The House Ethics Committee on Friday found Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) guilty of 25 ethics charges following a rare public hearing on Thursday.
The announcement ends a three-year probe into allegations that the Florida Democrat stole $5 million in federal relief funds, using some of it to boost her congressional campaign.
On Mar. 26, the Committee held a nearly seven-hour televised House hearing after committee investigators said they collected “a mountain of evidence” that the congresswoman committed numerous ethics violations.
In addition to facing federal charges for allegedly stealing $5 million in COVID-19 disaster relief funds, the committee alleged that Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick failed to adhere to campaign finance laws, comingled campaign, personal, and business funds, and used her position to benefit allies.
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick has previously denied wrongdoing, pleading not guilty in a separate federal criminal case.
The House Committee announced that it would wait to recommend any disciplinary proceedings until after Congress returns from an upcoming Easter recess. Possible disciplinary action could result in her censure, reprimand, removal from committees, or even expulsion from the House.
House Republicans are seeking to remove Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick from Congress due to the allegations. The Ethics Committee’s findings boost Republican sentiments and could lead to bipartisan support of her expulsion.
In December, the investigative subcommittee adopted a 59-page statement of alleged violations, which laid out the alleged campaign-finance scheme by the Florida Democrat, according to CBS News.
At the beginning of the hearing, Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick’s lawyer, William R. Barzee, attempted to convince the subcommittee to postpone the proceedings.
“She is not guilty of these allegations. She is absolutely innocent,” Barzee claimed. “But she is in between a rock and a hard place right now.”
Barzee added that any decision by the subcommittee could impede the congresswoman’s right to a fair trial as she awaits separate criminal proceedings.
So they were able to produce the evidence and likely testimony of witnesses for 25 counts in one day? Pretty dang good.
Another yum yum from Voodooville (AKA Little Haiti). Not her first time…