Police Wanted to Arrest House Republican Over Alleged Assault — Congressman Threatened to Call Fmr. AG Pam Bondi to Try and Stop it: Report

Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images

Police wanted to arrest a GOP congressman last February over an alleged assault of a woman — a new report from the Washington Post revealed Sunday.

According to an in-depth piece written by the Post’s Paul Schwartzman and Kadia Goba, D.C. police were “about to arrest” Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) over the alleged assault before a lieutenant ordered them not to. But the next day, the police did indeed ask then-interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin to sign off on an arrest warrant. But Martin denied the request.

The Post reviewed body camera footage and documents for their report. According to the Post, the footage showed Mills saying he wanted to call then-Attorney General Pam Bondi to intervene. Richard Mazloom, the officer on the scene, threatened to arrest Mills as he appeared to reach for his phone.

“I stepped toward you once, if I do it again it will be to put you in handcuffs,” Mazloom said. “If I say don’t make a phone call, just don’t do it.”

The report indicated that Mazloom wanted to arrest Mills, but a lieutenant overrode him after the unidentified woman “changed her account after appearing to talk to the congressman.”

Schwartman and Goba write:

“The body-camera footage and documents show that Richard Mazloom, the police officer who first responded to the accuser’s 911 call, disagreed with his superior’s decision to classify the incident as a ‘family disturbance’ after the woman recanted and said Mills had not assaulted her.

“’Unfortunately, I have bosses that are making this into a family disturbance — a domestic disturbance — instead of an actual domestic assault,’ Mazloom told the alleged victim, according to the body-camera footage that a judge ordered released to The Post last month.”

Mills has come under additional scrutiny in recent days following the resignations of Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales from the House. Both men face numerous allegations of sexual misconduct. Mills has faced an ethics probe investigating his alleged misconduct, and potential campaign finance violations.

Lawmakers on both sides have suggested openness to expelling both Mills and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) — who is under federal indictment for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from FEMA. But for now, they have not moved to expel the two House members.

——

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!