Florida Democrat Resigns Amid Ethics Scandal

0:00Florida Democrat Sheila Sherfailess McCormick just resigned from Congress effective immediately. She's the one and died in last November for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA funds and laundering it to boost her 2021 campaign. This drop came right before a public house ethics committee hearing on sanctions against her. Last month, the committee nailed her for 25 ethics violations, like taking improper campaign cash and mixing personal funds with campaign. She called it all an accounting slip-up and denied any real wrongdoing. That hearing was said to recommend punishments from fines to full expulsion. Republicans were pushing hard. Florida, Rep Greg Stoby, planned to force an expulsion vote, making it privileged so speaker Mike Johnson had to act quick. Johnson himself said last week that kicking her out over the alleged crimes made sense. Democrats weren't fully on board at first, with minority leader Hawkeye M. Jeffery saying they wouldn't help Republicans. But Monday, he flipped a call a caucus meeting to weigh the ethics panel's call.

1:04Her exit dodges the drama, but a spotlight how rare these how shakeups are. Only six expulsions ever, last one, George Santos in 2000, 23. Lease her Florida seat open for a special election. You've been listening to California News today, AI-powered local news.