House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has made calling out GOP corruption a central theme of his party’s midterm messaging.
But now a member of Jeffries’ caucus is facing accusations of serious financial crimes. The New York Democrat is in an uncomfortable spot of trying to balance his own political needs with those of his own embattled member. Plus, the issue also touches on the Congressional Black Caucus, a key part of Jeffries’ power base.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) is under federal criminal indictment for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA funds and using that money to help fund her 2021 congressional campaign. Other charges include tax fraud and the use of straw donors.
Cherfilus-McCormick — who allegedly purchased a huge diamond ring with the stolen funds — could face years in prison if convicted. Her criminal trial is currently scheduled to begin next month in Miami.
But Cherfilus-McCormick’s more pressing political concern is Thursday’s upcoming “trial” within the House Ethics Committee. This is a rare procedure that underscores the seriousness of the alleged violations. Expulsion is a real possibility for Cherfilus-McCormick if convicted, according to multiple Democratic lawmakers and aides.
A special investigative panel of the Ethics Committee released a 27-count “Statement of Alleged Violations” by Cherfilus-McCormick. This will be the evidence presented by Ethics Committee counsels during Thursday’s proceedings.
Jeffries told us Tuesday that Cherfilus-McCormick was “entitled to the presumption of innocence” and that he “will continue to stick by her in that regard” as she goes through the judicial and congressional processes.
We asked Jeffries if Democrats’ broader anti-corruption message aimed at Republicans should also apply to Cherfilus-McCormick.
“Donald Trump is the most corrupt president in American history and everybody knows it. Sheila has been charged by this Department of Justice. She is entitled to her day in court.”
House Democrats discussed Cherfilus-McCormick during their Steering & Policy meeting on Tuesday evening, per sources in the room. Among the topics: how the Florida Democrat was being treated in comparison to former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who was expelled from the House in December 2023. Santos was later convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison, but that sentence was later commuted by Trump.
Some House Democrats we spoke to were uncomfortable with the optics of their party leadership defending Cherfilus-McCormick. One member said that if the Florida Democrat gets convicted, it would reflect poorly on the caucus as a whole. Another Democrat — also speaking anonymously — said if Cherfilus-McCormick is found guilty in Thursday’s hearing, he’d immediately call on her to resign.
It’s unlikely that Cherfilus-McCormick will testify in her own defense, although her lawyer may make a statement. Anything Cherfilus-McCormick says can be used in her federal criminal case, which gives her a big disincentive to cooperate.
We expect that the adjudicatory subcommittee — the eight-member panel hearing Thursday’s case — will issue a decision on the matter this week.
But the final decision on what sanctions Cherfilus-McCormick could face if convicted isn’t likely to come until after the upcoming recess.
