Over the past few months, I’ve spoken to more than a dozen people who know Rep. Cory Mills, watched hours of court testimony, and reviewed hundreds of pages of public records to piece together the rise of a Florida Republican now plagued by numerous scandals. What I heard and saw was often shocking. To a degree I’ve never encountered as a reporter, the congressman turned out to be widely loathed, both in Washington and by former close associates.

Mills was first elected to Congress in 2022. In 2024, he easily won reelection. He’s now running again and, come November, voters in his solidly Republican district may send Mills to Washington for a third time.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump gave him his “Complete and Total” endorsement. Trump called Mills a “Successful Entrepreneur” and “Bronze Star recipient.” My investigation—along with work by independent journalist Roger Sollenberger and Notus—calls into question the basis of both those claims.

Mills’ office did not respond to an interview request sent last month. His office also did not reply to a detailed list of questions sent by Mother Jones last week.

Below are five takeaways from the reporting.

Veterans Who Served and Worked With Mills Spoke Out Against Him On the Record

Mills, who is 45, served in the Army from 1999 to 2003. He spent a few months of that time in Iraq. Adam Ehrhardt, a........

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