Credited from: SCMP
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democratic lawmaker from Florida, has resigned from Congress just before the House Ethics Committee was set to meet regarding possible disciplinary measures, which could have included expulsion. She has been accused of committing more than 25 ethics violations, primarily involving alleged misuse of nearly $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds intended for disaster relief, which were allegedly diverted to support her congressional campaign, according to CBS News, South China Morning Post, and BBC.
Cherfilus-McCormick's departure follows recent resignations from two other congress members, Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales, who similarly left amid separate misconduct allegations. She has consistently denied wrongdoing, calling the investigative process a "witch hunt" and claiming that her due process rights were violated because the investigation proceeded while she was facing a federal criminal indictment, according to Los Angeles Times and NPR.
In her resignation announcement, Cherfilus-McCormick emphasized that the process was flawed. She pointed out that she was not allowed adequate time to prepare her defense and insisted, "I cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be trampled on," as stated in multiple sources including CBS News and Los Angeles Times.
The fallout from her resignation is significant, as House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated that there is "clear and convincing evidence" against her, predicting that the House will eventually move to expel her. This reflects the increasing pressure on Congress to address ethical standards firmly in light of the ongoing controversies, as highlighted in South China Morning Post and NPR.