Embattled Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns from Congress
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 Congresseffective immediatelyjust before she was to face a House Ethics Committee sanction hearing.
The committee was set to hold arare public hearing to determine what sanction would be appropriate for the panel to recommend to the full House against Cherfilus-McCormick.
Last month, Cherfilus-McCormick was found guilty of 25 House ethics violations, including acceptance of improper campaign contributions and commingling of campaign and personal funds. The congresswoman was indicted 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 beenexpelledfrom the lower chamber. Former New York Republican Rep. George Santos was the most recent lawmaker expelled from the House in 2023.
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.
