Police Report Says Member of Congress, 88, Has Dementia
A police report says D.C.’s congressional delegate, who was scammed out of thousands, exhibits “early stages of dementia.”
ERIN SCOTT/REUTERS
Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, an 88-year-old Democrat congresswoman representing Washington D.C., was scammed out of $4,400 by a fake cleaning crew and was described by police as having “early signs of dementia.”
Norton, who has served as D.C.’s delegate since 1991, had scammers posing as a cleaning crew enter her home on Thursday and obtain her credit card information, according to a police report obtained by NBC4. The scammers then began charging Norton for services they did not perform, stealing $4,400 before a “house manager and a friend”—as Norton’s office described them—was able to put a stop to it.
A police report said Eleanor Norton, who has represented Washington, D.C. in Congress since 1991, exhibits "early signs of dementia."
EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS
The police report of the incident, which is being handled as a felony fraud, described Norton as having “early stages of dementia.” Norton’s office neither confirmed nor denied the description, telling NBC4 that it does not comment on Del. Norton’s health. They did say, “The medical diagnosis included in the police report was based on an assumption the reporting officer was unqualified to make.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to Norton’s office for comment.
The picture of Norton’s home life painted by the police report suggests a senior citizen in an assisted living situation, and raises serious concerns that her staff could be acting as her caretakers.
For example, the police described the “house manager” who put a stop to the crime as Norton’s ”caretaker/power of attorney."
Eleanor Norton cannot vote on legislation but can serve on committees. She currently serves on the House Oversight Committee.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag
“Congresswoman Norton doesn’t have a caretaker,” Norton’s office said. “A longtime employee and friend serves as the house manager, residing at a separate address.”
Norton’s office also told NBC4 that the octogenarian congresswoman assumed the house manager had hired the crew and gave them her credit card information.
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A separate report about the crime says the person who called the police was Jacqueline Pelt, Norton’s campaign treasurer. Norton’s office would not say whether Pelt has power of attorney over Norton.
As a delegate representing D.C., Norton cannot vote on legislation like other congresspeople. She can sit in congress, hold roles on various committees, and participate in committee votes. She currently serves on the House Oversight Committee.
Norton raised eyebrows in July for floating that she would run once again for her seat representing D.C., despite friends and colleagues suggesting it would be best for her to retire. This included a high-profile call from former interim DNC chair Donna Brazile, who was also Norton’s former campaign manager. In September, Brazile wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post praising Norton’s service while begging for her to step aside.
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