Politics

Democrats Ready to Expel Their Own Member Over FEMA Fraud

By Mike Harper · April 21, 2026

For the second time in two weeks, the House is moving toward expelling one of its own members. This time, Democrats may be the ones doing the pushing.

The House Ethics Committee held a public hearing Tuesday to determine sanctions for Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, the Florida Democrat found guilty last month of 25 ethics violations tied to an alleged scheme in which she stole $5 million in FEMA disaster relief funds and funneled the money into her congressional campaign. According to Axios, more than 30 House Democrats have told reporters they are prepared to vote for expulsion if that is what the committee recommends — a remarkable shift for a caucus that had been largely quiet on the matter for months.

Expulsion requires a two-thirds vote of the full House, meaning Republicans need roughly 70 to 80 Democrats to cross the aisle. That threshold, which once seemed unlikely to be met, now appears potentially reachable.

Speaker Mike Johnson has called the charges “alarming” and said he expects “the consensus of this body” to favor expulsion. Rep. Greg Steube of Florida has a resolution ready to move to the floor the moment the Ethics Committee releases its recommendation. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna gave Cherfilus-McCormick two options publicly: resign or be expelled.

Cherfilus-McCormick has denied all wrongdoing. She pleaded not guilty to 15 federal counts in her November indictment and has continued to show up for work, representing Florida’s 20th District while her legal proceedings continue. Her criminal trial has been delayed until 2027.

The charges are substantial. The Ethics Committee found clear and convincing evidence that she used FEMA funds — meant for disaster relief — to finance her congressional campaign, filed false financial disclosure forms, spent money on luxury goods including Tiffany jewelry and designer clothing, and sought improper favors from earmark recipients.

Some Democrats have floated the possibility that she might resign before the vote, following the precedent set by Swalwell and Gonzales, who stepped down rather than face expulsion earlier this month. Several House Democrats told Axios they expect Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to privately nudge her toward the door.

“If you know you’re going, why put yourself through that?” one Democrat said. “That’s what Swalwell and Gonzales did.”

Whether she resigns or the House forces the question, the outcome is likely the same. The Ethics hearing Tuesday is the last formal step before the full House can act. What has taken months to develop may resolve itself within days.