A 47-year-old lawmaker was indicted in November in a federal court in Florida, accused – along with her brother and others – of diverting $5 million in federal funds in 2021.
Democratic congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned on Tuesday, just minutes before a parliamentary commission announced disciplinary recommendations accusing her of diverting federal funds to her campaign coffers.
The former Florida representative is the third member of the American House of Representatives to resign in just over a week, amid a series of scandals involving both Democrats and Republicans.
In a statement posted on social media, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick continued to deny the accusations and criticized the congressional procedure as “unjust.” In late March, she faced a public trial before the House Ethics Committee, where both Republicans and Democrats found 25 of the 27 charges against her to be “clear and convincing.”
Cherfilus-McCormick, aged 47, was indicted in November in a federal court in Florida, accused – along with her brother and others – of diverting $5 million in federal funds in 2021. These funds were initially directed by mistake to a company she managed as part of a contract related to the Covid-19 vaccination campaign.
Accused of money laundering
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of laundering some of this misappropriated money to fund her successful congressional campaign in 2021. Her trial, originally set for April, has recently been postponed to February 2027. She could face up to 53 years in prison. In the House, she was facing expulsion proceedings and ultimately chose to resign.
Her resignation comes after those announced on April 13 by California Democrat Eric Swalwell – who faces allegations of rape and inappropriate behavior towards colleagues – and Texas Republican Tony Gonzales, who recently admitted to an extramarital relationship with a colleague who later took her own life.
Cherfilus-McCormick’s departure now shifts attention to Republican congressman Cory Mills, who is under investigation by the Ethics Committee for alleged sexual offenses and campaign finance violations. The Florida representative denies these accusations. The US House of Representatives now has 218 Republican members and 213 Democrats.
