Democratic Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick announced she will resign ahead of possibly being sanctioned by the House in an ongoing ethics investigation.
“This was not a fair process,” Cherfilus-McCormick said. “The Ethics Committee refused my new attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense. By going forward with this process while a criminal indictment is pending, the Committee prevented me from defending myself. I will not stand by and pretend that this has been anything other than a witch hunt. I simply cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be trampled on, and my good name to be tarnished.
“Rather than play these political games, I choose to step away so that I can devote my time to fighting for my neighbors in Florida’s 20th district. I hereby resign from the 119th Congress, effective immediately.
“But let me say this plainly: we should be very careful about the precedent we are setting. In this country, we don not punish people before due process is complete. 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.
“To my constituents, it has been the honor of my life fighting for you in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thank you for standing with me and fighting alongside me. This fight is far from over.”
Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of misusing federal emergency relief funds to finance her 2021 congressional campaign, having been federally indicted on money laundering charges in November and will face a federal trial in Miami next year. The Florida Democrat is the third member of Congress to resign in recent weeks following Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas).
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