Florida Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick could be expelled from Congress as soon as next week after investigators found evidence she committed fraud.
Democrat Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, is already facing federal charges for her alleged misuse of $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.
A federal grand jury in Miami indicted Cherfilus-McCormick and multiple co-defendants in November with stealing federal emergency cash, laundering the funds and spending the money to support her 2021 congressional campaign.
On Thursday, the House Ethics Committee’s Investigative Subcommittee published a report indicating that many of the charges outlined in her indictment are substantiated in their own probe.
‘The ISC’s investigation has revealed substantial evidence of conduct consistent with the allegations in the indictment, as well as more extensive misconduct … related to violations of federal laws and regulations, as well as ethical standards,’ the subcommittee wrote in the report.
The 59-page report also claims the defendants used the federal emergency cash to fund the Democrats’ congressional campaign and on luxury items.
‘Respondent also used those funds on luxury personal items, including jewelry from Tiffany’s, a Tesla, designer clothing, high-end hotels, and a cruise,’ the lawmakers wrote.
The congresswoman has denied the report’s findings in a statement: ‘I reject these allegations and remain confident the full facts will make clear I did nothing wrong.’
Congressional investigators found ‘substantial evidence’ that Congresswoman Shiela Cherfilus-McCormick committed fraud as outlined in the DOJ’s indictment against her
Congressman Greg Steube has said he will begin a petition to expel the Democratic congresswoman as soon as next week
Now, a Republican lawmaker is calling for Cherfilus-McCormick to be expelled from Congress as soon as next week.
The last member to be expelled from the chamber was ex-Congressman George Santos, who was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for misleading donors and spending campaign money fraudulently. The 2023 vote against Santos was 311-114.
Santos had his sentence commuted by Trump after serving around three months in prison.
‘In November, I filed a resolution to expel [Cherfilus-McCormick] following her indictment by the DOJ,’ Florida Republican Congressman Greg Steube wrote on social media on Thursday.
‘Today’s House Ethics findings detail more than two dozen counts of serious financial crimes. When we return to Washington, I’ll call up a resolution to expel her from Congress.’
Expulsion resolutions in the House require a two-thirds vote, meaning around 80 Democrats would need to side with all Republicans to successfully boot the congresswoman from the chamber.
The indictment alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, conspired to steal money earmarked for FEMA-funded COVID-19 contracts in July 2021 after their family healthcare company received $5 million in overpayments.
She then funneled many of those funds to multiple accounts to disguise the source of the money.
The indictment alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, conspired to steal money earmarked for FEMA-funded COVID-19 contracts in July 2021 after their family healthcare company received $5 million in overpayments
A substantial portion of that money was used to fund her successful 2021 congressional campaign and for the benefit of the defendants, the DOJ alleges.
If convicted, the congresswoman faces up to 53 years in prison.
Only six members of the House of Representatives have been expelled from the body in US history.
