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FL Dem Rep. Resigns Before Sanctions 04/22 06:15
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida
resigned from office on Tuesday moments before the start of a hearing that
could have led to a recommendation that she be expelled from Congress.
Cherfilus-McCormick was the subject of a more than two-year investigation by
the House Ethics Committee, which had determined recently that she had violated
multiple federal laws and House rules. Support from her own party was
increasingly in doubt.
It's the third resignation in a little more than a week from a House
lawmaker. Reps. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, and Tony Gonzales, a
Texas Republican, announced within hours of each other that they were leaving
Congress. Both men were facing sexual misconduct allegations and possible
expulsion.
In a statement, Cherfilus-McCormick said the House committee denied her new
attorney's request for more time to prepare a defense. She also said she would
not pretend that the investigation had been anything other than a "witch hunt,"
and rather than play political games, she would resign, effective immediately.
"But 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."
Cherfilus-McCormick is also facing federal criminal charges accusing her of
stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds and using the money to buy items
such as a 3-carat yellow diamond ring.
She has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and says she is not
guilty of ethics violations, either.
The allegations against the congresswoman center on how she received
millions of dollars from her family's health care business after Florida
mistakenly overpaid the business by roughly $5 million with COVID-19 disaster
relief funds. She is accused of using that money to fund her 2022 congressional
campaign through a network of businesses and family members.
Cherfilus-McCormick declined to testify during a previous Ethics Committee
hearing, citing her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Her
attorney, William Barzee, sparred with some of the lawmakers and argued that
they should have allowed a thorough ethics trial, at which he could present
witnesses and evidence to counter the conclusions of House investigators.
Some supporters weighed in against expulsion
A group of supporters in Cherfilus-McCormick's congressional district had
weighed in on her behalf with the lawmakers who lead the Ethics Committee,
urging committee leaders to proceed with caution in sanctioning her.
"Our communities deserve stability. Our voices deserve to be heard. And our
right to representation must be protected," said one of the letters signed by
about a dozen local faith leaders, union officials and others.
Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, along
with other members of the caucus, issued a statement that praised
Cherfilus-McCormick's time in Congress. They said Cherfilus-McCormick "worked
to uplift her constituents and elevate issues impacting underserved communities
at home and abroad."
"We extend our appreciation for her service and offer our prayers for her
and her family," the caucus members said.
In all, the Ethics panel's more than two-year investigation led to the
issuance of 59 subpoenas, 28 witness interviews and a review of more than
33,000 pages of documents.
House Democratic leaders had declined to condemn Cherfilus-McCormick, saying
they wanted to see the ethics process play out.
Still, leadership had been in conversations with her for weeks, ever since
the Ethics committee released its findings, about the situation and the
likelihood of an expulsion vote.
A high threshold for expulsion
The House has historically been reluctant to serve as the final arbiter of a
lawmaker's career, preferring to give that final say to the voters.
Of the six House members expelled, the first three fought for the
Confederacy during the Civil War and were expelled for disloyalty. The next two
had been convicted of crimes. The final one was George Santos, the
scandal-plagued freshman who was the subject of a blistering ethics report on
his conduct as well as a federal indictment.
Santos, a New York Republican, served time in prison for ripping off his
campaign donors before President Donald Trump granted him clemency, and he has
apologized to his former constituents.
Under the Constitution, at least two-thirds of the House has to vote for
expulsion for it to occur, a high threshold that requires enormous bipartisan
support.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters last week he believed the
House would move to expel Cherfilus-McCormick.
"The facts are indisputable at this point," Johnson said.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., took exception to
Cherfilus-McCormick's characterization of the Ethics Committee's investigation.
"Well, if you steal money, it's called theft. It's not called a witch hunt,
and stealing taxpayer money is not going to be tolerated," Scalise said.
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