April 21 (UPI) — Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla. said she has resigned from the House effective immediately, just minutes before she was to face the House Ethics Committee on Tuesday.
She posted an announcement on X at 1:56 p.m. EDT, before the committee hearing at 2 p.m. The public hearing before the House Ethics Committee was to decide what punishment she would receive for 25 ethics violations.
“This was not a fair process. The Ethics Committee refused my new attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense. By going forward with this process while a criminal indictment is pending, the committee prevented me from defending myself, Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement. “I will not stand by and pretend that this has been anything other than a witch hunt. I simply cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be trampled on and my good name to be tarnished.
“Rather than play these political games, I choose to step away so that I can devote my time to fighting for my neighbors in Florida’s 20th district. I hereby resign from the 119th Congress, effective immediately,” Cherfilus-McCormick said.
Republicans had already planned to expel her no matter the outcome of today’s hearing.
She is the third congressperson to resign this month.
Cherfilus-McCormick was found guilty by the ethics committee in late March of 25 of the original 27 charges relating to an alleged fraud charge. The Department of Justice indicted her for allegedly stealing $5 million in funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for use in her campaign.
She has pleaded not guilty to the 15 counts in the indictment and denies any wrongdoing. Her case has not yet gone to trial. She has said of the criminal case, she looks “forward to proving my innocence.”
Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted in November on federal charges with her brother, Edwin Cherfilus.
Her family owns Trinity Healthcare Services. The company had a FEMA-funded contract to register people for COVID-19 vaccines, but in July 2021 was accidentally overpaid $5 million by a Florida agency, the indictment said. Instead of returning the funds, Cherfilus-McCormick allegedly moved the money to different accounts “to disguise its source,” the Justice Department said. She then allegedly used some of the funds to finance her campaign.
The House committee’s investigation said it found “clear and convincing evidence” of her guilt.
“The 25 violations at issue here are very serious standing on their own,” the committee’s counsel said in a memorandum before Tuesday’s hearing, CBS News reported. “The scope and continuous nature of the conduct, as well as Respondent’s failure to take responsibility for wrongdoing, may be considered as aggravating factors.”
Cherfilus-McCormick has argued that her lawyer in the criminal case has advised her not to discuss the case.
The committee could have recommended censure, fines, a reprimand, committee removal, reduction in seniority, demand of an apology or expulsion from the House.
Expulsion would require a two-thirds vote, meaning 70 Democrats would have to support it.
Two other House members have resigned in recent weeks: Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas. They were both under scrutiny for alleged sexual misconduct.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced a resolution Monday to expel Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., from Congress over alleged sexual misconduct.
Cherfilus-McCormick was elected to Congress in 2022 in a special election to replace Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, who died in 2021 from pancreatic cancer.
About the Author
