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By Hugh Cameron
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Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is readying for a hearing that could determine whether her alleged financial misconduct results in a Congressional slap on the wrist or leads to another expulsion from the already downsizing House of Representatives.
The case stems from accusations that the Florida Democrat embezzled millions of dollars in federal emergency funding, as well as allegations concerning illegal campaign financing and money laundering spanning years in office.
In March, the House Ethics Committee completed its inquiry into whether Cherfilus-McCormick was guilty of violating House rules and standards, determining there was “clear and convincing evidence” for 25 out of the 27 counts in the Statement of Alleged Violations (SAV).
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Lawmakers are now preparing for a Tuesday hearing to decide on punishment, which could range from a letter of admonition to recommending a vote on expelling Cherfilus-McCormick from her post as representative for Florida's 20th congressional district, which she has held since 2022.
“I look forward to proving my innocence,” she has said in a statement responding to the charges, per Politico. “Until then, my focus remains where it belongs: showing up for the great people of Florida’s 20th District who sent me to Washington to fight for them.”
Newsweek has contacted her office via email for comment.
What the Ethics Committee Found
In March, the House Ethics Committee announced that an adjudicatory subcommittee found Cherfilus-McCormick had violated all but two of the 27 alleged violations, following a lengthy hearing before the bipartisan panel, and years of investigation into the congresswoman.
The case centers on $5 million in pandemic relief payments the congresswoman received by mistake, but is accused of keeping and funneling into her campaign. However, investigators say this episode was part of a broader pattern of financial misconduct and violations while in Congress.
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Their December report lists 27 counts, including 18 campaign finance violations, five counts of false financial disclosures, three instances of misusing official funds and one for displaying a “lack of candor and diligence” in assisting the committee’s investigation.
The final count concerning “candor” and one related to alleged money laundering were the only ones the House Ethics Committee said had not been “proven by clear and convincing evidence.”
How This Relates to the Federal Criminal Case
The House Ethics Committee has no power to impose a criminal penalty at its hearing on Tuesday and is independent of the congresswoman’s criminal case.
Cherfilus-McCormick is separately facing a criminal case after charges relating to the FEMA payment were brought in November.
The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Miami, according to the Justice Department, and accuses the congresswoman and three other defendants, including her brother, of money laundering and related offenses.
“The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal that $5 million and routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source,” the Justice Department said. “Prosecutors allege that a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants.”
The trial is scheduled to begin in February 2027. If convicted, the Justice Department said the congresswoman could face up to 53 years in prison, with co-defendants facing sentences ranging from 10 to 35 years.
What Happens at Tuesday’s Hearing
In March, House Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest and ranking member Mark DeSaulnier said that the upcoming hearing would be to “determine what, if any, sanction would be appropriate for the committee to recommend.”
Expulsion remains on the table, though this would require a two-thirds vote to pass the House and remains a rarity in Congress’s 237-year history.
Axios reports that House Democratic leadership is against pushing for this before the criminal trial concludes. However, since her hearing in March, a number of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have called for Cherfilus-McCormick to resign or face expulsion.
Representative Greg Steube, a Republican from Florida, said on X on March 27 that he would push for expulsion once the Ethics Committee makes its recommendation to the House, and has already filed a resolution to this end.
And last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson predicted that the committee would recommend expulsion for Cherfilus McCormick, given the severity of the alleged violations.
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