Congressman’s unique gift to lawmakers raises a few eyebrows

To welcome fellow members of the U.S. House to the start of the 118th Congress, a Florida freshman handed out inoperable grenades stamped with a Republican Party logo.

“Welcoming you to a mission-oriented 118th Congress, I am eager to get to work for the American people, and I look forward to working with you to deliver on this commitment,” Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., wrote in a letter, according to a photo shared by a Daily Mail reporter.

“In that spirit, it is my pleasure to give you a 40mm grenade, made from a MK19 grenade launcher,” wrote Mills, who was named to the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees.

In a postscript, he added “These Florida manufactured 40mm grenades are inert.”

The grenade prompted snickering and criticism online from Twitter users who responded to the tweet of Mills’ gift and letter (“In the spirit of working together … here’s an inert grenade,” one wrote). Others didn’t have a problem with the gift.

A spokesperson for Mills’ office told WKMG in Orlando “all necessary security measures were taken, and Capitol police even escorted staff into the building with them. Each and every one was thoroughly examined.”

Security has been a top issue at the U.S. Capitol since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack. Metal detectors installed following the attack were removed from the House chamber last month for the new Congress. Visitors to the Capitol are still screened, and Capitol Police told USA Today more than 100 security improvements have been made to the Capitol complex since Jan. 6, 2021.

Mills served in the U.S. Army, received a Bronze Star, and spent time in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, according to his office website, and he was a Department of Defense adviser during the Trump administration. He co-founded PACEM Solutions, a company that sells supplies and training to law enforcement and private security, including tear gas used against Black Lives Matter protesters, according to Politico.

Elected in 2022, Mills represents Florida’s 7th District, which includes suburbs northeast of Orlando.