Source: Politics<\/p>\n
A veteran Georgia Republican operative who is slated to be chief of staff for incoming Rep. Mike Collins was arrested last month for allegedly kicking a dog.<\/p>\n
Brandon Phillips was arrested on Nov. 17 on a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty and held on a $1,200 bond, which he posted to get released, according to a booking report<\/a>. In 2016, Phillips resigned as Donald Trump\u2019s Georgia state director<\/a> after his prior criminal history was revealed.<\/p>\n In the latest incident, Phillips allegedly kicked the dog of a woman named Tifani Eledge with his boot, causing a cut to the animal\u2019s stomach, according to an affidavit<\/a> attached to a warrant for Phillips\u2019 arrest. The alleged incident occurred on Aug. 23 in Albany, Georgia.<\/p>\n Collins (R-Ga.) has not formally announced that Phillips, 36, will be his chief of staff, but three Georgia Republican congressional staffers told POLITICO he has been selected for the job.<\/p>\n He participated in a meeting on Nov. 30 that was held exclusively for Georgia Republican congressional chiefs of staff in an office next to the office of Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.), according to two of those staffers. And Phillips has interviewed at least one congressional aide for a potential post in Collins\u2019 office, they said.<\/p>\n Phillips also was with Collins for new member orientation last month, one of the people said.<\/p>\n Collins has also designated Phillips as his transition aide, a different Republican congressional staffer familiar with the matter said.<\/p>\n Phillips, a former executive director of the Fulton County Republican Party, has long ties to Collins, the owner of a successful trucking business. In 2014, Phillips worked for Collins<\/a> in his unsuccessful run against Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.). In the 2008 Republican presidential primary, Phillips served as Mitt Romney\u2019s Georgia state director.<\/p>\n Phillips and Collins did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n Phillips resigned from the Trump campaign in September 2016 after local TV station WSB-TV revealed<\/a> his previous criminal history. A separate story<\/a> by WXIA in Atlanta reported that in 2008, he \u201cattacked\u201d a man and slashed his tires, and threw a woman\u2019s laptop. During the incident, Phillips caused \u201cvisible bodily harm\u201d and \u201ccuts and bruises to the head and torso\u201d of the male victim, according to the Macon Telegraph<\/a>, citing a Superior Court indictment.<\/p>\n Phillips was arrested on charges of battery and felony criminal damage. But before the case went to trial, he pleaded guilty to lesser charges of criminal trespassing and battery.<\/p>\n Phillips was sentenced<\/a> to three years of probation, 50 hours of community service and a $1,567 fine, although a year later his probation ended after he was granted early release.<\/p>\n Later that year, a woman said<\/a>Phillips pointed a gun at her after he opened the door to his apartment in Atlanta, according to<\/a> court documents cited by WSB-TV. He told police that he had done so after he heard banging on his door. He was arrested a few weeks later on a charge of simple assault and battery.<\/p>\n The charges were dropped after Phillips completed pre-trial counseling, according to the Atlanta TV station.<\/p>\n