Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) announced that she plans to resign from the House of Representatives.
She claimed that the actions of the Ethics Committee against her were “not a fair process,” adding that the case is a “witch hunt.”
“Rather than play these political games, I choose to step away so I can devote my time to fighting for my neighbors in Florida’s 20th District,” Cherfilus-McCormick wrote on social media. “I hereby resign from the 119th Congress, effective immediately.”
“But let me say this plainly: we should be very careful about the precedent we are setting,” she continued. “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.”
“This fight is far from over,” Cherfilus-McCormick added.
The representative was found guilty last month by a House Ethics panel. The case surrounds the alleged embezzlement of millions of COVID-19-related funds.
“On March 26, 2026, the adjudicatory subcommittee in the matter of Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick held a public hearing to determine whether any counts in the Statement of Alleged Violations (SAV) had been proven by clear and convincing evidence,” the Committee’s leaders said in a statement. “Following the hearing, the adjudicatory subcommittee moved into executive session to deliberate. After careful deliberation that lasted until well past midnight, the adjudicatory subcommittee found that Counts 1-15 and 17-26 of the SAV had been proven.”
According to a statement from the Department of Justice, Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother “worked through their family health-care company on a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021.” The company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds, which were not returned but were routed through other accounts.
