The congresswoman was indicted on charges of stealing $5 million in FEMA funds.
Florida Democrat Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick issued a statement Tuesday afternoon that she has resigned from Congress effective immediately just before she was to face a House Ethics Committee sanction hearing.
The committee was set to hold a rare public hearing to determine what sanction would be appropriate for the panel to recommend to the full House against Cherfilus-McCormick.in November 2025 by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, which she is accused of laundering to support her successful 2021 congressional campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick has denied wrongdoing -- excusing the allegations as an accounting error. Expelling a member of the House is a rare occurrence. A two-thirds majority is required to remove a member. Only six House members in U.S. history have been expelled from the lower chamber. Former New York Republican Rep. George Santos was the most
The committee could have recommended a range of sanctions, including expulsion, censure, reprimand, fine -- and even denial or limitation of any right, according to House rules. The House may punish its members and may expel its members by a two-thirds vote, according to Article 1, Section 5 of the Constitution.
The sanction recommendation against Cherfilus-McCormick was expected to be announced in writing after the hearing. Afterward, the panel was to break into executive session to conclude its deliberations and reach a judgment.
Before Cherfilus-McCormick announced her resignation, Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube said he would move to force a vote to try to expel the congresswoman following the sanction hearing. Steube was expected to make the expulsion resolution privileged, which required Speaker Mike Johnson to hold a vote on the matter within two legislative days.
The speaker signaled last week that expelling Cherfilus-McCormick over her alleged crimes would be 'appropriate.' Though he initially insisted that Democrats would not help Republicans expel Cherfilus-McCormick, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Monday that Democrats would convene a caucus meeting to determine how they'll handle the the bipartisan Ethics panel's recommendations.
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