Lawmakers mull sanctions for Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

Key Points:

• Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida faces potential punishment from the House Ethics Committee after being found guilty of 25 violations of House rules, including campaign finance breaches, amid ongoing federal criminal charges related to alleged theft of $5 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
• Cherfilus-McCormick, who denies all allegations and is running for reelection, has invoked her Fifth Amendment right and declined to testify during the Ethics Committee investigation, which involved extensive subpoenas, interviews, and document reviews over two years.
• Republicans are pushing for her expulsion from the House, with Rep. Greg Steube signaling he will move to expel her once the committee issues its recommendation; this could trigger reciprocal expulsion efforts against Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who is under a separate Ethics Committee investigation.
• House Democratic leaders have refrained from condemning Cherfilus-McCormick, emphasizing the importance of due process, while potential punishments range from reprimand and censure to the rare and severe expulsion, which requires a two-thirds House vote.
• House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence that the House will move to expel Cherfilus-McCormick, citing "indisputable" facts, highlighting the seriousness of the case amid a broader context of recent ethics investigations and resignations in Congress.