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A House Ethics panel has found that a South Florida congresswoman did in fact commit 25 ethics violations.
The secret vote came after an eight-member panel, made up of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, heard mostly from an attorney for Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick during a seven hour meeting yesterday.
The lawyer, William Barzee, said that extensive media coverage of the hearing could prejudice a future jury for her criminal case.
"And the danger here is, in today's society without pointing fingers or blaming one side or the other, everything has become weaponized including the press."
The panel pushed back on Barzee's concerns, saying it's up to him to make sure potential jurors are not prejudiced.
A full Ethics Committee could next recommend the congresswoman's eventual expulsion from the House. The issue will not be taken up until after Congress takes a two-week Spring recess.
Cherfilus-McCormick is accused of using an overpayment of $5 million in federal COVID funds to her family's healthcare company to finance her 2022 congressional campaign. She also allegedly used the money to purchase expensive jewelry.
Cherfilus-McCormick denies wrongdoing.