Washington, D.C. – Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from Congress effective immediately after a House Ethics Committee panel found that most allegations against her had been proven following a March hearing.
The announcement came alongside a statement from the House Committee on Ethics confirming that an adjudicatory subcommittee determined Counts 1–15 and 17–26 in a Statement of Alleged Violations were supported by clear and convincing evidence after hours of deliberation.
Ethics findings precede resignation
According to the committee’s statement, the subcommittee held a public hearing on March 26, 2026, before entering a closed-door session that lasted past midnight. Lawmakers reviewed evidence tied to multiple alleged violations before reaching their findings.
The full Ethics Committee had planned to reconvene after the April recess to consider potential sanctions, but Cherfilus-McCormick stepped down before that process could move forward.
In her resignation statement, she sharply criticized the proceedings.
“This was not a fair process,” Cherfilus-McCormick said. “By going forward with this process while a criminal indictment is pending, the Committee prevented me from defending myself.”
Lawmaker calls probe a “witch hunt”
Cherfilus-McCormick said she chose to resign rather than continue what she described as a politically motivated process.
“I will not stand by and pretend that this has been anything other than a witch hunt,” she said, adding that she believed her due process rights were undermined.
She also warned about broader implications, stating, “We do not punish people before due process is complete… That is a dangerous path.”
Key Points
• Ethics panel found most allegations against Cherfilus-McCormick were proven
• Lawmaker resigned before full committee could recommend punishment
• She denies wrongdoing and calls the investigation politically motivated
Allegations and public claims
The Ethics Committee’s statement does not detail each count in the summary released but confirms that a large majority of the allegations met the evidentiary threshold required by the panel.
Separate public claims circulating online have alleged misconduct involving federal funds and campaign financing. However, those specific allegations were not detailed in the official Ethics Committee statement provided and should be treated as unverified unless confirmed in formal charging documents or court proceedings.
The committee’s process is distinct from any criminal case, though Cherfilus-McCormick referenced a pending indictment in her statement.
Political reaction emerges
Reaction from other lawmakers quickly followed. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) wrote on social media, “Another one down. One more to go,” signaling partisan response to the resignation.
Cherfilus-McCormick, who represented Florida’s 20th Congressional District, framed her departure as a shift in focus rather than an admission of wrongdoing.
“Rather than play these political games, I choose to step away so that I can devote my time to fighting for my neighbors,” she said.
What happens next
Her resignation creates a vacancy in Florida’s 20th District, with next steps expected to follow state procedures for filling open congressional seats.
The Ethics Committee has not yet released a full public report detailing the evidence behind each proven count, and any related criminal case remains separate from the congressional process.
Cherfilus-McCormick maintains her innocence and said her “fight is far from over,” while the formal findings from the House panel stand as the most detailed official account released to date.
