Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns from Congress : NPR

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Andrew Harnik/Getty Photos Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., has resigned from Congress.

Her resignation on Tuesday got here shortly earlier than the Home Ethics Committee was attributable to meet to resolve on a punishment for the third-term lawmaker — together with a possible expulsion vote.

Cherfilus-McCormick faces federal expenses — prosecutors allege the lawmaker and her brother stole $5 million in federal catastrophe funds stemming from an overpayment associated to COVID-19 vaccinations to their well being care firm. The Home Ethics committee discovered she used a few of that cash to fund her first congressional marketing campaign. She has denied the allegations.

In a press release posted to social media, Cherfilus-McCormick criticized the Home Ethics Committee course of as "a witch hunt," and alleged that as a result of the panel moved ahead on the identical time that her prison indictment was pending, she was prevented from correctly defending herself.

"We needs to be very cautious in regards to the precedent we're setting," she mentioned in her resignation announcement. "On this nation, we don't punish individuals earlier than due course of is full. We don't enable allegations alone to override the need of the individuals. That could be a harmful path, and one that ought to concern each American, no matter occasion."

It's the third in a collection of April resignations from the Home. Democrat Eric Swalwell of California and Republican Tony Gonzales of Texas resigned below stress within the wake of sexual misconduct scandals. Swalwell denies allegations of assault and harassment introduced by a number of girls, although apologized to his household for unspecified errors in judgment. Gonzales admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.

One other Home Republican, Rep. Cory Mills, Fla., can be going through an Ethics investigation and will quickly face an expulsion vote.

Republicans now have a two-seat margin within the Home — 218 Republican-aligned members, 213 Democrats and 4 open seats.

The timeline to fill Cherfilus-McCormick's seat stays unsure -- state regulation provides Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, broad latitude in scheduling a particular election within the deep blue district that features elements of Fort Lauderdale.