using Congressional resources for unofficial or otherwise unauthorized purposes, retaining an employee who did not perform duties commensurate with the compensation received, and dispensing special favors or privileges

In January 2026, the House Committee on Ethics announced it was publishing the Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC) referral in the case of Rep. Mike Collins. The OCC found substantial reason to believe that Rep. Collins had been using Congressional resources for unofficial or otherwise unauthorized purposes, retaining an employee who did not perform duties commensurate with the compensation received, and dispensing special favors or privileges by employing a district intern who had a preexisting personal romantic relationship with the office chief of staff and who did not perform duties commensurate with her compensation.