The House Ethics Committee announced Wednesday that it’s investigating Haitian-American South Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick over complaints that she may have violated campaign finance laws.
The Committee said it’s investigating Cherfilus-McCormick, who represents portions of Broward and Palm Beach counties, to determine whether she “violated the Code of Official Conduct or any law, rule, regulation … with respect to allegations that she may have violated campaign finance laws and regulations in connection with her 2022 special election and/or 2022 re-election campaigns; failed to properly disclose required information on statements required to be filed with the House; and/or accepted voluntary services for official work from an individual not employed in her congressional office.”
It hasn’t yet been determined whether Cherfilus-McCormick did anything wrong, and the precise details of the allegations may never become public.
“The Committee has determined to take this action following receipt of a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics regarding this matter. The Committee notes that the mere fact of establishing an Investigative Subcommittee does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred,” the Committee said in its statement.
Jonathan Levin, a spokesperson for Cherfilus-McCormick responded to news of the investigation, saying: “As the Ethics Committee said in its statement, the mere fact of establishing an investigative subcommittee does not itself indicate that any violation occurred.
“Regardless, the Congresswoman takes these matters seriously and is working to resolve them.
Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2022, becoming the first Haitian-American Democrat to be elected to Congress. She represents Florida’s 20th district having won a special election to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Alcee Hastings.
Following a remarkably close race Cherfilus-McCormick was declared the winner of the Democratic primary by five votes over then-Broward County Commissioner, Jamaican-born Dale Holness.
She is only the second Haitian-American overall to be elected to Congress, after Republican Mia Love of Utah.
