U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick dug in her heels Thursday, declaring her innocence and refusing to resign following a federal indictment accusing her of pilfering $5 million in disaster relief funds.
While the Florida Democrat plans to keep her seat representing the 20th District, she will surrender her leadership role in Washington. House Democratic leaders confirmed Thursday that Cherfilus-McCormick is stepping down as the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa. The move is mandatory under caucus rules, which require members to give up leadership posts when indicted.
The charges, announced Wednesday, allege a scheme involving the lawmaker’s family health care company. According to the indictment, the company received a $5 million overpayment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding a contract to register people for COVID-19 vaccinations.
Rather than returning the excess taxpayer money, prosecutors say Cherfilus-McCormick funneled the funds to family and friends, who then donated the money back to her 2021 congressional campaign. She is also accused of conspiring to file a false tax return.
The Department of Justice noted that if convicted on all counts, Cherfilus-McCormick could face up to 53 years in prison.
“This is an unjust, baseless, sham indictment – and I am innocent,” Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement Thursday. She suggested the charges were politically motivated. “The timing alone is curious and clearly meant to distract from far more pressing national issues. From day one, I have fully cooperated with every lawful request, and I will continue to do so until this matter is resolved.”
She has retained high-profile Miami defense attorneys David Oscar Markus, Margot Moss, and Melissa Madrigal to fight the case.
Reaction on Capitol Hill highlighted the sharp partisan divide surrounding the indictment.
A spokesperson for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) confirmed the loss of her committee ranking but emphasized her legal rights. “Consistent with the United States Constitution, she is entitled to her day in court and the presumption of innocence,” spokeswoman Christie Stephenson said.
Across the aisle, patience has already run out. U.S. Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) took to social media to demand her immediate exit, threatening to force a vote to kick her out of the chamber if she refuses to leave.
“Cherfilus-McCormick needs to be swiftly removed from the House before she can inflict any more harm on Congress, her district, and the state of Florida,” Steube wrote.
Cherfilus-McCormick was elected to the House in 2022 and represents parts of Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach County. The allegations have shadowed her tenure for months; in July, the House Ethics Committee voted to allow an investigative subcommittee to continue looking into the claims.
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