Washington, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who reportedly has early dementia, fell victim to a home scam Thursday when multiple individuals posing as HVAC workers charged $4,362 to her credit card for services they never performed.
The 88-year-old congresswoman allowed the suspects into her Southeast Washington home around 3:30 p.m. after they claimed to be a cleaning crew.
According to a D.C. police report, Norton provided her credit card information to the individuals, who billed her for duct and fireplace cleaning without doing any work.
Jacqueline Pelt, Norton’s campaign treasurer, discovered the fraud after reviewing Ring doorbell footage and noticing the unscheduled visit. Pelt immediately reported the incident to police and contacted the credit card company to cancel the charges.
The police report described Norton as suffering from the “early stages of dementia” and stated she has a caretaker with power of attorney. Norton’s office denied the reports of dementia.
“The medical diagnosis included in the police report was based on an assumption the reporting officer was unqualified to make,” the statement said. “Furthermore, Congresswoman Norton doesn’t have a caretaker. A longtime employee and friend serves as the house manager, residing at a separate address.”
Her office explained Norton’s decision to give the suspects her credit card.
“The Congresswoman employs a house manager who oversees all maintenance services, so she initially assumed her staff had arranged the visit and provided her credit card for payment,” the statement said. “Upon notifying her house manager, who reviewed Ring doorbell footage and confirmed that no such appointment had been scheduled, the incident was immediately reported to the police.”
A police car was stationed outside Norton’s residence because sources told Fox News the suspects “were adamant they were coming back.”
No arrests have been made. D.C. police are investigating the case as felony fraud.
Norton has represented the District of Columbia in Congress since 1991, and is the oldest member of the House of Representatives. As a delegate, she cannot vote on legislation but serves on committees, including the House Oversight Committee.
The scam incident comes as Norton faces mounting pressure to retire from fellow Democrats. Former DNC interim chair Donna Brazile, who served as Norton’s campaign manager when she was first elected in 1990, recently wrote a Washington Post op-ed last month demanding Norton resign at the end of her term.
“She is no longer the dynamo she once was, at a time when D.C. needs the kind of energetic representation in Congress she provided for decades,” Brazile wrote. “It’s in her best interest, and the interest of D.C., for her to serve her current term but then end her extraordinary service in Congress and not seek reelection next year.”
Norton told reporters in June she plans to run for reelection in 2026. “I’m going to run,” Norton said. “I don’t know why anyone would even ask me.”
Norton’s office released a final statement on the incident:
“The Congresswoman is safe and the fraudulent charges have been reported to the police and her bank. She thanks MPD and Capitol Police for their quick response. There will be no further comment.”