Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick will face a public hearing before the House Ethics Committee Tuesday to decide her punishment for 25 ethics violations related to an alleged fraud scheme. The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. EDT.
Key Takeaways
The House Ethics Committee will hold a public hearing to determine punishment for Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick over 25 ethics violations related to alleged campaign finance fraud. She faces potential censure, fines, or expulsion after being found guilty by the committee and indicted by the Justice Department for stealing $5 million in FEMA funds.
- House Ethics Committee holds public hearing on Cherfilus-McCormick's fate
- Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick found guilty of 25 ethics violations
- Indicted for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA funds for campaign use
- Potential punishments range from censure to expulsion, requiring a two-thirds vote
The Florida Democrat was found guilty by the ethics committee in late March of 25 of the original 27 charges relating to an alleged fraud charge. According to multiple reports, Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty to the 15 counts in the indictment and denies any wrongdoing.
The Department of Justice indicted her for allegedly stealing $5 million in funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for use in her campaign. The money was intended for Trinity Healthcare Services, a company owned by Cherfilus-McCormick's family, which had a FEMA-funded contract to register people for COVID-19 vaccines.
The House Ethics Committee found "clear and convincing evidence" of her guilt. The committee could recommend censure, fines, a reprimand, committee removal, reduction in seniority, demand of an apology or expulsion from the House. Expulsion would require a two-thirds vote, meaning 70 Democrats would have to support it.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Monday that his party members would "convene as a caucus" after the ethics committee makes a recommendation to discuss what measure to take. Rep. Greg Steube has said he plans to force a floor vote to expel her after the committee is finished.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said it would be "the consensus of this body that she should be expelled." Cherfilus-McCormick was elected to Congress in 2022 in a special election to replace Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, who died in 2021 from pancreatic cancer.
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