Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida just got one step closer to being expelled from the House of Representatives.
The House Ethics investigative subcommittee effectively found Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of nearly every campaign finance violation levied against her earlier this year. The bipartisan panel voted to start the process that could lead to Cherfilus-McCormick’s expulsion after she was accused of laundering millions of dollars worth of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds related to a COVID-era contract into her campaign account.
‘That raises serious concerns about due process.’
“After careful deliberation that lasted until well past midnight, the adjudicatory subcommittee found that Counts 1-15 and 17-26 of the [Statement of Alleged Violations] have been proven,” the committee said in a statement.
“Shortly after the House returns from April recess, the full Committee will hold a hearing to determine what, if any, sanction would be appropriate for the Committee to recommend.”
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This verdict came after the committee’s six-hour hearing Thursday, which was the first public ethics hearing since 2010.
Cherfilus-McCormick is facing several accusations in addition to a federal criminal indictment ranging from filing false financial disclosures, seeking “special favors” with earmark funding requests, and improperly using funds to finance her campaign.
Ahead of the hearing, Cherfilus-McCormick criticized the committee, saying her legal team was denied “reasonable time to prepare” for the trial.
“That raises serious concerns about due process and the fundamental rights every American is entitled to under our Constitution,” Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement. “While I am limited in what I can address due to an ongoing federal matter, I have cooperated fully within those constraints.”
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“I urge the Committee to follow its own precedents and uphold fairness and not allow this process to be driven by politics or numbers,” Cherfilus-McCormick added. “I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight and challenge these inaccuracies, when I am legally able to do so. Make no mistake: I am innocent and I am a fighter. My district is made up of fighters. I will continue to fight for the people I was elected to serve.”
In order for Cherfilus-McCormick to be expelled, two-thirds of representatives would have to vote in favor of expulsion, requiring some Democrats to agree to vote with Republicans.
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