House Ethics Committee holds public hearing on Cherfilus-McCormick sanctions
House Ethics Committee convened public hearing on Cherfilus-McCormick sanctions in Washington.
Event / Politics
US Congressional Ethics Violations
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives following ethics violations related to misuse of FEMA funds. She faces federal criminal charges and a scheduled 2027 trial.
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2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 22 Apr, 00:07 UTC
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What happened
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns from House of Representatives
Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida announced her resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives effective immediately on Tuesday, March 25, 2026, moments before a House Ethics Committee hearing was scheduled to recommend disciplinary measures against her.
House Ethics Committee public hearing held on Cherfilus-McCormick sanctions
The House Ethics Committee held a rare public hearing on March 25, 2026, to determine appropriate disciplinary sanctions to recommend against Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick following her conviction on 25 ethics violations. The committee had reviewed over 33,000 documents totaling hundreds of thousands of pages and conducted 28 witness interviews before reaching its verdict.
Cherfilus-McCormick indicted on federal charges of stealing FEMA funds
In November 2025, the Department of Justice indicted Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick on charges that she and her brother stole $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds through her family's healthcare company, Trinity Healthcare Services. The company received the overpayment through a COVID-19 vaccination contract. According to the indictment, the funds were laundered through multiple accounts and used to support her successful 2022 special election campaign. She also allegedly used some of the funds to purchase a $109,000 yellow diamond ring. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 53 years in prison.
Minority Leader Jeffries signals Democrats may support Cherfilus-McCormick expulsion
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced that Democrats would hold a caucus meeting to determine how they would handle the House Ethics Committee's recommendations regarding Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, signaling potential Democratic support for expulsion despite initial resistance.
House Ethics Committee finds Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of 25 ethics violations
The House Ethics Committee found Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of 25 ethics violations in March 2026, including acceptance of improper campaign contributions, commingling of campaign and personal funds, and misuse of federal disaster relief money. The violations related to her family's healthcare company receiving an improper $5 million FEMA overpayment.
Federal criminal trial for Cherfilus-McCormick postponed to February 2027
A federal judge delayed the criminal trial of Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick from its original 2026 date to February 2027, pushing the proceedings well after the November 2026 midterm elections.
Rep. Greg Steube announces plan to force expulsion vote against Cherfilus-McCormick
Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida announced his intention to file a motion to expel Cherfilus-McCormick from Congress, which would trigger a required vote within two legislative days. Expulsion from the House requires a two-thirds majority vote, meaning approximately 290 votes would be needed.
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2 alternative perspectives
Cherfilus-McCormick faces federal criminal trial on FEMA fund theft charges
Cherfilus-McCormick indicted federally for FEMA fund theft; trial set for February 2027.
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick resigns after ethics violations finding
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick resigned after 25 ethics violations; expulsion vote was planned with bipartisan support.