Ethics panel to decide penalty for Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick over theft allegations

Politics Ethics panel to decide penalty for Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick over theft allegations By Caitlin Yilek Caitlin Yilek Politics Reporter Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation. Read Full Bio Caitlin Yilek April 21, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — The House Ethics Committee will hold a public hearing Tuesday to determine whether any punishment is warranted for Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, three weeks after concluding she was guilty of more than two dozen charges stemming from an alleged campaign finance scheme. The hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m.In November, the Justice Department charged the Florida Democrat with stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for her campaign. She has pleaded not guilty to 15 counts laid out in the federal indictment and has denied any wrongdoing.After a lengthy investigation into Cherfilus-McCormick's alleged misconduct, the bipartisan Ethics Committee released its findings in January, concluding there was "substantial reason to believe" the congresswoman violated multiple federal laws and House rules.The investigation found "substantial evidence of conduct consistent with the allegations in the indictment, as well as more extensive misconduct," according to the 59-page report.In addition to the alleged campaign finance violations, committee investigators accused Cherfilus-McCormick of spending the funds on luxury goods, including jewelry from Tiffany & Co.; a Tesla; designer clothing; high-end hotels; and a cruise."The 25 violations at issue here are very serious standing on their own," the committee's counsel said in a memorandum ahead of Tuesday's hearing. "The scope and continuous nature of the conduct, as well as Respondent's f...