Florida Rep. Sheila Chafferas McCormick announced her resignation Tuesday, resigning from the U.S. House of Representatives just ahead of a scheduled ethics hearing that could lead to her ouster.
The South Florida Democrat has been under intense scrutiny for months, with the House Ethics Committee previously finding she had committed more than 20 violations of federal law and Congressional rules. The Florida Daily reported that the findings included widespread campaign finance violations and failure to properly disclose donations related to the 2022 campaign.
These ethical findings were tied to a broader federal criminal case. Prosecutors allege that Charfilas-McCormick orchestrated a scheme involving about $5 million in misdirected COVID-19 disaster relief funds, which was funneled through organizations connected to her family and ultimately used to finance some of her congressional campaigns.
Additional charges outlined in a previous Florida Daily report include allegations that her campaign received more than $150,000 in illegal and unreported in-kind contributions through nonprofit organizations, as well as broader charges of fraud and embezzlement related to her campaign.
The ethics investigation dates back to at least 2023, when the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into potential campaign finance violations, disclosure failures and improper use of outside personnel in public service. The case escalated significantly in early 2026 after a bipartisan commission concluded there was sufficient evidence to support multiple violations and began considering possible sanctions, including expulsion.
Chafilas McCormick, who faces both a possible expulsion vote and ongoing federal charges, has chosen to resign before the House takes formal action. Her resignation ends the Ethics Commission’s jurisdiction over her case, but she will face an ongoing criminal trial, in which she has pleaded not guilty.
