Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Resigns Before Possible Ethics Sanctions

(SeaPRwire) –   Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick announced her resignation from Congress on Tuesday, just minutes before the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to discuss recommended disciplinary actions against the Florida lawmaker—after finding her guilty of ethics violations linked to campaign finance allegations.

“This was not a fair process,” Cherfilus-McCormick stated in her resignation announcement, where she accused the committee of preventing her from defending herself and conducting a “witch hunt.”

“I simply cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be violated, or my good name to be tarnished,” she wrote. “Rather than engage in these political games, I choose to step away so I can devote my time to advocating for the residents of Florida’s 20th District. I hereby resign … effective immediately.” 

Cherfilus-McCormick has been accused of embezzling COVID-19 relief funds and using part of that money to finance her 2021 campaign. In November, the Justice Department charged her with taking $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds that were mistakenly overpaid to her family’s healthcare company, routing the money through a network of businesses and family members, and using it for campaign and personal purposes. The congresswoman has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges.

Last month, the House Ethics Committee found Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of 25 ethics violations connected to the allegations. The committee’s findings were based on a years-long investigation it conducted into the congresswoman.

At the start of Tuesday’s hearing, another statement from Cherfilus-McCormick was read aloud. 

“After careful reflection and prayer, I’ve concluded that stepping aside at this time is in the best interest of my constituents and the institution,” Cherfilus-McCormick wrote. Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, the committee’s chairman, announced that the committee “has now lost jurisdiction in this matter” and would no longer pursue sanctions against the congresswoman. 

Cherfilus-McCormick is the third person to resign from the House of Representatives in the past week, following the departures of Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas.