EXCLUSIVEScandal rocks Congress as top aide is caught in outrageous plot with his much-younger girlfriend: 'The nerve!'

Daily Mail ^ | 18:34 EDT, 30 July 2025 | Updated: 18:50 EDT, 30 July 2025 | JON MICHAEL RAASCH

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The top staffer to a Republican lawmaker running for Senate hired his girlfriend and made sure she was paid thousands, the Daily Mail has exclusively learned.

Georgia Rep. Mike Collin's chief of staff, Brandon Phillips, 39, was hiring for an intern at the lawmaker's district office, and filled the position with girlfriend, Caroline Craze, 26. 

Former Collins staffers revealed to the Daily Mail that Craze, despite getting paid thousands, rarely showed up for work.

According to congressional salary tracker Legistorm, Craze was paid $5,044 for interning in the district for two months from November 4, 2023, until December 31, 2023.

She was also paid $5,244 for interning in the district for three months between October 7, 2024, and December 5, 2024.

When Jessica Hayes, the former district director, asked Phillips about his girlfriend's role after being contacted by the office's financial department, she was let go shortly thereafter.

'On the advice of counsel, I'm not in a position to discuss anything related to my former employment at this time,' Hayes told the Daily Mail when reached for comment.

'The nerve to hire his girlfriend, which he did, is one thing. But to remove a beloved district director when she began asking questions is beyond the pale,' a former Collins aide said to the Daily Mail. 

'When Ms Hayes was contacted by the office's finance staffer asking her to confirm Caroline Craze's employment, Ms Hayes had no clue who that was,' the former aide disclosed.

'She had never worked in the district office and no one even knew her name. When Ms Hayes discovered it was the Chief of Staff's girlfriend, Ms Hayes asked about it and soon after was let go.'

[E. Pluribus Unum]

His girlfriend is extremely not guilty.

[Lurker]

He’s too stupid to be in the Senate.

And that’s saying something.

L

[Getready]

She is possibly way up there in the hot/craze matrix.

[Williams]

How could this “shake” the Congress, and how is a staffer hiring his girlfriend an “outrageous plot”?

Oh the hyperbole.

[Williams]

I don’t believe the candidate has anything to do with this.

[vikingd00d]

Scandalous! Only Fani Willis is allowed go do such things!

[Chickensoup]

Approximately 2500 a month? Seriously?

[GSWarrior]

39, 26 is not a huge age difference.

[GSWarrior]

39, 26 is not a huge age difference.

[Beowulf9]

With perks.

You don’t have to show up.

[chrisser]

I’m guessing she showed up for work, but she was hired for activities conducted outside the office.

[CFW]

Mike Collins announced his run against Ossoff for Georgia Senator this week. Of course, we can expect the “shocking scandals” to appear.

[Thank You Rush]

Didn’t AOC hire her boyfriend as a staffer?

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Congress is not exactly a bastion of the upright and the pure of heart, so I don’t see how this small potatoes situation would rock anything. And a man of 39 years with a woman of 26 isn’t exactly robbing the cradle.

[House Atreides]

“ She was also paid $5,244 for interning in the district for three months between October 7, 2024, and December 5, 2024.”
***************************************

The author of this hit piece article can’t accurately measure the passage of time. That span was just short of two full months.

[Jeff Chandler]

He really is stupid. He could have hired a different girl and had two hot girlfriends.

[one guy in new jersey]

Yes, this one may well get away scot free.

Her debt to society—written off as a complete loss.

[House Atreides]

“ I don’t believe the candidate has anything to do with this.”
*********************************************

None doesn’t. Plus it appears that the girl was given a shot at interning for a bit but was not hired permanently.

[SuperLuminal]

In the scheme of political life in Washington, DC, this is a real yawner...

When a member of the American Communist Party steals hundreds of millions and funnels it to friends and relatives, it is no big deal...

Just check the Nov/Dec period after the 2024 election...

[ansel12]

Is that a paid site?