Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., has resigned from Congress.
Her resignation on Tuesday came shortly before the House Ethics Committee was due to meet to decide on a punishment for the third-term lawmaker — including a potential expulsion vote.
Cherfilus-McCormick faces federal charges — prosecutors allege the lawmaker and her brother stole $5 million in federal disaster funds stemming from an overpayment related to COVID-19 vaccinations to their health care company. The House Ethics committee found she used some of that money to fund her first congressional campaign. She has denied the allegations.
In a statement posted to social media, Cherfilus-McCormick criticized the House Ethics Committee process as "a witch hunt," and alleged that because the panel moved forward at the same time that her criminal indictment was pending, she was prevented from properly defending herself.
"We should be very careful about the precedent we are setting," she said in her resignation announcement. "In this country, we do not punish people before due process is complete. We do not allow allegations alone to override the will of the people. That is a dangerous path, and one that should concern every American, regardless of party."
It is the third in a series of April resignations from the House. Democrat Eric Swalwell of California and Republican Tony Gonzales of Texas resigned under pressure in the wake of sexual misconduct scandals. Swalwell denies allegations of assault and harassment brought by multiple women, though apologized to his family for unspecified mistakes in judgment. Gonzales admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.
Another House Republican, Rep. Cory Mills, Fla., is also facing an Ethics investigation and could soon face an expulsion vote.
Republicans now have a two-seat margin in the House — 218 Republican-aligned members, 213 Democrats and four open seats.
The timeline to fill Cherfilus-McCormick's seat remains uncertain -- state law gives Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, broad latitude in scheduling a special election in the deep blue district that includes parts of Fort Lauderdale.
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