Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) officially resigned from Congress on Tuesday, just moments before a House Ethics Committee was set to decide the penalty for violating more than two dozen House ethics rules and standards.
On top of House violations that included breaking campaign finance laws, McCormick is also facing federal criminal charges for allegedly stealing $5 million in COVID-19 disaster relief funds for her own personal use.
"This is not a fair process," McCormick said in a statement. "The Ethics Committee refused my new attorney's reasonable request for time to prepare my defense. By going forward with this process while a criminal indictment is pending, the Committee prevented me from defending myself."
The Florida Democrat allegedly received millions of dollars from her family’s health care business after the state mistakenly overpaid the business by roughly $5 million with COVID-19 disaster relief funds. She faced accusations of using that money to fund her 2022 congressional campaign through a network of businesses and family members.
The House panel’s two-year investigation had led to 59 subpoenas, 28 witness interviews, and a review of more than 33,000 pages of documents.
McCormick declined to testify at a previous House Ethics hearing by invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
McCormick, who was serving her third term and running for reelection, had faced mounting pressure from House colleagues to resign or face expulsion. While calls for her to resign had been growing on Capitol Hill, she had long refused to step down.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said efforts to expel her from Congress are part of a broader effort to uphold the integrity of Congress and hold its members accountable.
"We're going to admonish members when they get out of line," Johnson told reporters Tuesday. "We're going to censure them when necessary. We kick them off committees when necessary, and a rare occasion, they get expelled,” Johnson told reporters ahead of her resignation.
In Tuesday’s statement, she described efforts to oust her as “political games,” warning of the precedent that is set when Congress punishes someone before due process is complete.
“I will not stand by and pretend that this has been anything other than a witch hunt. I simply cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be trampled on, and my good name to be tarnished,” she wrote.
Her decision comes after Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) resigned following sexual misconduct allegations.
Meanwhile, McCormick’s criminal trial is expected to begin in February 2027. She has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.