Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Resigns Before Ethics Vote on $5M Theft Charges
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat, resigned from Congress on Tuesday just minutes before the House Ethics Committee was set to vote on punishing her for allegedly stealing $5 million in federal emergency funds.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick announced her resignation Tuesday morning, timing her departure to avoid a House Ethics Committee hearing that could have led to her expulsion from Congress.
The Florida Democrat faces charges of embezzling $5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The ethics panel had already found she committed numerous campaign finance violations and reporting errors.
Cherfilus-McCormick was facing bipartisan calls to step down as the allegations mounted. By resigning before the committee vote, she avoided the public spectacle of a formal expulsion recommendation.
FEMA funds are meant to help communities recover from hurricanes, floods, and other disasters. The alleged theft of these emergency funds comes as Florida frequently deals with hurricane damage and relies heavily on federal disaster aid.
Her resignation leaves Florida's district without representation in Congress until a special election can be held to fill the seat.
When members of Congress face corruption charges, it affects public trust in government and can impact federal disaster relief programs. Her resignation means Florida's district will need a special election to fill the empty seat.
Florida will need to schedule a special election to fill Cherfilus-McCormick's seat. Her criminal case will continue in federal court.
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