OCC Report Accuses Mike Collins’ Chief of Staff of Misconduct
A recent report from the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC) suggests that Brandon Phillips, chief of staff for Republican Senate candidate Mike Collins of Georgia, employed a district intern with whom he had a “pre-existing personal romantic relationship.”
The OCC report, distributed by the House Ethics Committee, claims that Phillips, who held the chief of staff role for nearly three years, may have given the intern unfair advantages, possibly violating House rules by granting her special accommodations and privileges. Furthermore, the intern reportedly “did not perform the duties commensurate with his compensation.”
The report raises concerns about whether Phillips misused Congressional resources for unofficial purposes, stating, “If Mr. Phillips unfairly discriminated by granting special accommodations or privileges, he may have violated federal law, House rules, and standards of conduct.”
A spokesperson for Collins’ office characterized the allegations as a “false accusation” intended to undermine one of Georgia’s significant conservative figures. “Congressman Collins is committed to providing truthful information to the House Ethics Committee to resolve these baseless claims,” the spokesperson added.
According to recent reports, Phillips has been a senior policy advisor to Collins since early 2026 and served as his chief of staff from January 2023 to December 2025.
The House Ethics Committee announced on Monday that it began an OCC inquiry into Collins’ office on October 7, 2025, and extended its review in November. They noted they wouldn’t provide additional public comments until the review concludes.
The OCC is an independent, bipartisan body responsible for examining allegations of misconduct against members of the House of Representatives, their officers, and staff, referring cases to the House Ethics Committee when required.
In the political landscape, Collins is being seen as a frontrunner in the upcoming Georgia Republican Senate primary, where he is one of three main candidates competing for a chance against Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. Reports indicate that his campaign raised around $1.9 million in the third quarter of 2025.
Collins expressed his intentions for the upcoming election, stating, “This is the year we give President Trump another vote in the Senate and the year we give Georgia a senator who will put us first.”
