Florida Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is in a heap of legal trouble. Last fall, she was indicted for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA funds, with court records showing that Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin McCormick receiving the FEMA funds as part of a COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021. The $5 million was an overpayment of those FEMA funds, and the indictment alleges the defendants conspired to steal that money by routing it through multiple accounts.
The Miami Herald reported that Cherfilus-McCormick spent the money on a $109,000 three-carat yellow diamond ring, as well as $2.4 million to Cherfilus-McCormick's consulting company, $1.2 million to a bank account managed by relatives of Cherfilus-McCormick, $830K to a different bank account on which Cherfilus-McCormick is an authorized user, $334K to Nadege Leblanc, who is "accused of having coordinated straw-donor contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick," $190K to a bank account tied to Cherfilus-McCormick's brother's consulting company.
Cherfilus-McCormick played the race card in response to the allegations, calling her indictment "unjust" and telling CSPAN, "If this is what Congress is becoming, where they're always trying to intimidate you, scare tactics, especially attacking minorities, black and brown people, then we're going to have to keep fighting for the district."
At the end of January, Congressman Greg Steube said he planned to file a motion to expel Cherfilus-McCormick from Congress when the body returned to Washington. He called the charges "one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen" and said, "Stealing $5 million in taxpayer disaster funds from FEMA of all places is beyond indefensible."
We'll soon find out if Cherfilus-McCormick will be expelled, because she faces a House Ethics hearing on Thursday.
Via Punchbowl, a story a little below the national radar with national implications — Florida Democrat accused of stealing FEMA funds could be convicted in a House ethics hearing on Thursday and soon expelled from Congress like George Santos.@bresreports @allymutnick @maxpcohen pic.twitter.com/MYXXqbKUEx
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) March 25, 2026
This poses a problem for Democrats, including Hakeem Jeffries.
Dems’ anti-corruption message is hitting close to home.
— Punchbowl News (@PunchbowlNews) March 25, 2026
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick faces a federal indictment and a rare House Ethics Committee “trial,” putting Jeffries in a tough spot as expulsion becomes a real possibility.
Read the latest:https://t.co/kSD1cyuszd
Jeffries was asked last week about Cherfilus-McCormick, and whether or not Democrats will support expelling her.
I asked Jeffries: If Republicans force a vote this week to expel or censure Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, will Democrats oppose it?
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) March 24, 2026
His response: “Next question”
👀 Might have something to do with this 👇🏻 https://t.co/XSzIANQpam
Since 1789, only 21 members of Congress have been expelled, including 15 Senators and six House members. The last time a Congressman was expelled was Republican George Santos in 2023; prior to that, Ohio Democrat James Traficant was expelled in 2002.
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