GOP lawmaker blames processing error for failure to pay thousands in rent

GOP Rep. Cory Mills (Fla.) on Monday said he failed to pay thousands in rent due to a processing error, while criticizing a reporter on the matter.

He publicly commented on the issue after independent journalist Roger Sollenberger published court filings alleging Mills owed $85,000 in back rent at the property in Washington. 

“Roger, I know facts are unusual and unfamiliar thing for you, but here’s just the past two months where you can see I’m repeatedly asking for payment links and again as I tried with management today, it failed to process,” Mills wrote in a Monday post on X, with screenshots from the payment website and emails requesting a separate link for payment. 

“‘Error code 108 typically indicates an issue with the Windows Installer Service, often meaning another installation is already running. It can also be related to bank connectivity problems in financial software,’” Mills continued.

“Facts are a finicky thing but wouldn’t expect you to be anything other than a biased hack!”

Mills' office and The Bozutto Group, the real estate company listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter.

Sollenberger reported that Mills was served with notice for failure to pay in January. 

“Ledger shows he paid late nearly every month since moving in, missing several months entirely,” the journalist wrote in a Monday post on X.

The reports come five months after D.C. police investigated a physical altercation at Mills’ home in Washington.