By Douglas V. Gibbs
Federal investigators say Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D‑FL) is at the center of a sprawling scheme involving “serious financial crimes.” On February 3, 2026, she pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges that she conspired to steal $5 million in FEMA disaster and COVID‑19 relief funds, along with making illegal campaign contributions. Her attorney entered the plea in Miami while she remained in Washington, D.C.
Prosecutors have filed 15 federal counts, including theft of government funds, money laundering, and campaign finance violations. Her previous counsel withdrew, leaving her new attorney, William Barzee, to handle the arraignment. Cherfilus‑McCormick remains free on a $60,000 bond but is now subject to strict travel limits, confined to Florida, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and the Eastern District of Virginia. If convicted, she faces a potential 53‑year prison sentence.
The legal pressure intensified last week when the House Ethics Committee announced it had found “substantial evidence” of violations involving campaign finance laws, ethics rules, and federal standards. Representative Greg Steube (R‑FL) responded by announcing his intention to file a resolution to expel her from Congress.
According to The Daily Signal, the committee reviewed more than 33,000 documents, conducted 28 witness interviews, and produced a 59‑page report outlining over two dozen alleged violations and more than $5 million in misappropriated funds.
The committee is scheduled to reconvene on March 5.
Cherfilus‑McCormick maintains her innocence, stating, “I reject these allegations and remain confident the full facts will make clear I did nothing wrong.”
Expulsion would require a two‑thirds vote. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D‑NY) has already signaled that Democrats will oppose the effort. Their decision to rally around a member facing extensive fraud allegations mirrors their broader pattern of circling the wagons around misconduct, criminality and fraud not only within their own ranks, but in order to preserve their narrative regarding amnesty and immigration (Minnesota’s Somali-fraud, California’s alleged fraud, and their anti-ICE position to protect criminal aliens comes to mind) – a questionable hill to defend considering the fact that they are already losing public trust and could face serious consequences for their pro-corruption stances in the upcoming Mid-Term Elections.
If expelled, Cherfilus‑McCormick would become the second member of Congress removed in recent years. In December 2023, George Santos (R‑NY) was expelled following his indictment on multiple federal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. His was the first expulsion in more than two decades.
— Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
As some have said, if Trump found a cure for cancer, the Democrats would say that is “illegal” because it would ruin drug companies profits and put oncologists out of business. To bad the framers of our Constitution should have added a mental exam clause, taken before taking an oath of office, into that document somewhere. Boggles the mind how members of that party act.
The scheme of diverting tax dollars into campaign chests and personal benefits, hopefully, will be over. We all talk accountably, but the reality is that most government systems have seemingly no oversight when it comes to where the money goes. Taxpayer John