U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla, seems for a listening to of the Home Ethics Committee on Capitol Hill on March 26, 2026.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Photos
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Andrew Harnik/Getty Photos
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., has resigned from Congress.
Her resignation on Tuesday got here shortly earlier than the Home Ethics Committee was attributable to meet to determine on a punishment for the third-term lawmaker — together with a possible expulsion vote.
Cherfilus-McCormick faces federal prices — prosecutors allege the lawmaker and her brother stole $5 million in federal catastrophe funds stemming from an overpayment associated to COVID-19 vaccinations to their well being care firm. The Home Ethics committee discovered she used a few of that cash to fund her first congressional marketing campaign. She has denied the allegations.
In a press release posted to social media, Cherfilus-McCormick criticized the Home Ethics Committee course of as “a witch hunt,” and alleged that as a result of the panel moved ahead on the similar time that her legal indictment was pending, she was prevented from correctly defending herself.
“We ought to be very cautious concerning the precedent we’re setting,” she mentioned in her resignation announcement. “On this nation, we don’t punish individuals earlier than due course of is full. We don’t enable allegations alone to override the need of the individuals. That may be a harmful path, and one that ought to concern each American, no matter celebration.”
It’s the third in a collection of April resignations from the Home. Democrat Eric Swalwell of California and Republican Tony Gonzales of Texas resigned underneath strain within the wake of sexual misconduct scandals. Swalwell denies allegations of assault and harassment introduced by a number of girls, although apologized to his household for unspecified errors in judgment. Gonzales admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.
One other Home Republican, Rep. Cory Mills, Fla., can be dealing with an Ethics investigation and will quickly face an expulsion vote.
Republicans now have a two-seat margin within the Home — 218 Republican-aligned members, 213 Democrats and 4 open seats.
The timeline to fill Cherfilus-McCormick’s seat stays unsure — state legislation offers Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, broad latitude in scheduling a particular election within the deep blue district that features components of Fort Lauderdale.
