Democratic congresswoman resigns after campaign finance charges

When the committee did convene, it read Cherfilus-McCormick's resignation letter and adjourned, as she was no longer a member and the committee no longer had jurisdiction.

Cherfilus-McCormick announced her resignation from Congress in a social media post, calling the ethics investigation a 'witch hunt' and saying she would step away to avoid political games. The resignation came minutes before the House Ethics Committee was to convene and consider punishment for the violations.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that Cherfilus-McCormick's fate was sealed on Capitol Hill, saying the ethics committee findings were alarming and the facts were indisputable.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, 'She did the right thing on behalf of her constituents' in response to the ethics matter.

Cherfilus-McCormick faces federal charges for allegedly stealing about $5 million in FEMA disaster funds, allegedly diverting funds from a FEMA contract to friends and relatives who donated the money back to her campaign as purported personal contributions.

The House Ethics Committee released findings that Cherfilus-McCormick committed more than 25 violations of House rules and ethical standards, with the committee stating there was clear and convincing evidence.

Representatives Eric Swalwell (D) and Tony Gonzales (R) resigned from Congress in the prior week amid allegations of misconduct, avoiding expulsion.

The last member of Congress to be forcibly removed from the House was New York Republican George Santos in 2023.