Republican congressman Cory Mills has denied reports that the US Department of Justice is conducting a criminal investigation into him, calling the allegations a politically motivated attempt to damage his re-election campaign. The claims emerge weeks before Florida’s Republican primary, making them potentially significant for his campaign and the contest for his seat.

Mills, who represents Florida, said the reports did not specify the nature of any alleged investigation and suggested that a Republican primary opponent was behind the claims. Fox News said a source familiar with the matter had indicated that the Justice Department was investigating him, but the article text provided does not include further details of the alleged inquiry or any response from the department.