The Office of Congressional Ethics has referred a 33‑page report to the House Ethics Committee alleging Brandon Phillips, chief of staff to Rep. Mike Collins, placed his girlfriend on the congressional payroll as a paid district intern despite evidence she never worked in the office. Investigators say Caroline Craze was paid more than $10,000 over about four months while holding a full‑time job at Cox Communications. The referral also raises questions about undisclosed relationships and potential misuse of office travel funds; Collins’s office denies the allegations.
GOP Chief Of Staff Referred To House Ethics Panel After Allegedly Putting Girlfriend On Congressional Payroll
Brandon Phillips/X
Summary: The Office of Congressional Ethics has referred a case to the House Ethics Committee alleging Rep. Mike Collins’s chief of staff, Brandon Phillips, placed his romantic partner on the congressional payroll as a paid district intern even though she reportedly never worked in the office.
What's Alleged
Investigators say Brandon Phillips, 39, arranged and retained a paid district internship for Caroline Craze, 26, while she was reportedly employed full time elsewhere. The findings appear in a 33‑page referral released publicly and forwarded to the House Ethics Committee.
Rep. Mike Collins speaks to supporters of President Donald Trump at an event hosted by Vice President JD Vance. / Megan Varner / Getty Images
The referral states investigators found "substantial reason to believe" Phillips violated House rules by participating in Craze’s hiring and continued employment. According to the report, Craze was paid more than $10,000 over roughly four months while she was listed on her LinkedIn profile as working full time as an Internal Consultant at Cox Communications (January 2022–January 2024), a period that overlaps the internship pay dates.
"Ms. Craze never performed any duties in or for Rep. Collins’s District Office," the referral says, while noting she nevertheless received intern pay.
Other Allegations And Evidence
Multiple witnesses independently told investigators they never saw Craze perform work in the district office. The referral further alleges Phillips failed to disclose his romantic relationship with Craze and used his position to grant "special favors or privileges"—conduct that would violate rules prohibiting biased employment decisions benefiting romantic partners.
Caroline Craze’s Instagram profile obtained by the Office of Congressional Conduct picturing Craze alongside Brandon Phillips. / Office of Congressional Conduct
Investigators also flagged potential misuse of office funds, alleging Phillips charged Collins’ office for travel expenses that appeared personal or campaign‑related. The referral says resolving those travel questions would require fuller cooperation from Phillips and Rep. Collins.
Responses And Background
Rep. Collins’s office has publicly defended Phillips and called the allegations politically motivated, describing the complaint as an effort to undermine "one of Georgia’s most effective conservative legislators in Congress." Russell Duncan, an attorney for both Phillips and Collins, urged the Ethics Committee to dismiss the referral, saying the OCC relied on testimony from "two disgruntled, former members of Congressman Collins’ staff."
President Donald Trump smiles during a roundtable at Beauty Society. / Ethan Miller / Getty Images
The referral also recounts witnesses’ concerns about retaliation tied to public reporting about Phillips’s past legal troubles. It notes a 2022 misdemeanor arrest on an animal cruelty charge after an allegation he kicked a woman’s dog; Phillips was released on a $1,200 bond. The referral recalls that Phillips resigned as executive director of the Trump–Pence Georgia campaign in 2016 after earlier reports of trespassing and battery charges resurfaced.
Next Steps
The House Ethics Committee is now reviewing the referral. The Office of Congressional Ethics recommended subpoenas for both Phillips and Rep. Collins after concluding they did not fully cooperate with the initial inquiry. Neither Phillips nor Collins has been formally charged, and Phillips’s current employment status with Rep. Collins’s office has not been disclosed.
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