An ex-girlfriend of Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is alleging the congressman offered her $5,000 to abandon a wrongful termination complaint tied to the office of one of his closest allies in Congress.
Cynthia West, a Florida social worker and school board candidate in Okaloosa County, publicly detailed the allegations during a video interview released Tuesday with Kentucky attorney Marcus Carey. West claims she began dating Massie in 2024, several months after the death of his first wife of 30 years.
According to West, Massie later arranged a job for her in the office of Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., despite her never formally applying for the position. West alleged she was terminated shortly after ending her relationship with the Kentucky congressman.
The accusations come at a politically sensitive moment for Massie, who is facing a closely watched Republican primary challenge ahead of Kentucky’s May 19 election. President Donald Trump has backed Massie’s opponent, former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, intensifying an already contentious intraparty battle.
West stated that she has not coordinated with Gallrein’s campaign or Trump’s political organization and denied being paid to make the allegations public.
In the interview, West said Massie initially contacted her through social media in August 2024 and that the relationship quickly became serious. She alleged the congressman encouraged her to travel with him extensively, including trips to Savannah, Georgia, and South Africa.
West said she ultimately ended the relationship after Massie allegedly asked her to participate in conduct she was uncomfortable with and after what she described as emotional abuse. Following the breakup, West said her employment in Spartz’s office ended after only six weeks.
West later filed a wrongful termination complaint against Spartz and listed Massie as a witness. According to her account, Massie reacted angrily when informed about the complaint and allegedly offered her money to walk away from the case.
West also revealed that the Office of Congressional Ethics allegedly proposed a $60,000 settlement tied to her complaint. However, she said she rejected the offer because it included a non-disclosure agreement that would have prevented her from discussing the allegations publicly.
Massie has strongly denied all allegations and characterized them as politically motivated attacks designed to damage him ahead of the election. In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, the congressman said all accusations of inappropriate conduct were false and denied ever offering anyone money in exchange for silence.
Massie also stated he had consulted legal counsel and was considering his options in response to the allegations.
West declined further comment when contacted by Fox News Digital and instead referred inquiries to spokesman Rob Wilbur, who accused Massie of hypocrisy over his public calls for transparency and accountability.
A spokesperson for Rep. Spartz confirmed that West held a temporary 90-day probationary position in the office but said her employment was not extended because of “unsatisfactory job performance.” The office declined to address the broader allegations.
Spartz and Massie have maintained a close political alliance in Congress. Spartz notably backed Massie during the 2023 House speaker fight and attended his wedding ceremony in 2025.
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