The political landscape in Florida shifted violently today as Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) officially resigned from Congress, becoming the third lawmaker to step down recently under a cloud of scandal.
Her departure follows a scathing finding by the House Ethics Committee and coincides with a broader wave of misconduct allegations that have already forced the resignations of California’s Eric Swalwell and Texas’s Tony Gonzales.
While Cherfilus-McCormick had recently been active on the House Foreign Relations Committee—warning just last week that the U.S. is being “outplayed” in African export markets—her legislative work was ultimately eclipsed by a federal and ethics investigation.
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power issued a blistering statement following her exit, asserting that the congresswoman did not simply step down but “resigned in disgrace.”
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“The allegations that she diverted millions in taxpayer-funded COVID relief for personal and political gain are a blatant abuse of power and a betrayal of the public trust,” Power stated. “This is what happens when Democrats refuse to hold their own accountable—standards collapse and the truth comes out too late.”
The resignation marks the end of a rapid downfall for the Florida Democrat. In late March, the House Ethics Committee voted to find her guilty on more than two dozen ethics charges. A final hearing had been scheduled for April 21 to determine formal sanctions, but her resignation effectively pre-empts a floor vote for her expulsion.
The spotlight now intensifies on Florida’s other embattled lawmaker, Republican Representative Cory Mills. Mills remains under investigation by the Ethics Committee for allegations involving sexual misconduct and dating violence.
With Swalwell and Gonzales already gone, the pressure on Mills and the remaining members under investigation has reached a fever pitch.
New Mexico Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, had previously called for the immediate removal of those unfit to serve, while Florida Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna signaled her readiness to vote for expulsion resolutions.
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This string of departures represents a nearly unprecedented clearing of the House. Historically, the chamber has expelled only six members in total, including George Santos in 2023 and James Traficant in 2002.
By resigning today, Cherfilus-McCormick avoids the indignity of a formal expulsion vote, yet Chairman Power insists the political fallout is far from over.
“Floridians deserve better,” Power added, “and they won’t forget this in November!”
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