Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, an embattled Florida Democrat facing a pending criminal indictment, could be the next member of Congress to face expulsion.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters Tuesday that he would support expelling Cherfilus-McCormick from Congress, citing a bipartisan adjudicatory subcommittee finding her guilty of more than two dozen ethics violations in March.
“The Ethics Committee has gone through all of its processes, and they found some alarming facts,” Johnson said. “I think the facts are indisputable at this point, and so I believe it will be the consensus of this body that she should be expelled.”
The ethics panel’s guilty verdict was the culmination of a yearslong investigation during which the group interviewed hundreds of individuals and reviewed tens of thousands of documents.
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Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., has pledged to introduce an expulsion resolution against Cherfilus-McCormick, but he said he would wait until the ethics panel releases its recommended punishment against the Florida Democrat. The group is scheduled to hold a hearing announcing its suggested sanction for Cherfilus-McCormick next week.
Cherfilus-McCormick has continued to deny any wrongdoing and has not signaled that she is considering resigning. The Florida Democrat is also running for re-election ahead of the state’s August primary.
It takes a two-thirds majority to expel a lawmaker, meaning a significant number of Democrats would have to support ousting Cherfilus-McCormick for Steube’s measure to be successful.
Just a handful of Democrats, including Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez, D-Wash., have so far voiced support for Cherfilus-McCormick’s expulsion if she does not step down.
Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, announced plans to resign Monday after both lawmakers faced potential expulsion votes this week. Both men have been accused of sexual misconduct and are under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.
Johnson said Tuesday it was “the appropriate thing” for both men to resign, citing the allegations against them.
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House Democratic leadership has largely stood by Cherfilus-McCormick despite the House Ethics Committee’s findings. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has indicated that he will not comment on Cherfilus-McCormick’s fate until the ethics panel finishes its deliberations.
If Republicans move forward with expelling Cherfilus-McCormick, Democrats could offer a retaliatory measure seeking to oust scandal-ridden Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla.
Mills is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for a range of allegations, including domestic violence and campaign finance violations. He has maintained his innocence and is seeking re-election.
Johnson told reporters Tuesday that he would check the status of the Mills probe.
Cherfilus-McCormick is facing more than five decades in prison for allegedly stealing millions in disaster relief funds to finance her run for Congress and purchase luxury items. She is also accused of participating in a straw donor scheme and conspiring to file a false federal tax return.
Fox News Digital reached out to Cherfilus-McCormick’s office for comment.
