The House Ethics Committee conducted a rare public hearing on Thursday to examine numerous ethics charges against Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida. According to House Ethics Committee investigators, the allegations include failing to follow campaign finance laws, commingling campaign, personal and business funds, and using her position to benefit allies. It has been more than 15 years since a sitting member of the House faced a public ethics hearing, dating to the 2010 ethics trial of Rep. Charles Rangel, as reported by multiple media sources.
Separately, Cherfilus-McCormick is facing federal charges for allegedly stealing $5 million in COVID-19 disaster relief funds, according to a federal indictment. She has pleaded not guilty to these charges, multiple reports indicate. The federal case adds a layer of complexity to the ethics proceedings, with potential legal consequences beyond congressional discipline.
The House Ethics Committee was considering what punishment to recommend for alleged 25 violations of House rules and ethical standards, including breaking campaign finance laws, based on its investigation. The panel's two-year investigation led to the issuance of 59 subpoenas, 28 witness interviews, and a review of more than 33,000 pages of documents, according to multiple reports. The specific punishment the committee will recommend remains unknown, pending further deliberations.
Cherfilus-McCormick's defense has raised procedural challenges. Her attorney, William R. Barzee, argued that the House hearing could influence potential jurors in the criminal trial and that concurrent proceedings have prevented her from cooperating with the ethics committee's investigation. In a previous Ethics Committee hearing, Cherfilus-McCormick declined to testify, citing her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, multiple reports state.
Political fallout has intensified, with some Republican lawmakers threatening a vote to expel Cherfilus-McCormick from the House, according to multiple reports. Rep. Greg Steube, a Florida Republican, has said he will move to expel Cherfilus-McCormick once the Ethics Committee makes a determination on what punishment it will recommend. The outcome of any expulsion effort is uncertain.
In response to the mounting pressure, Cherfilus-McCormick is resigning from Congress to avoid formal discipline by the House following an ethics investigation, multiple reports indicate. The exact timeline for her resignation and how it will affect her district's representation are not yet clear. A group of supporters in her congressional district have weighed in on her behalf with the lawmakers who lead the Ethics Committee, urging caution.