Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns minutes before hearing on whether she should be expelled
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., resigned moments before the House Ethics Committee was set to consider recommending her expulsion due to 25 ethics violations involving alleged theft of federal relief funds used to finance her campaign.
- Cherfilus-McCormick denies wrongdoing, calling the Ethics process a "witch hunt," and her criminal trial on related charges of stealing and laundering FEMA funds is scheduled for February 2027.
- The House Ethics Committee had conducted a thorough investigation, reviewing over 33,000 documents and interviewing 28 witnesses, ultimately finding substantial evidence of violations.
- Her resignation spares Democrats from a difficult expulsion vote requiring a two-thirds majority and comes amid heightened pressure to address corruption allegations ahead of the midterm elections.
- Cherfilus-McCormick faces potential prison time exceeding 50 years if convicted, with the Justice Department alleging misuse of FEMA funds, including purchasing a costly diamond ring and funding her 2022 campaign.
