By Anietie anii-bassey
Florida Democratic congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick abruptly resigned from Congress on Tuesday, stepping down just moments before a House hearing that could have led to a recommendation for her expulsion.
Her resignation came after more than two years of scrutiny by the House Ethics Committee, which recently concluded that she had violated numerous federal laws and House rules. The panel’s findings left her political standing increasingly fragile, with support from fellow Democrats appearing to weaken as the allegations mounted.
In a statement announcing her departure, Cherfilus-McCormick said she had been denied additional time for her newly hired attorney to prepare a defense and argued that the investigation had been politically motivated.
She insisted she would not participate in what she described as a “witch hunt,” saying she chose to resign immediately rather than continue what she viewed as a politicized process.
Cherfilus-McCormick also warned against what she described as a dangerous trend of punishing elected officials before all legal proceedings are complete.
“We do not punish people before due process is complete,” she said. “We do not allow allegations alone to override the will of the people.”
Her resignation marks the third departure from the House in just over a week. Earlier, Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales also announced plans to leave Congress while facing allegations of misconduct and possible expulsion proceedings.
The accusations against Cherfilus-McCormick are severe and extend beyond ethics concerns. Federal prosecutors have charged her with stealing approximately $5 million in federal disaster relief funds and using some of the money for personal purchases, including a 3-carat yellow diamond ring.
She has pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges and has denied wrongdoing in the ethics investigation.
At the center of the case is money tied to her family’s healthcare company, which allegedly received roughly $5 million in excess COVID-19 disaster relief funds from the state of Florida. Investigators claim Cherfilus-McCormick benefited from those funds and used a complex network of businesses and family connections to channel money into her successful 2022 congressional campaign.
The House Ethics Committee investigation was extensive. Over the course of two years, investigators issued 59 subpoenas, interviewed 28 witnesses and reviewed more than 33,000 pages of documents.
During an earlier hearing, Cherfilus-McCormick declined to testify, invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Her attorney, William Barzee, argued that the process had been unfair and said lawmakers should have allowed a full ethics trial where the defense could present witnesses and evidence to challenge the committee’s findings.
Despite the serious allegations, Cherfilus-McCormick maintained some support in her district. Local faith leaders, union officials and community advocates sent letters to House Ethics Committee leaders urging them to proceed cautiously.
They argued that her constituents deserved continued representation and warned against rushing toward expulsion before all legal matters had been resolved.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus also offered praise for her record in office after her resignation. Led by chairwoman Yvette Clarke, the group said Cherfilus-McCormick had worked to support underserved communities both in Florida and internationally.
House Democratic leaders had largely avoided publicly condemning Cherfilus-McCormick while the ethics investigation was ongoing, saying they wanted to allow the committee process to unfold. Behind the scenes, however, party leaders had reportedly been discussing with her for weeks the possibility that an expulsion vote could become unavoidable.
Historically, the House has been reluctant to expel members, preferring to let voters determine a lawmaker’s future. Only six members have ever been expelled from the chamber. Three were removed for supporting the Confederacy during the Civil War, two were expelled after criminal convictions, and the most recent was George Santos, whose term was engulfed by scandal, ethics violations and federal charges.
Under the Constitution, expelling a House member requires support from two-thirds of the chamber, making it one of the most difficult punishments Congress can impose.
Still, top Republicans indicated they believed Cherfilus-McCormick’s removal had become inevitable. House Speaker Mike Johnson said last week that he expected the House would move to expel her, calling the evidence against her overwhelming.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also rejected Cherfilus-McCormick’s claim that she had been targeted unfairly.
“If you steal money, it’s called theft,” Scalise said. “It’s not called a witch hunt, and stealing taxpayer money is not going to be tolerated.”
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