House Ethics Panel Finds Cherfilus-McCormick Violated 25 of 27 Charges

The House Ethics Committee found Friday that Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat, committed 25 of the 27 alleged ethics violations against her, according to NBC News and CBS News. CBS reported that the eight-member adjudicatory subcommittee found 25 of the 27 violations proven by clear and convincing evidence. NBC reported the vote was secret and followed a nearly seven-hour televised trial and overnight deliberations.

The panel will decide on discipline later. NBC reported that the committee will hold a sanctions hearing after the House’s two-week spring recess, with censure, removal from committees or expulsion among the possible outcomes. CBS said the full committee will wait until after the April recess to recommend any discipline.

The ethics counts concern her campaign finances and the family company Trinity Healthcare Services. NBC reported that ethics counsel Sydney Bellwoar said the most serious example came in June 2021, when Trinity sent $2 million to Cherfilus-McCormick, who moved it to her campaign the next day and, after the filing period ended, returned nearly all of it to herself. CBS reported the allegations include inaccurate and incomplete campaign-finance reports over several election cycles, improper contributions reported as personal loans and inflated cash-on-hand figures.

Separately, she is under federal indictment. The Justice Department indicted her in November on charges that she stole and laundered $5 million in federal funds, and she has pleaded not guilty, according to NBC and CBS. She denies wrongdoing. NBC reported that her statement said she looks forward to proving her innocence, while her attorney argued the public process was rushed and should not produce a verdict that could affect her criminal case. CBS said he unsuccessfully asked the panel to delay action until after her criminal trial.

Reaction split along familiar lines but was not purely partisan. Rep. Greg Steube, a Florida Republican, said he will move to expel her once the committee recommends a sanction, NBC and CBS reported. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Washington Democrat, said she should resign or be removed, NBC reported. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries did not say whether she should remain in the House, NBC reported; CBS quoted him as saying he would not get ahead of the Ethics Committee process.

No House vote has occurred. CBS reported that expulsion would make her the seventh House member expelled. The House expelled George Santos in 2023 before his federal conviction, by a 311-114 vote, according to NBC.

A finding by the Ethics Committee is not a criminal conviction, and the outlets noted the indictment is a separate case in which she has pleaded not guilty.