Attorney Cherfilus-McCormick is resigning but remains on the ballot for re-election
House ethics probe grows as Democrat lawmaker resigns, GOP lawmaker faces impeachment vote
Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned shortly before her impeachment hearing, facing an ethics investigation. The news leads to discussions about other members of Congress facing scrutiny, including Republican Rep. Cory Mills and Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar. Mills is facing a possible impeachment vote over allegations of domestic violence, while Omar’s financial disclosures and alleged marriage fraud are under investigation.
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Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is still registered to run for re-election despite resigning amid congressional and federal investigations into alleged mishandling of disaster relief funding for her personal gain.
On April 17, Cherfilus-McCormick announced her candidacy for the Florida Department of State as a Democrat — just a week before she officially steps down.
He resigned on Tuesday.
The filing raises questions about whether Cherfilus-McCormick believes she can continue in political office despite the intense scrutiny she faces now.
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Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., speaks after being sworn in during a ceremony at the Broward County Commission chambers in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Jan. 27, 2025. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service)
His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cherfilus-McCormick’s decision to resign came shortly before the House Ethics Committee recommended punishment for misusing disaster relief funding she allegedly funneled through multiple companies into her campaign fund. The committee found that he committed 18 counts of campaign finance, five counts of fraudulent disclosure, three counts of misuse of official funds and one count of dishonesty.
As a result of the allegations, Cherfilus-McCormick maintained his innocence but announced that he would defend himself outside his term of office.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., has resisted calls to resign despite a close impeachment vote. He ran for office again. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service)
“This was not a fair process. The Ethics Committee denied my new attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense. I cannot wait and allow my due process rights to be trampled on, and my good name tarnished,” Cherfilus-McCormick said in a press release.
“Rather than play these political games, I choose to resign so that I can devote my time to fighting for my neighbors in Florida’s 20th district. I hereby resign from the 119th Congress, effective immediately.”
Although Cherfilus-McCormick’s departure from Congress suspended the Ethics Committee’s authority over him, he faces federal charges.
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Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., is leaving the US Capitol after the week’s final votes on March 27, 2025. She faces the threat of impeachment after a House panel found her guilty of more than a dozen ethics violations. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)
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He was indicted by a Miami grand jury in November of last year for allegedly stealing $5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has not announced a special election date to fill his vacant seat.
