Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) resigned from Congress on Tuesday ahead of a planned House Ethics Committee sanctions hearing.
The Florida Democrat was facing the threat of expulsion from the House over allegations she stole $5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and funneled a portion of it to her campaign account.
The House Ethics Committee found Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of wrongdoing on 25 out of 27 ethics violations over financial misconduct last month, and was set to hold a sanctions hearing against her on Tuesday afternoon. Cherfilus-McCormick announced her resignation shortly before 2 p.m., when the ethics committee was set to meet.
“This was not a fair process,” Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement. “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. I will not stand by and pretend that this has been anything other than a witch hunt.”
She continued, “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.”
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) was set to bring an expulsion motion against Cherfilus-McCormick after House Ethics made its sanctions recommendation. The measure would have needed a two-thirds majority to succeed; however, members from both sides of the aisle had said they would support her expulsion.
Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) told the Washington Examiner, ahead of Cherfilus-McCormick’s resignation, that he didn’t “see how there’s really any other answer other than expulsion or resignation.”
House Democrats were set to meet as a caucus following the sanction recommendations against Cherfilus-McCormick. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told reporters Monday that Democrats would “proceed in a manner consistent with our approach to these types of ethics matters.”
Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had said she should be expelled from the House, saying the ethics panel found “alarming facts” about Cherfilus-McCormick that warranted ouster.
In her statement, Cherfilus-McCormick warned against “precedent” the House was setting and not to “punish people before due process is complete.”
The Florida Democrat is the third member of Congress to resign this month, following the departures of former Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX).
Ethics committee member Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) told reporters after Cherfilus-McCormick’s resignation that the decision to resign was “up to her.”
“In the end, if you feel like resignation is the best path for you, then you can choose that,” Subramanyam said.
When asked if the House ethics process is working as intended, Subramanyam said that because Cherfilus-McCormick is no longer in Congress, “the process worked in some ways.”
“Certainly, the process over the past two years was able to uncover a lot of evidence in some ways, but in other ways, it was two years is a long time,” Subramanyam said. “And so, you know, I’d like to see us move faster in the future.”
WHO IS SHEILA CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, THE CONGRESSWOMAN CHARGED WITH STEALING FEMA FUNDS?
Cherfilus-McCormick had previously refused to resign from her House seat over the allegations and denounced the “lumping” together of the allegations of financial misconduct she faces with the allegations faced by Swalwell and Gonzales as “inaccurate and irresponsible.”
The Congressional Black Caucus praised Cherfilus-McCormick in a statement shortly after her resignation, saying that “During her time in office, she worked to uplift her constituents and elevate issues impacting underserved communities at home and abroad. Her voice and perspective contributed to the ongoing effort to ensure that Congress reflects the people it serves.”
The statement continued, “We extend our appreciation for her service and offer our prayers for her and her family. We wish them strength and peace in the days ahead.”
The House has been embroiled in recent weeks in debate over possible ethics violations from members, with Cherfilus-McCormick’s resignation marking the latest instance. Focus will now turn to Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL), who is facing an expulsion effort from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) over allegations of domestic violence, stolen valor, and financial misconduct. Mills has denied any wrongdoing.
