House Republican to move to expel Dem accused of stealing disaster relief money for campaign
In a significant political development, Rep. Greg Steube, a Republican from Florida, has announced his intention to expel Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat from the same state, following her indictment for allegedly misappropriating $5 million in federal disaster funds intended for COVID-19 vaccination staffing. Initially, Steube planned to censure Cherfilus-McCormick but decided to escalate his response, stating that her actions represent a severe breach of public trust. He expressed his views on social media, claiming that defrauding the federal government and disaster victims is a clear disqualification for serving in Congress. Steube’s resolution for expulsion is expected to be brought to the floor for a vote if Cherfilus-McCormick does not resign voluntarily.
The indictment, issued by the Justice Department, alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin, conspired to misappropriate funds from a FEMA contract and used the money to support her 2021 congressional campaign. The indictment details a sophisticated scheme where the funds were funneled through various accounts to obscure their origins, with a portion allegedly used for personal benefits and campaign contributions. Moreover, Cherfilus-McCormick and her tax preparer are accused of filing a false federal tax return, inflating business deductions and charitable contributions to reduce her tax liabilities. If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick could face up to 53 years in prison, while her brother and associates face significant prison time as well.
In response to the allegations, Cherfilus-McCormick has maintained her innocence, characterizing the indictment as unjust and politically motivated. She has expressed gratitude for the support of her constituents and remains committed to fighting the charges in court. The case has garnered attention not only for its implications for Cherfilus-McCormick’s political career but also for the broader discussions it raises about accountability and ethics in public office. As the situation unfolds, it will likely have significant ramifications for both her and the Democratic Party in Florida, as well as for the ongoing discourse surrounding government integrity and the use of federal funds.
Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., said Thursday he will be moving to expel a colleague from the
other side of the aisle
, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., following an indictment alleging that she used federal disaster funds for her 2021 campaign.
While
the congressman
initially moved to file a motion to censure his colleague, he changed his mind on Thursday and instead called for her expulsion.
“I have decided to skip censure and move straight to expulsion,”
Steube wrote on X
. “Defrauding the federal government and disaster victims of $5 million is an automatic disqualifier from serving in elected office.”
“Cherfilus-McCormick needs to be swiftly removed from the House before she can inflict any more harm on Congress, her district, and the State of Florida,” he added.
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Steube said he would file the resolution on Thursday, saying that if
Cherfilus-McCormick
refused to resign and “save Congress the embarrassment of having to expel her,” he would bring it to the floor for a vote.
On Wednesday night, Steube initially said he would file “a privileged motion to censure” Cherfilus-McCormick on Thursday morning and to remove her from all committees in the wake of “one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen.”
“Stealing $5 million in taxpayer disaster funds from FEMA of all places is beyond indefensible,” he wrote Wednesday. “Millions of Floridians have relied on FEMA after devastating hurricanes, and that money was supposed to help real disaster victims.”
“And once House Ethics concludes their investigation or she is formally convicted, rest assured I will move to expel her from Congress,” he added.
Cherfilus-McCormick responded to that Wednesday message in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
“This is an unjust, baseless, sham indictment — and I am innocent. The timing alone is curious and clearly meant to distract from far more pressing national issues. From day one, I have cooperated with every lawful request, and I will continue to do,” Cherfilus-McCormick said. “I am deeply grateful for the support of my district, and I remain confident that the truth will prevail. I look forward to my day in court. Until then, I will continue fighting for my constituents.”
The
Justice Department
said in a statement that in 2021, Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, operated a family healthcare company on a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract and received an overpayment of $5 million.
“The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal that $5 million and routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source. Prosecutors allege that a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds was used as
candidate contributions
to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants,” the DOJ said in its statement.
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According to the DOJ, Cherfilus-McCormick and Nadege Leblanc allegedly arranged additional funds using straw donors and funneled “other monies from the FEMA-funded COVID-19 contract to friends and relatives who then donated to the campaign as if using their own money.”
The Florida congresswoman is also accused of working with her 2021 tax preparer, David K. Spencer, to conspire to file a false federal tax return, according to the DOJ. The two allegedly “falsely claimed political spending and other personal expenses as business deductions and inflated charitable contributions in order to reduce her tax obligations.”
Attorney General
Pam Bondi
called Cherfilus-McCormick’s alleged crime “particularly selfish” and “cynical.” Additionally, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason A. Reding Quiñones said that the “indictment shows no one is above the law.”
“This individual and her family allegedly stole money from FEMA and then laundered it through friends toward her own personal benefits — including her campaign accounts. Today the FBI and partners at [DOJ] took action. No one is above the law,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote in a
post on X
.
If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years behind bars, according to the DOJ. If convicted, her brother faces up to 35 years, Leblanc faces up to 10 years and Spencer faces up to 33 years, prosecutors said.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin and David Spunt contributed to this report.
