Cynthia West, who is standing for a school‑board seat in Florida, has accused Rep. Thomas Massie (R‑Ky.) of offering her money to abandon a complaint she filed over her dismissal from a Capitol Hill office.
West says Massie first contacted her on the social platform X in mid‑August 2024, less than two months after the death of his wife of more than 30 years. Their relationship, she describes as “very romantic, intense”, involved visits to his Kentucky home and a trip to South Africa, where Massie spoke to the Libertarian Society of South Africa in late November 2024.
According to West, Massie then asked her to relocate to Washington, D.C., and secured her a position in the office of Rep. Victoria Spartz (R‑Ind.), a close ally who later backed Massie for House speaker and attended his wedding. Congressional records confirm that West was paid £17,111.10 (US$17,111.10) for work as Director of Operations and Scheduling over a 12‑week period from 1 January to 31 March 2025.
West alleges that shortly after starting the job, Massie began requesting behaviour she was uncomfortable with. She says she ended the relationship and was dismissed from Spartz’s office after six weeks. She then lodged a complaint with the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, alleging retaliatory discharge.
When West informed Massie that she had named him as a witness, he became angry and, as she recounts, "offering her $5,000 to just walk away." West declined that offer and also turned down a £60,000 settlement from the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights because it required a non‑disclosure agreement.
Spartz’s office described West’s role as a temporary 90‑day probationary position that was not extended due to “unsatisfactory job performance”. The office declined to comment on the pending allegations.
The accusations emerge as Massie, a noted opponent of former President Donald Trump, prepares for a high‑profile primary against Trump‑backed retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein. Massie’s voting record often opposes White‑House proposals, prompting Trump to label him “the worst Republican Congressman”.