The House Ethics Committee on Wednesday opened a probe into GOP Rep. Cory Mills (FL). The new subcommittee will investigate allegations that Mills violated campaign finance laws, received special favors as a lawmaker, engaged in sexual misconduct and misused congressional resources.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) also introduced a resolution on Wednesday to censure Mills and remove him from committees; she accused the subcommittee of trying to silence the resolution.

“These allegations are far too serious to ignore,” Mace said in a statement. “A Member of Congress accused of assaulting women, profiting off federal contracts from his seat, and inflating or falsifying his service record has no business anywhere near national-security committees.

"This isn’t about partisan politics, it’s about protecting the integrity of this institution and the safety of women," she added.

The decision to start an ethics probe stopped the resolution, in effect delaying any action or consequences on Mills's actions until the investigation is completed.

So Mace may be correct in her contention that the committee was trying to shut the resolution down.

Eight Republicans voted against the ethics measure and 12 voted present. Among Democrats, 106 of them voted to open the probe.

There has been no word on who will serve on the subcommittee so far.

"Not the right person"

Mills said he agreed that the ethics probe was the appropriate way to go forward.

“I think it’s very clear that the actual committee of jurisdiction is in fact the Ethics Committee. Cooperating with them is my top priority. I believe all the accusations and false things being said will be proven to be absolutely false in many ways, and I have the evidence and receipts and look forward to working with them,” Mills said on the House floor.

Mills also said that Mace hurled profanity at him when the two spoke before the decision to open the probe.

“Anything from the P word to you’re a POS to FU to all the — I mean, if you could just fill in the blanks on all that,” Mills told reporters about the conversation. “She talks about conduct, and she talks about trying to take the moral ground. I think that she’s not the right person to do that.”

I mean, I think most members of Congress are not squeaky clean, but there is a difference between cussing someone out and sexually assaulting someone.

I hate to think that a Republican House member committed sexual assault, but if he did, he needs to go.