Police: House Dem Shows Early Dementia Signs

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the longtime nonvoting representative for D.C. in the U.S. House, was scammed in her home by people who said they were part of a cleaning crew, her office told News4. The suspects charged almost $4,400 to her credit card for work they did not perform, police said.

An internal police report obtained by News4 details how suspects were able to enter Norton’s home on Thursday and access her credit card before someone, whom her office called a house manager and friend, was able to put a stop to it.

A D.C. police report described Norton, 88, as having the "early stages of dementia," and said Norton has a caretaker with power of attorney. Norton's office pushed back against that claim.

Multiple people claiming to be HVAC workers arrived at Norton's home on 9th Street SE just after 3:30 p.m. Thursday, the field commissioner's report says.

Norton let the workers into the home to perform HVAC services. But, despite no service taking place, the workers charged $4,362 for duct and fireplace cleaning, the report says.

At the time the group arrived, the report says, the "caretaker/power of attorney was not at residence." That report does not name the caretaker or power of attorney but says that individual called police.

That individual saw the HVAC workers on a security camera and advised Norton to tell them to leave, the report says. That person then went to Norton's home and realized the credit card had been charged.

They then flagged down a D.C. police officer, and U.S. Capitol Police also went to Norton's home to investigate.

Norton's credit card and driver's license number "could potentially be compromised," the report says.

No arrests were made on Thursday, but police are treating the crime as felony fraud.

A separate public incident report names the person who reported the crime as Jaqueline Pelt. Pelt is a longtime friend and support of Norton's, and was listed as her campaign treasurer.

In a statement to News4, Norton's office said: "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."

"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."

Later in the same statement, Norton's office said, "Congresswoman Norton doesn't have a caretaker. A longtime employee and friend serves as the house manager, residing at a separate address."

A spokesperson for Norton confirmed Pelt notified police, but says she is not Norton's caretaker. That spokesperson would not say whether Pelt has power of attorney for Norton, as the field commissioner's report says.

The field commissioner's report says the HVAC workers had tried to solicit Norton twice earlier this year — once in August, and once in September — and were told to leave both times.

No items were stolen from Norton's home, the public incident report said. There is an open investigation into the fraud claim involving Norton's credit card, D.C. police confirmed.

The public police incident report also says the "caretaker" called the credit card company to have the charges and card cancelled after Thursday's crime.

In the section of the field commander's report with information about the "complainant," or the victim of the crime, the report states that Norton has "early stages of dementia."

"Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC) 88 years old, Black Woman, suffers early stages of dementia," the report says.

Norton's office pushed back against that assessment.

"The medical diagnosis included in the police report was based on an assumption the reporting officer was unqualified to make," the statement says.

Norton's spokesperson declined to say whether Norton has had any diagnosis, telling News4 her office does not comment on the Congresswoman's health.

Norton is the oldest member of the House and has held her seat since 1991. She has repeatedly indicated she plans to run for reelection next year.

As President Donald Trump seized additional federal control over D.C. this year, Norton faced calls to step aside and make way for a new generation of leaders.

Former Democratic National Committee interim chair Donna Brazile, who was Norton’s campaign manager when she was first elected in 1990 and her chief of staff for eight years, wrote in an opinion piece in The Washington Post last month that Norton should not seek reelection.

“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,” she added.

Norton appeared to struggle to walk on her own as she left a news conference about the federal crime crackdown in D.C. this fall. She held on to the arm of an aide who walked her up to the podium and told her, “I’ll be right there.” After she spoke, Norton seemed to hold on to the podium until the aide returned to help support her as she walked away.

D.C. Councilmembers Robert White and Brooke Pinto have both announced they are running for Norton's seat.

The statement from Norton's office ended by saying:

"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."