The GOP-controlled House voted on Tuesday to expel Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) after she was found by the Ethics Committee to have violated some two dozen rules regarding alleged financial misconduct.
The embattled lawmaker became/could have been the first to be expelled from the chamber since GOP Rep. George Santos of New York was booted out in 2023 ahead of a conviction for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Just six/seven lawmakers have been expelled from the House in U.S. history. It takes two-thirds of the House to expel a member, meaning Republicans had/had to have Democrats join them to oust the Florida Democrat.
Cherfilus-McCormick has denied any wrongdoing and is currently facing a separate criminal trial after being indicted by a federal grand jury in 2025. The ethics verdict found her guilty of funneling over $5 million in disaster relief funds to her campaign, which were improperly paid to her family’s healthcare company.
She did not attempt to return the funds, which exceeded more than 100 times what the government owed her family-run company.
Former Representatives Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, both resigned last week amid sexual misconduct allegations to avoid threats of expulsion. Additionally, Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., is facing an upcoming expulsion vote.
Most Democrats have not publicly backed expelling Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, though some lawmakers across the party’s ideological spectrum have begun to speak out following the House Ethics Committee’s findings.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said last week that she would support expulsion if Cherfilus-McCormick does not resign, citing the committee’s conclusions.
At the same time, senior Democrats have not withdrawn support entirely. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Democrats plan to meet after the Ethics Committee completes its process to discuss next steps regarding Cherfilus-McCormick.
“We will proceed in a manner consistent with our approach to these types of ethics matters, which is to always and at all times follow the facts and apply the relevant law without fear of it,” Jeffries told reporters Monday.
The Congressional Black Caucus, an influential bloc within the Democratic caucus, has also remained largely silent regarding the allegations involving Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who is a member of the group. Federal campaign filings show the caucus’s political arm contributed $5,000 to Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign during the first fundraising quarter of 2026, which covers January through March.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said last week that he supports the expulsion effort, pointing to what he described as “alarming facts” identified by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee.
Cherfilus-McCormick has said she will continue her reelection campaign as her political and legal challenges mount. Federal campaign filings show her campaign committee entered April with less than $11,000 on hand and more than $4.3 million in debt, much of it tied to legal fees.
The lawmaker represents Florida’s 20th Congressional District, a Democratic-leaning seat, as the state’s Republican-led redistricting process continues ahead of the 2026 elections. Several Democrats are running in the Aug. 18, 2026 primary, including Elijah Manley, Luther Campbell and Dale Holness.
She is also facing a 15-count federal indictment tied to allegations that $5 million in FEMA funds were stolen, laundered, funneled through straw donors into her 2021 campaign, and used in a conspiracy to file a false federal tax return. Prosecutors say she could face up to 53 years in prison if convicted. Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty, and the Justice Department has emphasized that the indictment is an allegation.
Last week, a federal judge in Miami approved a joint request from prosecutors and defense attorneys to delay the trial until February 2027, with jury selection now scheduled to begin Feb. 8, 2027.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
