Constituents of Florida’s heavily Black 20th Congressional District must now navigate a volatile political moment, as U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat who represented the district since 2022, resigned on Tuesday.
The surprise announcement came just ahead of a hearing when the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to formally recommend disciplinary action over an investigation into her conduct. The bipartisan panel found in March that she had violated House rules. This followed an indictment last November over allegations that she stole $5 million in disaster relief funds to bankroll her 2021 special election campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick continuously maintained that she had done nothing wrong.
“This was not a fair process. The Ethics Committee refused my new attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense,” Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement. “I will not stand by and pretend that this has been anything other than a witch hunt.”
She added, “To my constituents, it has been the honor of my life fighting for you in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
The panel could have recommended expulsion, censure, fines, or a reprimand. House Republicans had been pushing for Cherfilus-McCormick’s expulsion. House Speaker Mike Johnson said earlier this month, “The facts are indisputable at this point, and so I believe it’ll be the consensus of this body that she should be expelled.”
Meanwhile, House Democrats expressed concern about prematurely weighing in on the issue. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Monday that, after the committee delivers its recommendation, “we will proceed in a manner consistent with our approach to these types of ethics matters, which is to always and at all times follow the facts and apply the relevant law without fear or favor.”
Axios reported on Tuesday that many House Democrats were ready to vote in favor of Cherfilus-McCormick’s expulsion.
Cherfilus-McCormick wasn’t without her advocates. In a letter dated April 17 that included the signatures of Black community leaders, supporters argued that removing the embattled Democrat would harm her constituents’ representation in Washington.
“At this critical moment, our district is facing significant challenges, including an ongoing redistricting battle that directly impacts our collective future,” they wrote. “To remove our duly elected representative during such a pivotal time would leave our communities voiceless when we can least afford it.”
They also pointed to what they see as a more just path forward.
“If the voters of Florida’s 20th District wish to choose new leadership, they have both the right and the mechanism to do so through the ballot box,” the signatories added. “That is the constitutional process. Premature expulsion would override the will of the people and disenfranchise an entire district.”
The Congressional Black Caucus also extended its support to Cherfilus-McCormick, its members recognizing her service as a colleague.
“She came to Congress with a deep commitment to her community and a determination to serve the people of South Florida, making history as the first Haitian American Democrat elected to Congress” the group said in a statement. “In doing so, she helped broaden representation and brought visibility to the experiences and aspirations of Haitian Americans and the broader Caribbean diaspora.”
Spanning Palm Beach and Broward counties along Florida’s southeast coast, the 20th Congressional District is considered the state’s Blackest congressional district, with a Black population of about 48%. Residents and local leaders in recent years have described ballooning housing costs and displacement as affecting who can afford to stay. They’ve also voiced concerns about the challenges facing public education as families are forced to leave.
The House Ethics Committee’s recommendation comes just months after Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell, the former leader of the 2 Live Crew, announced that he was running to represent the district.
“For more than 35 years, I have worked on the ground in Liberty City and throughout South Florida — co-founding Liberty City Optimist [Club], partnering with city and county leaders, building relationships with corporate sponsors, and helping hundreds of thousands of young people access education and opportunity through sports and mentorship,” Campbell, who previously was a high school football coach, said in a previous statement.
The primary will take place on Aug. 18, followed by the general election on Nov. 3.
