Expulsion Vote Looms for Florida Democrat
A critical moment is approaching on Capitol Hill as Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick faces the possibility of being forced out of Congress. According to Fox News , lawmakers are preparing for a House Ethics Committee…
A critical moment is approaching on Capitol Hill as Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick faces the possibility of being forced out of Congress.
According to Fox News, lawmakers are preparing for a House Ethics Committee hearing Tuesday afternoon, where members are expected to recommend disciplinary action following a string of ethics violations tied to financial misconduct.
But even before the panel delivers its recommendation, Rep. Greg Steube has pledged to push forward with a vote to expel her.
Cherfilus-McCormick, however, has made clear she has no intention of stepping aside voluntarily.
“For those asking whether I plan to resign, the answer is no,” she told Fox News Digital. “This is not the time to abandon the district, not when they too are fighting for their future.”
Her stance sets up a high-stakes showdown in the House, where a two-thirds majority is required to expel a sitting member.
If successful, the move would mark the first expulsion since George Santos was removed in 2023 — and only the seventh such action in U.S. history.
The controversy stems from a March ethics trial in which Cherfilus-McCormick was found guilty of more than two dozen violations.
At the center of the findings was an accusation that she redirected over $5 million in disaster relief funds to her campaign through payments to her family’s healthcare business. She has denied wrongdoing and did not return the funds.
Her legal troubles extend beyond Congress. She was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2025 and now faces a 15-count criminal case that could carry a sentence of more than 50 years if convicted. Prosecutors allege she misused FEMA-related funds, participated in a straw donor scheme, and conspired to file a false tax return.
Despite the mounting pressure, Democratic leadership has not fully coalesced around expulsion.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the party would wait for the Ethics Committee’s conclusions before deciding next steps.
“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 said.
Some Democrats have begun to break ranks. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez indicated she would support expulsion if Cherfilus-McCormick refuses to resign.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson has voiced support for removing her, pointing to what he described as “alarming facts” uncovered by the bipartisan ethics panel.
The political pressure is mounting as Cherfilus-McCormick continues her re-election bid despite financial strain, with campaign filings showing significant debt and limited cash on hand.
At the same time, a growing list of challengers is preparing to compete for her seat in the upcoming primary, signaling that her political future remains uncertain even as the expulsion threat intensifies.