Politics

Democratic Rep Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Resigns After Being Found Guilty Of Ethics Violations

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Screenshot/CSPAN)

Democratic Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick announced her resignation on Tuesday afternoon after being found guilty of numerous ethics violations over campaign finance laws.

Cherfilus-McCormick posted her resignation letter on X just minutes before she was set to be sanctioned by a House Ethics panel, according to NOTUS. The Florida representative was found guilty on March 27 of violating 25 House ethics rules regarding the embezzlement of COVID-19 emergency funds into her campaign.

A grand jury indicted Cherfilus-McCormick in November 2025 for embezzling millions in Federal Emergency Management Agency  (FEMA) funds meant for disaster relief.

“This was not a fair process,” Cherfilus-McCormick wrote on X. “The Ethics Committee refused my new attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense … I simply cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be trampled on, and my good name to be tarnished.”

The Democrat indirectly called the investigations into her conduct and the House panel “political games,” and cited them as the reason for her resignation. She also wrote that “we do not punish people before due process is complete,” warning it was a “dangerous path.”

Cherfilus-McCormick was first placed under investigation in September 2025 after multiple complaints emerged that she had violated campaign finance laws. Several people in her campaign, including political consultant Mark Goodrich and the congresswoman’s family, had given contributions that were not reported.

Members of Cherfilus-McCormick’s family were registered agents of Progressive People Inc. and gave funds to Truth and Justice Inc. (TJI), a tax-exempt organization in South Florida. Goodrich reportedly had access to and allegedly used funds to pay vendors on behalf of the campaign. In one instance, TJI sent a series of wire transfers totaling $150,000 to a printing and mailing vendor on behalf of the campaign, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported at the time.

The Florida Democrat also faced expulsion threats immediately after the information was unveiled, including a resolutionto expel her by Republican Florida Rep. Greg Steube.

She is the third member of Congress to resign in disgrace during the month of April, following Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell and Republican Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales stepping down due to sexual misconduct allegations.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.