D.C. Del. Norton, Reportedly In ‘Early Stages Of Dementia,’ Scammed By Suspects Masquerading As Home Cleaning Crew
Longtime Democratic District of Columbia Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton was scammed by individuals claiming to work for an HVAC company, according to a police report describing the 88-year-old lawmaker as being in the “early stages of dementia.”
Norton, who has served as a non-voting delegate from Washington to the House of Representatives since 1991, has repeatedly said she will seek a 19th term in 2026 despite concerns about her age. Fraudsters showed up at the delegate’s residence Thursday afternoon and charged more than $4,000 to her credit card for cleaning services they had not performed, according to a police report obtained by NBC4 Washington.
The internal document reportedly described the “complainant” or victim of the incident as “MP Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), 88, black female, suffering from early stages of dementia.”
The Democrat personally allowed the group claiming to be HVAC personnel to enter her home in the southeast quadrant of D.C., according to the outlet. An unspecified amount of time later, a person identified in the report as Norton’s “guardian/attorney” spotted the purported cleanup crew on a doorbell camera.
This alleged sitter, identified as Jaqueline Pelt in a separate public incident report, was apparently not at the delegate’s residence when she first spotted the strange individuals filmed. Pelt then left to go there, realizing Norton’s card had been charged, after which she notified police, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Eleanor Holmes Norton Can’t Walk a Few Feet Without Help)
No arrests were made following the incident, NBC4 Washington reported.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 24: Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) listens as members of the public speak during a town hall with federal employees January 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images)
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) designates Pelt as treasurer for Eleanor Holmes Norton Citizens, the main campaign committee supporting the 18-term D.C. delegate’s re-election bid in 2026. Pelt is also a longtime friend and supporter of Norton, according to NBC4 Washington.
Norton’s office denied that the elderly Democrat had a caregiver, but did not directly answer a question about whether she had been diagnosed with “early stages of dementia,” the outlet reported.
“The medical diagnosis included in the police report was based on an assumption that the investigating officer was not qualified to make,” a Delegate spokesperson told NBC4 Washington in a statement. The spokesperson, however, still refused to confirm or deny the accuracy of the diagnosis, emphasizing that the congressional office does not comment on Norton’s health.
“Congresswoman Norton does not have a caretaker. A longtime employee and friend serves as house manager, residing at a separate address,” the statement to NBC4 Washington continued. The manager would have “supervised all maintenance services, therefore [Norton] initially assumed that his staff had arranged the visit and provided his credit card for payment.
“After informing the house manager, who viewed the Ring doorbell footage and confirmed that no such meeting had been scheduled, the incident was immediately reported to the police,” the spokesperson reportedly continued.
Norton’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for additional comment.
Norton is the oldest member of the House and is several months older than Kentucky Republican Rep. Hal Rogers, 87, the oldest voting member of the lower chamber. (RELATED: ‘Nursing Home’: Ron DeSantis Teams Up With Democrat To Push For Term Limits In Congress)
In September, Norton appeared to need help from a woman appearing to be an employee to simply walk away from an outdoor podium. Norton had just given a speech lambasting President Donald Trump for allegedly using “Washington DC residents as props in a political play.”
“Yes, I’m going to run for office,” Norton told NBC News on June 25. The same day, a spokesperson for his office told Axios that “no decision has been made” on the matter.
Norton raised just $3,000 for his reelection bid during the third 2025 fundraising quarter, Politico reported Oct. 8. She faces two high-profile challengers in the Democratic primary, Robert White and Brooke Pinto, who both serve on the D.C. Council. White notably served as legislative counsel in Norton’s congressional office for several years.
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