The House Ethics Committee will begin its first public “trial” in over 15 years as it hears Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s (D-FL) testimony. Cherfilus-McCormick is facing five decades in prison after she allegedly stole millions of dollars in FEMA Funds and violated campaign finance policies.
The “trial” consists of a motion for summary judgment, which will determine whether the congresswoman is guilty. If she is found to be guilty, Cherfilus-McCormick will return for a hearing at a later date.
In a statement obtained by Politico, Cherfilus-McCormick said she was “innocent” and is a “fighter.” She criticized the Ethics Committee for rejecting her request for a delay. “I urge the Committee to follow its own precedents and uphold fairness and not allow this process to be driven by politics or numbers,” she said.
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.
“Prosecutors allege that a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants,” the DOJ claimed.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) told reporters, “You’re in a situation where you have a sitting member of Congress who’s allegedly stolen over $5 million in taxpayer funds. She should immediately resign instead of going through this process. But she’s going to force us to do this.” He reiterated that she “stole $5 million of your tax dollars, and she still won’t resign. If you steal from the American people, you don’t belong in Congress. You belong behind bars.”
