GOP Reps. Nancy Mace and Cory Mills are locked in an escalating personal clash over Mace’s failed effort to censure Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar for her response to the killing of activist Charlie Kirk.
Mills was one of four Republicans to join all Democrats and kill Mace’s censure measure, which fell just one vote short of passing Wednesday.
The Floridian cited “First Amendment” issues for his vote, prompting Mace (R-S.C.) to then accuse Mills and the other Republicans of stifling “free speech” by opposing her effort. In an exchange with Mills on X, she also claimed the Florida Republican “threatened” her by text message Wednesday evening.
Mills denied threatening Mace in a brief interview Thursday. He said he reminded her about her previous position on the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, saying: “What would have happened if you shared the video of you condemning President Trump over J6 for free speech?”
“And so, if reminding someone of their own remarks is a threat, well, then that means everyone threatens each other every day to remind someone, ‘Hey, you voted for this, and you did this and you voted for this,’” Mills said.
“This is typical, I’m sorry, but like, I respect Nancy, I like Nancy, I’ve always supported Nancy,” he continued. “But she’s upset that she didn’t get one thing passed because she has some back-and-forth with Ilhan that has nothing to do with me.”
Mills did personally benefit from his vote to table the Omar censure: Democrats pulled back on a retaliatory effort to censure Mills over ethics and domestic abuse allegations that he has denied.
Mills said he would “be fine” with Democrats pushing ahead on their effort to censure him.
Mace said after the Wednesday vote that the GOP opposition was “really gross” and “very disappointing.” A reporter also overheard her telling a colleague that she had sent the four Republicans’ names to President Donald Trump.
