, obtained police reports which show that the suspected incident took place in a luxury penthouse apartment in D.C.'s Wharf area at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19.
The woman, who has not been named, told police that the dispute between her and the Representative was "emotionally charged." She later said that although she called the police to the scene, she did so because she was "severely jet-lagged and sleep deprived" from a recent trip Dubai, per POLITICO.
When questioned about bruising on her body she said that was from eczema and her Dubai trip, per The New York Times. Police said that hands and feet were the "personal weapons" involved in the suspected altercation.
Per reporting by left-leaning AlterNet, the initial victims' police report described a phone call where officers could hear Mills instructing the victim to lie about the origins of her bruises. And, officers who met the victim at a nearby hotel lobby said that she was "shaking and scared."
NBC has also said the initial report into the investigation was "changed three times since the incident occurred" and "scrubbed" by police to remove a lot of information on the alleged assault. Mills' office told NBC News that the Representative "vehemently denies any wrongdoing whatsoever."
Newsweek has requested to see the original police reports from the MPD. As of publication Newsweek cannot independently verify various versions of the police reports.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press conference the case is also being investigated by internal affairs.
Martin, the interim head of the DOJ, who is yet to be confirmed by the Senate, has come under criticism in the past for being the lawyer for at least three January 6 rioters.
Although when he accepted his position, he said he would work hard for "all Americans," he then said on February 24 that he works for President Trump as his lawyer. In his post to X (formerly Twitter) about his position from his official U.S. Attorney's office account, he actually said he is "one of Trumps' (sic) lawyers."
He made this statement following the launch of a lawsuit by The Associated Press against the Trump Administration for banning their journalists from the White House and Air Force One. While Martin will represent the White House in this case, that does not make him the President's personal lawyer.
Martin's role as U.S. Attorney for D.C. is to serve as the "local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital." The President recently said in a press conference that he and the White House "are the federal law."
Martin's office has now denied an arrest warrant for the Representative from Florida who is a supporter of America First and MAGA policies.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C. and the MPD have been contacted for comment via email and voicemail outside of working hours.
Seventy percent of Americans see corruption as a serious issue within the federal government, per a recent Associated Press poll, Republicans seeing it as a bigger problem than Democrats.
What People Are Saying
Congressman Mills' Office: "This week, law enforcement was asked to resolve a private matter at Congressman Mills' residence. Congressman Mills vehemently denies any wrongdoing whatsoever, and is confident any investigation will clear this matter quickly."
Mayor Muriel Bowser in a press conference: "I can confirm that there is an internal investigation on making sure that all of our members did what they were supposed to do according to MPD policy. So I can confirm that. I can't speak to anything about the police report."
What Happens Next
Representative Mills has expressed a desire to run for Senate in Florida in 2026, as former Florida Senator Marco Rubio is now Secretary of State.
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (8233), text START to 88788, or chat online at www.thehotline.org.
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