Florida congressman Cory Mills faces testimony in restraining order hearing

LAKE CITY, Fla. - U.S. Rep. Cory Mills sat in a Columbia County courtroom Friday as his ex-girlfriend, Ms. United States Lindsey Langston, testified in her request for a restraining order against him.

What we know:

U.S. Rep. Cory Mills appeared in a Columbia County courtroom Friday as his ex-girlfriend, Lindsey Langston, sought a restraining order against him. 

Langston, 26, testified that Mills, 45, threatened her and new partners after their breakup earlier this year. She accused him of suggesting he would release intimate images to damage her reputation and described a video he allegedly sent that she took as a threat of revenge.

Mills, a freshman Republican representing parts of Seminole and Volusia counties, denied the claims. He told the court the explicit videos no longer exist because his phone broke, and said references to them were tied to accusations of her infidelity. He dismissed the video as a joke.

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The couple split in February, shortly after Mills faced unrelated allegations of assault from another woman in Washington, D.C.

The hearing lasted nearly two hours before being cut short. 

What we don't know:

The court has not ruled on whether Langston will be granted a restraining order. The proceeding ended before her attorney could cross-examine Mills, leaving key testimony incomplete. It is also unclear whether prosecutors or law enforcement will pursue any criminal charges connected to Langston’s allegations.

The backstory:

Mills and Langston dated until February, when they broke up. Langston, who currently holds the title of Ms. United States, said she asked Mills at least 11 times to stop contacting her before she filed for protection in August. She testified that the stress of their interactions pushed her into therapy, where she was prescribed Xanax and Lexapro.

The breakup came shortly after Mills faced separate allegations in Washington, D.C., where another woman claimed he assaulted her.

Dig deeper:

Cory Mills has represented Florida’s 7th District, covering parts of southern Volusia and Seminole counties, since January 2023. 

Before serving in Congress, he was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and received the Bronze Star Medal. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Intelligence. His military and oversight roles have made him a prominent figure in defense and intelligence matters.

What they're saying:

Langston wept as she told the judge that Mills threatened violence toward new love interests from April to June and that he would leak nude pictures and videos of her if they didn’t reconcile.

When asked why she did not immediately contact police, Langston said, "I didn’t want to face any backlash for coming forward."

Mills countered that the images were gone, and the video was meant in jest.

What's next:

Circuit Judge Fred Koberlein Jr. ordered both sides to submit new dates by Friday afternoon to continue testimony.

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