FL Congressman Gifts Dummy Grenades To U.S. House Members

WASHINGTON, DC — Florida Republican Cory Mills presented fellow U.S. House of Representatives members with an unusual gift to mark the start of the 118th Congress: an inert grenade and a letter inviting them to "get to work on behalf of their constituents."

Mills, 42, was elected in November to represent Florida's 7th Congressional District, which includes all of Seminole County and the southern half of Volusia County. He defeated Republican candidate Anthony Sabatini and flipped the seat formerly held by Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy.

Mills, also a U.S. Army veteran, was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

A photo of the grenade and letter was shared on Twitter by Daily Mail reporter Morgan Phillips.

According to Mills' letter, the 40mm grenade stamped with a Republican elephant was manufactured in Florida and first developed during the Vietnam War. The grenade is made for an MK19 launcher.

"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," Mills' letter reads.

A note at the bottom of the letter said the grenades were inert.

A spokesman for Mills told The New York Times it is customary for new Republican members of the House to bring gifts from their home states. The spokesperson told The Times that Mills paid for the inert grenades himself.

All security measures were followed when delivering the grenades, the spokesperson said.