Democrat Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida resigns before the House can
sanction her in ethics case
[April 22, 2026]
By KEVIN FREKING and STEPHEN GROVES
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida
resigned from office on Tuesday moments before the start of a hearing
that could have led to a recommendation that she be expelled from
Congress.
Cherfilus-McCormick was the subject of a more than two-year
investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which had determined
recently that she had violated multiple federal laws and House rules.
Support from her own party was increasingly in doubt.
It's the third resignation in a little more than a week from a House
lawmaker. Reps. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, and Tony Gonzales,
a Texas Republican, announced within hours of each other that they were
leaving Congress. Both men were facing sexual misconduct allegations and
possible expulsion.
In a statement, Cherfilus-McCormick said the House committee denied her
new attorney's request for more time to prepare a defense. She also said
she would not pretend that the investigation had been anything other
than a “witch hunt,” and rather than play political games, she would
resign, effective immediately.
“But let me say this plainly: we should be very careful about the
precedent we are setting in this country, 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. That is a dangerous path, and one
that should concern every American, regardless of party.”
Cherfilus-McCormick is also facing federal criminal charges accusing her
of stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds and using the money to
buy items such as a 3-carat yellow diamond ring.
She has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and says she is not
guilty of ethics violations, either.
The allegations against the congresswoman center on how she received
millions of dollars from her family’s health care business after Florida
mistakenly overpaid the business by roughly $5 million with COVID-19
disaster relief funds. She is accused of using that money to fund her
2022 congressional campaign through a network of businesses and family
members.
Cherfilus-McCormick declined to testify during a previous Ethics
Committee hearing, citing her Fifth Amendment right against
self-incrimination. Her attorney, William Barzee, sparred with some of
the lawmakers and argued that they should have allowed a thorough ethics
trial, at which he could present witnesses and evidence to counter the
conclusions of House investigators.
Some supporters weighed in against expulsion
A group of supporters in Cherfilus-McCormick's congressional district
had weighed in on her behalf with the lawmakers who lead the Ethics
Committee, urging committee leaders to proceed with caution in
sanctioning her.
“Our communities deserve stability. Our voices deserve to be heard. And
our right to representation must be protected,” said one of the letters
signed by about a dozen local faith leaders, union officials and others.
Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., chair of the Congressional Black Caucus,
along with other members of the caucus, issued a statement that praised
Cherfilus-McCormick's time in Congress. They said Cherfilus-McCormick
“worked to uplift her constituents and elevate issues impacting
underserved communities at home and abroad.”
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Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., condemns hate speech and
misinformation about Haitian immigrants, at the Capitol in
Washington, Sept. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
“We extend our appreciation for her service and offer our prayers
for her and her family," the caucus members said.
In all, the Ethics panel's more than two-year investigation led to
the issuance of 59 subpoenas, 28 witness interviews and a review of
more than 33,000 pages of documents.
House Democratic leaders had declined to condemn Cherfilus-McCormick,
saying they wanted to see the ethics process play out.
Still, leadership had been in conversations with her for weeks, ever
since the Ethics committee released its findings, about the
situation and the likelihood of an expulsion vote.
A high threshold for expulsion
The House has historically been reluctant to serve as the final
arbiter of a lawmaker’s career, preferring to give that final say to
the voters.
Of the six House members expelled, the first three fought for the
Confederacy during the Civil War and were expelled for disloyalty.
The next two had been convicted of crimes. The final one was George
Santos, the scandal-plagued freshman who was the subject of a
blistering ethics report on his conduct as well as a federal
indictment.
Santos, a New York Republican, served time in prison for ripping off
his campaign donors before President Donald Trump granted him
clemency, and he has apologized to his former constituents.
Under the Constitution, at least two-thirds of the House has to vote
for expulsion for it to occur, a high threshold that requires
enormous bipartisan support.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters last week he
believed the House would move to expel Cherfilus-McCormick.
“The facts are indisputable at this point," Johnson said.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., took exception to
Cherfilus-McCormick's characterization of the Ethics Committee's
investigation.
“Well, if you steal money, it's called theft. It's not called a
witch hunt, and stealing taxpayer money is not going to be
tolerated,” Scalise said.
___
Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed.
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