Rising Tension After Failed Censure Votes
For months, Democrats have floated their own censure proposals against Mills, but those efforts were largely tied to Republicans’ repeated attempts to censure Democrats. Each time a GOP-backed censure failed, Democrats “stood down” on their response resolutions.
That uneasy pattern was shattered Tuesday night when Republicans came up short in their effort to censure Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.) over text messages she exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing. The measure failed 209–214, with three Republicans voting alongside Democrats and another three voting present.
The outcome angered several Republicans, who openly confronted colleagues on the House floor. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) was seen shouting at fellow GOP lawmakers. And Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) went a step further, suggesting — without evidence — that a behind-the-scenes agreement had protected Mills from a Democratic censure vote.
Mills dismissed the accusation as fiction.
“There was no backroom deal, no negotiation and no quid pro quo,” he said, noting that he expected Democrats to proceed with a censure vote against him. Reference
The Mace–Mills Rift Goes Back Months
Tensions between Mace and Mills didn’t begin this week. In September, Mace attempted to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) over remarks Omar had reposted following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Mills, whose own censure was expected to be introduced if the Omar resolution passed, ultimately cast the deciding vote that defeated the measure.
That vote infuriated Mace, who soon began publicly highlighting past allegations about Mills, including a disputed account surrounding his military service. Reporting from the Daytona Beach News-Journal cited service members who questioned Mills’s role in an incident connected to his Bronze Star. Mace said she conducted her own inquiry and released what she described as a transcript of a conversation with retired Brig. Gen. Arnold N. Gordon-Bray, who reportedly disputed approving paperwork for Mills’s award.
Another episode referenced in Mace’s resolution stems from a February police call to a D.C. residence after a woman reported a domestic disturbance. The woman later recanted, and prosecutors declined to pursue charges. Police later told Mills the matter was closed. Mills has maintained there was no physical altercation.
Vote Expected Soon — Outcome Uncertain
Republican leadership is expected to attempt to table the censure resolution, though it remains unclear how many GOP members will support that effort given the recent turbulence inside the conference. Democrats, meanwhile, have signaled they are prepared for additional censure fights if Republicans continue targeting members across the aisle.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries struck a blunt tone on Wednesday:
“Democrats are not going to unilaterally disarm,” he said, adding that several Republicans could face future censure efforts.
For now, the next steps depend on whether GOP leadership chooses to confront the issue head-on or sidestep it. Either way, the episode highlights an increasingly fractious Republican Conference — one that appears more divided with each failed disciplinary vote.
