On Tuesday, the House Ethics Committee took action to broaden its inquiry into Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) following allegations of misusing office funds and violating campaign finance laws.
In December, the committee initiated an investigation into Cherfilus-McCormick to ascertain whether the congresswoman may have breached campaign finance laws and regulations in relation to her 2022 special election and/or 2022 re-election campaigns. Additionally, the committee is looking into whether she failed to disclose necessary information on statements that are required to be filed with the House, as well as whether she accepted voluntary services for official work from an individual who is not employed in her congressional office.
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The investigation announced on Tuesday will now extend its scope to examine further allegations that she may have violated the code of conduct.
According to a release by the committee, there are potential violations that accuse her of engaging in improper conduct related to funding requests for community projects, misusing official funds for campaign purposes, and potentially violating campaign finance laws and regulations during her 2024 re-election campaign.
The claims made against members were not elaborated on by the committee, as they generally do not reveal specifics about allegations until their investigations are concluded.
In a statement given to The Hill, there was no further explanation provided by Cherfilus-McCormick’s office regarding the allegations.
According to a spokesperson who spoke to The Hill, broadening the investigation’s reach does not imply that any wrongdoing has taken place, nor does it imply any decision or judgement by the Committee. The Congresswoman remains committed to treating this issue with the utmost seriousness and will work closely with the House Ethics Committee and its investigative subcommittee to address the allegations that have been raised.
In 2022, Cherfilus-McCormick won a special election for the southern Florida district to succeed the late Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) and subsequently joined the House. Later that year, she was elected to a full term.
