Former Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback has publicly retracted his claims that U.S. Representatives Byron Donalds and Cory Mills were under federal investigation, stating that he made a “terrible mistake” and offering an apology to the lawmakers and their families.
Fishback initially made the allegations in early August during the Republican primary contest for the Florida governor nomination, in which he and Donalds were rivals. At the time, Fishback asserted that he had received the information from a trusted source. In a new post on X, he explained that he was reversing his position after speaking with his priest and going to confession.
“I am writing this without consulting my lawyer because it is the right thing to do, regardless of the legal implications. In early August, I made a terrible mistake by claiming that Byron Donalds and Cory Mills were under federal investigation,” Fishback wrote. He added that he accepted the Justice Department’s public statement that neither man is under investigation, acknowledging that he had borne false witness.
Fishback stated that neither Donalds, Mills, nor their legal teams had asked him to issue the retraction or had contacted him regarding the matter. He noted that he took the step out of moral obligation as a Catholic, seeking forgiveness and stating that he wished to make amends.
The original claims made by Fishback centered on alleged travel by Donalds and Mills to the MGM National Harbor resort in Maryland in 2024, specifically pointing to dates on May 17 and November 19. While Fishback claimed his legal team and campaign had spent weeks attempting to verify the information using whistleblower materials and text messages, those documents were not independently authenticated.
The Justice Department addressed the matter in August by issuing a public statement confirming that Donalds was not under investigation, while a law enforcement official described the allegation as absolutely false. Fishback’s updated statement indicated he now accepts the department’s position regarding both congressmen. Separate media reports in July from ABC News had indicated that the Justice Department was examining Mills regarding an unrelated matter concerning his finances. Additionally, the House Ethics Committee has pursued an inquiry into allegations involving Mills concerning potential violations of laws or House rules, though an ethics inquiry does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing.
In the primary election held on August 18, Donalds won the Republican gubernatorial nomination with 47.8 percent of the vote. Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins finished second with 25.2 percent, while Fishback placed third with 10.5 percent. Donalds advanced to the November general election to face Democratic nominee David Jolly.
Before his gubernatorial campaign, Fishback, the founder of investment firm Azoria, gained attention for proposing a dividend return to taxpayers based on savings attributed to the Department of Government Efficiency—an idea discussed by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in 2025 that did not become an approved federal payment plan.
