Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns from Congress after Ethics probe

Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has resigned from Congress following a House Ethics investigation that found she committed 25 different violations.

The allegations stem from accusations of misusing millions in disaster relief funds for her campaign for Florida's 20th congressional district.

Prior to her resignation, Cherfilus-McCormick was facing bipartisan calls to resign or potentially face an expulsion vote.

"This was not a fair process. The Ethics Committee refused my new attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense," Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement. "By going forward with this process while a criminal indictment is pending, the Committee prevented me from defending myself."

Cherfilus-McCormick went on to call the process a "witch hunt," which she would not be a part of.

"Let me say this plainly: we should be very careful about the precedent we are setting. In this country, we do not punish people before due process is complete," she said. "We do not allow allegations alone to override the will of the people. That is a dangerous path, and one that should concern every American, regardless of party."

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rinkydinkydoink · M

I honestly never realized Democrats are sometimes almost as crooked as the Republicans... 😁

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, MVIP

@rinkydinkydoink It is sort of taken for granted there is a good guy and a bad guy.. But not in US politics..😷

Gibbon · 70-79, M

@rinkydinkydoink 👀 holy crap they survive by hook and crook

rinkydinkydoink · M

@Gibbon

What with Trump and his hirelings hogging the prime action the dems are left with the scraps...

Gibbon · 70-79, M

@rinkydinkydoink they have been this way since he stepped on the elevator. Waisting all their energy going after him yet Hillary absolutely belongs in prison

rinkydinkydoink · M

@Gibbon

Why hasn't Trump got her in jail yet?

sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M

@rinkydinkydoink She is facing Federal charges for spending $5,000,000 covid funds on personal use

Gibbon · 70-79, M

@rinkydinkydoink both of the Clintons are bullet proof protected by the likes of Comey and the liberal FBI and DOJ in their time.

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sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M

@rinkydinkydoink So go ahead an impeach him again, what story you gonna make up this time?

rinkydinkydoink · M

@sunsporter1649

You're a comedy writer in your spare time, right?!

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, MVIP

@sunsporter1649 And how are those charges going then?? There is a reason such charges are called "Trumped Up"😷

sunsporter1649 · 70-79, M

@whowasthatmaskedman A grand jury in Miami, Florida returned an indictment charging a member of Congress, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, among others, with conspiracy to convert FEMA funds, laundering the converted FEMA funds, and funneling the funds to her congressional campaign committee in 2021. Representative Cherfilus-McCormick and others are charged with arranging and funding straw donor contributions made to her congressional campaign in 2021. She is also charged with making false statements in her 2021 tax return, falsely and fraudulently reducing her federal tax obligations.

According to court records, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Miramar, Florida, along with her brother, Edwin Cherfilus of Miramar, Florida, worked on behalf of their family healthcare company on a contract with the Florida Division of Emergency Management to staff FEMA-funded Covid-19 vaccination efforts in 2021. While working on that contract, they received a $5 million overpayment in July of 2021, conspired to convert the $5 million overpayment of FEMA funds, and ultimately converted the overpayment to fund Cherfilus-McCormick’s Congressional campaign and for the personal use and enrichment of Cherfilus-McCormick and her co-conspirators. Once the conspirators converted the funds, they laundered the funds through several accounts to conceal the source of the funds and contributed a large portion of the funds to her campaign committee in 2021 as candidate contributions. Cherfilus-McCormick also conspired with Nadege Leblanc, 46, of Miramar, Florida, to funnel other funds from the FEMA-funded Covid-19 contract to friends and family for them to donate to Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign as if the funds were their own money. Finally, Cherfilus-McCormick also conspired with her 2021 tax preparer David K. Spencer, 41, of Davie, Florida, to falsely reduce her federal tax obligations by falsely characterizing political contributions and other expenses as business expenses, and falsely inflating her charitable contributions to a Maryland-area church, in order to pay substantially less taxes than what she truly owed in her 2021 tax return.

Cherfilus-McCormick is charged with Conspiracy to Commit the Theft of Government Funds; Theft of Government Funds; Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering; Money Laundering; Conspiracy to Make and Receive Straw Donor Contributions; Making and Receiving Straw Donor Contributions; Conspiracy to Make a False and Fraudulent Statement on a Tax Return; and Aiding and Assisting a False and Fraudulent Statement on a Tax Return. If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces a maximum penalty of 53 years in prison; Edwin Cherfilus faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison; Nadege Leblanc faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and David K. Spencer faces a maximum penalty of 33 years in prison.

Trials to begin in Feb. 2027

Gibbon · 70-79, M

@sunsporter1649 yeah so there. To whoever you said that too lol. They have me blocked.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, MVIP

@sunsporter1649 Sure it does.. Call me then..😷