Furor in the House over alleged congressional ethics violations is shifting focus to two members of Florida’s delegation: Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and Cory Mills (R-FL).
Heading back into session on Tuesday after a two-week recess, calls for four members to resign or be expelled from the House reached a fever pitch, resulting in the resignations of Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX).
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Both Swalwell’s and Gonzales’ resignations are effective Tuesday, and come after both men were accused of sexual misconduct.
But now, with both exiting Capitol Hill, attention is being shifted toward Cherfilus-McCormick, who is accused of financial misconduct, and Mills, who has been accused of domestic violence, among other things.
“Two down, more to go,” Rep. Nancy Mace said in a statement. “Swalwell and Gonzales made the right call, but walking out the door does not erase the disgusting acts they are being accused of and the women they hurt.”
She continued, “But we are not finished. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Cory Mills still need to go. Congress is not above the law. It never was. They need to resign immediately or face expulsion.”
Cherfilus-McCormick does not plan to resign from her House seat, however, and called the “lumping” together of the allegations of financial misconduct she faces with the allegations faced by Swalwell and Gonzales “inaccurate and irresponsible.”
“For those asking whether I plan to resign: the answer is no,” she said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “This is not the time to abandon the district, especially when they too are fighting for their future.”
Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of stealing $5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and funneling a portion of it to her campaign account. The House Ethics Committee found Cherfilus-McCormick committed wrongdoing on 27 charges levied against her in March, prompting several calls for her to resign from both sides of the aisle.
The Florida Democrat’s refusal to step down from her seat comes after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said she should be expelled from the House, saying the ethics panel found “alarming facts” about Cherfilus-McCormick that warranted ouster.
Johnson did not go so far as to call for Mills’ ouster, however, telling reporters he planned to look into the “status” of the House Ethics Committee’s investigation on Tuesday.
Mills has faced the threat of being censured by his peers several times and has been accused of domestic violence, stolen valor over a Bronze Star he claims he was awarded, and financial misconduct. Mills has denied any wrongdoing.
Cherfilus-McCormick faces steeper odds of expulsion, with the House Ethics panel set to meet on April 21 to decide what sanctions to recommend to the lower chamber.
Once the House ethics panel makes its recommendation, Rep. Greg Stuebe (R-FL) has stated he plans to file a motion to expel Cherfilus-McCormick.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) also reupped her call for Cherfilus-McCormick to resign from her seat earlier Tuesday, writing in a post on X, “Rep Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick time to resign.”
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Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-AK), meanwhile, in a statement put out Monday before Gonzales announced his intent to resign, called on the Texas Republican, Cherfilus-McCormick, and Rep. Cory Mills to resign as well.
“Looking at you,” Gluesenkamp Perez wrote.
