House Ethics Committee expands investigation into Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick • Florida Phoenix

The U.S. House Ethics Committee announced Tuesday that the panel is expanding its investigation into allegations that Democratic U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of South Florida may have violated campaign finance laws.

The committee had originally announced in late December that it would establish an investigative subcommittee to determine whether Cherfilus-McCormick “may have violated campaign finance laws and regulations in connection with her campaign for the 2022 special election and/or her 2022 re-election; whether she failed to properly disclose required information in returns filed with the House of Representatives; and/or whether she accepted voluntary services for official duties from a person not employed by her congressional office.”

She represents the 20th congressional district.

According to a statement released Tuesday by Republican Michael Guest of Mississippi, chairman of the House Ethics Committee, and Democratic Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, the ranking member of the House, the investigation has been expanded to determine whether Cherfilus-McCormick “violated the Code of Conduct or any law, rule, regulation, or other standard of conduct applicable to the performance of her duties or the discharge of her responsibilities. This applies to allegations that Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick (1) acted inappropriately in connection with funding requests for community projects; (2) misused official funds for campaign purposes; and/or (3) violated campaign finance laws and regulations in connection with her 2024 re-election campaign.”

Cherfilus-McCormick’s seat in Congress was held for more than 28 years by the late Alcee Hastings. Cherfilus-McCormick unsuccessfully challenged Hastings in the 2018 and 2020 Democratic primaries. After Hastings’ death in April 2021, she narrowly won the Democratic primary for the seat in August 2021 before easily winning the special general election in January 2022.

This year, she does not have to face a primary or a Republican challenger, meaning she de facto won another two-year term in April.

The House Ethics Committee announced last week that it was reopening an investigation into Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz from the Panhandle region over allegations that he engaged in inappropriate sexual relations and violated the rules by accepting gifts.