Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat, Resigns From Congress
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat charged with embezzling $5 million in FEMA funds, resigned minutes before the House Ethics Committee was set to vote on recommending her expulsion.
- She was indicted in November for stealing FEMA money and funneling some of it to her 2021 congressional campaign, and faces up to 53 years in prison if convicted.
- The Ethics Committee had been investigating her for over two years and held a rare public hearing last month, concluding she committed ethics violations related to the misuse of FEMA funds.
- Cherfilus-McCormick denied wrongdoing, criticized the committee for not allowing her lawyers adequate preparation time, and warned against punishing individuals before due process is complete.
- Her resignation is part of a recent trend of congressional departures amid misconduct allegations, including those of Representatives Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales.
