WASHINGTON, D.C. — Details have emerged concerning the ethics allegations against 10th Congressional District Representative Mike Collins and his chief of staff, Brandon Phillips.
In a 33-page report released by the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC), which is a nonpartisan watchdog entity tasked with reviewing allegations of misconduct, Phillips is accused of misusing taxpayer funds by hiring his girlfriend, Caroline Craze, as an intern.
The report says that seven unnamed witnesses, all of whom were either current or former members of Collins’ Washington D.C. or district offices, claim that Craze did not perform any actual work.
“The information provided by those witnesses—including testimony provided in formal, transcribed interviews—corroborates the allegation that Ms. Craze never performed any duties in or for Rep. Collins’s District Office in 2023—despite being paid as a District Intern from November 4, 2023, to December 31, 2023,” per pages 14 and 15 of the report. “The information provided to the OCC by those witnesses similarly indicates that Ms. Craze did not perform any duties in or for Rep. Collins’s District Office in 2024—despite being paid for a second time as District Intern from October 7, 2024, to December 5, 2024.”
Despite reportedly not fulfilling any work for Collins’s office, Craze was paid $5,044 in 2023 and $5,244.44 in 2024, according to the report. She was listed as a “District Office Paid Intern,” despite objections from many of the witnesses that they had never seen her working in an office.
Many of the witnesses said that Craze did not fit the criteria for an intern, as many interns were students or recent graduates. As of May 28, 2025, Craze’s LinkedIn page listed her place of work as Cox Communications, per the report. That same page did not list her work with Collins’ office.
Additionally, allegations of Phillips misusing Members Representational Allowance (MRA) funds for campaign purposes were mentioned in the document. But due to the pair's lack of “direct cooperation” with the office’s review, a firm judgment was not made.
“Without any direct cooperation from Mr. Phillips or Rep. Collins, the OCC was not able to reach a determination at this time on whether there is a substantial reason to believe the additional allegations concerning Mr. Phillips’s possible use of House resources for campaign purposes,” per page 31 of the report.
The pair’s attorney, Russell Duncan, submitted a response on Dec. 31, 2025. Duncan petitioned that the committee dismiss the review, citing two “disgruntled, former members” of Collins’ staff as the ones who provided the information.
Duncan added that Craze provided “valuable assistance” in her role as an intern.
“The temporary hiring and the small amount paid to the intern from available funds in the last quarter of the year were in recognition of the services the intern had provided throughout both years,” Duncan wrote. “The intern has continued this important work in 2025.”
Additionally, Collins’ team denied the allegations brought forth against them.
"This bogus complaint is a sad attempt to derail one of Georgia's most effective conservative legislators in Congress,” a statement from Collins' office read. “Rep. Collins looks forward to providing the House Ethics Committee all factual information and putting these meritless allegations to rest."
Regardless, the OCC board voted 6-0 to adopt the report.
“The Board recommends that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Mr. Phillips because there is substantial reason to believe that Mr. Phillips discriminated unfairly by dispensing special favors or privileges by participating in the retention of an employee with whom Mr. Phillips had a personal relationship,” per page 1 of the report.
The OCC also recommended subpoenas for Collins, Phillips, Craze and three other staffers who were listed as non-cooperative in the review.
The House Ethics Committee, which received the report in October, announced it would be extending its review of the complaint.
Collins, a Republican who represents parts of Newton County in the 10th congressional district, is entering the final year of his second term in the House of Representatives. He has entered the race for a U.S. Senate seat, where he is a top contender in the Republican primary.
Collins will face off against other Republican challengers, including fellow State Representative Buddy Carter and former football coach Derek Dooley, in May. The winner of the Republican nomination will face Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.
As for Phillips, this is not the first time he has faced controversy.
In 2016, Phillips chose to step down as President Donald Trump’s Georgia campaign director after two prior arrests for battery and criminal damage charges in 2008 were publicly revealed. He later pled guilty to criminal trespassing and battery charges after he admitted to destroying one person’s laptop and slashing a second person’s tires, according to The Associated Press.
