House ethics panel finds Florida congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick committed 25 violations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida has committed numerous violations of House rules and ethics standards, the House Ethics Committee found Friday, a decision that could add weight to Republicans’ efforts to expel her from Congress.
The ethics panel, made up of four Democrats and four Republicans, met early Friday morning after a seven-hour hearing and found Cherfilus-McCormick had committed 25 ethics violations. The panel said it would recommend a sentence in the coming weeks.
The allegations center around Cherfilus-McCormick’s family receiving millions of dollars from the healthcare business after Florida overpaid disaster relief funds by nearly $5 million. Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of using the money to finance her 2022 congressional campaign through a network of businesses and family members.
The congressman running for a fourth term representing the Southeast Florida district has denied any wrongdoing and harshly criticized the lawyer Thursday’s public hearing – the first open case in nearly 15 years. But the Ethics Committee’s decision could spark a possible vote to expel him and split the Democratic Party caucus, which is trying to return to power in the November midterm elections.
Cherfilus-McCormick also faces federal charges He allegedly stole 5 million dollars in COVID-19 disaster relief funds and uses it for purchases such as a 3-carat yellow diamond ring. His brother, a former general secretary and accountant, was also charged. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges, and his lawyer said Thursday that the trial is expected to begin in the coming months.
The congresswoman refused to testify at Thursday’s ethics hearing, citing her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. His attorney, William Barzee, argued with some lawmakers on the ethics panel and argued that he should be allowed a comprehensive ethics trial in which he could present witnesses and evidence challenging the conclusions of House investigators.
Barzee accused the panel of giving further impetus to efforts to “throw out of Congress a woman duly elected by her constituents” based primarily on bank records.
Committee investigators uncovered 27 violations of House ethical standards and rules in a 242-page report. The report accused Cherfilus-McCormick of winning the 2022 special election by making it look like she was self-funding her campaign, which was actually financed by a $5 million overpayment her family’s company received from Florida for coronavirus vaccine services.
Barzee argued that he was “entitled to this money,” pointing to a document explaining how his family would split the income from his healthcare business. However, lawmakers on the ethics committee were skeptical of this claim.
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Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C.
