Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Resigns from Congress Amid Ethics Committee Investigation; Opponent Elijah Manley Outlines His Proposed Vision for District 20

After months of shocking headlines, alleged mishandling of COVID-19 disaster relief funds, and defending her name, Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) resigned from the 119th Congress effective immediately on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The Florida Democrat’s departure came just moments before a scheduled House Ethics Committee hearing that was widely expected to recommend her expulsion from the chamber. 

While Cherfilus-McCormick has exited the halls of Congress, her legal battle is just beginning. If convicted on all counts in her upcoming federal trial, she faces a maximum of 53 years in prison. In her resignation statement Tuesday, Cherfilus-McCormick reiterated the stance she took during her February arraignment, characterizing the bipartisan ethics process as a “witch hunt.” 

“The Ethics Committee refused my attorney’s reasonable request for time to prepare my defense,” she stated. “I simply cannot stand by and allow my due process rights to be trampled on… I choose to step away so that I can devote my time to fighting for my neighbors in Florida’s 20th district.”

The vacancy in Florida’s 20th Congressional District triggers a new special election. Among those stepping forward to run for the vacant seat is community advocate and educator Elijah Manley.

“I am praying for her,” Manley said regarding his former opponent in an exclusive Can We Talk Podcast interview with Hy-Lo News Publisher, Janéy Tate. “I don’t want anybody to—I’m not wishing prison on anybody… but it just wasn’t right for the district. I think it was the right decision to step down… it was putting her constituents first.”

The core of both the federal criminal case and the House Ethics investigation involves the alleged misappropriation of approximately $5 million in federal COVID-19 disaster relief funds. Investigators from the Department of Justice allege that a healthcare company owned by the congresswoman’s family received a $5 million overpayment from FEMA. Instead of returning the funds, prosecutors claim the money was funneled through various accounts to disguise its source. 

A portion of those funds was allegedly used to bankroll Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 special election campaign through illegal straw donations. Furthermore, the House Ethics report detailed personal expenditures using the diverted funds, including the purchase of a 3.14-carat yellow diamond ring, luxury items from Tiffany & Co., and a Tesla.

As reported by Hy-Lo News, Cherfilus-McCormick appeared in federal court in Miami on February 5, 2026, where she formally pleaded not guilty to a slew of federal fraud charges. According to court records, the indictment includes counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering, making and receiving “straw donor” contributions, and making false statements to a federal agency. Her legal team, led by attorney William Barzee, maintained that the charges were unjust and politically motivated, asserting that the congresswoman intended to defend her seat and her reputation in court.

The Washington Post reports that Cherfilus-McCormick is the third House member to resign under pressure this month, following the departures of Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Tony Gonzales (R-TX) on April 14. All three members faced looming Ethics Committee hearings and the potential for rare expulsion votes—Cherfilus-McCormick for alleged financial crimes involving disaster relief funds, and Swalwell and Gonzales for allegations of sexual misconduct. Because of her resignation, House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) confirmed the committee has officially lost jurisdiction over the matter and will not proceed with a sanctions hearing or an expulsion vote. 

For Manley, this political moment in history marks a new opportunity for a fresh perspective that he believes has been missing in the halls of power. 

“A lot of people don’t have the lived experience that I have with spending years of my childhood in homelessness, losing everything as a result of the 2008 financial crisis,” he shared. “I come from the heart of this community, the heart of Fort Lauderdale’s Black community. I tell people: People say, ‘Oh, you’re from the hood,’ or whatever. I say, ‘I’m from Sistrunk.'”

As a result of his upbringing, Manley proposes “Right to Counsel” legislation to guarantee legal representation for those facing eviction, while advocating for universal healthcare as a fundamental right rather than a financial burden.

With a direct appeal to younger voters who may feel disenchanted by recent headlines, Manley noted, “If you didn’t have power, they would not be spending so much time trying to take it away from you. If the two biggest generations, both millennials and Gen Z, come together, we can control the whole system.”

HyLo News will continue covering this case and provide updates on the special election.

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