Steube made his intentions clear on Wednesday night, announcing on X that he will introduce a privileged resolution to censure Cherfilus-McCormick and strip her of all committee assignments. Calling the allegations “one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen,” Steube emphasized the importance of FEMA funds to communities recovering from natural disasters in Florida and across the country. “That money was supposed to help real disaster victims,” he wrote.

The Florida Republican also signaled that his push will continue well beyond censure. Steube vowed to pursue her removal from office if the House Ethics Committee or a federal court ultimately determines she engaged in criminal misconduct. “Once House Ethics concludes their investigation or she is formally convicted, rest assured I will move to expel her from Congress,” he said.

Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat representing South Florida, pushed back forcefully against the accusations. In a statement to Fox News Digital, she called the charges “unjust, baseless, [and] sham,” insisting she is innocent and that the timing suggests political motivation. She emphasized that she has complied with all legal requests and intends to continue her work in Congress while fighting the case.

The Justice Department, however, laid out a detailed and sharply contrasting account of events in the newly unsealed indictment. Prosecutors allege that in 2021, Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, operated a family healthcare business administering COVID-19 vaccination staffing services under a FEMA-funded contract. When FEMA mistakenly sent the company an extra $5 million, prosecutors say the family knowingly chose not to return the overpayment.

According to the DOJ, the congresswoman and her brother then “conspired to steal” the extra funds, transferring the money through a series of accounts to conceal its origin. Prosecutors claim that a portion of the diverted cash was ultimately funneled into Cherfilus-McCormick’s congressional campaign, while the remainder financed personal expenditures unrelated to the business.

The indictment further alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick and Nadege Leblanc orchestrated a straw-donor network to pad her campaign contributions. Investigators say FEMA-funded money was distributed to friends and relatives, who then donated the funds to the campaign under their own names to create the appearance of legitimate grassroots support.

Prosecutors also charged Cherfilus-McCormick with filing a fraudulent federal tax return, asserting that she worked with her tax preparer, David K. Spencer, to disguise political spending and personal costs as business deductions. The filing allegedly included inflated claims of charitable donations to reduce her taxable income.

The allegations drew swift and stern condemnation from public officials. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi called the conduct described in the indictment “particularly selfish” and “cynical,” noting the gravity of exploiting disaster relief programs designed to help Americans in crisis. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said the case demonstrates that elected officials are held to the same legal standards as anyone else.

FBI Director Kash Patel echoed that message in a statement on X, writing that prosecutors acted decisively because “no one is above the law.” He underscored that the indictment alleges a coordinated effort by Cherfilus-McCormick and her associates to divert disaster funds for personal and political gain.

If convicted on all counts, Cherfilus-McCormick faces a maximum penalty of 53 years in federal prison. Her brother could receive up to 35 years, Leblanc up to 10 years, and Spencer up to 33 years, according to the Justice Department. The case is expected to move quickly, as political and legal pressures continue to mount.