House Ethics Committee votes to launch inquiry into Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

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The Washington Examiner

Emily Jacobs, Congressional Reporter
December 27, 202

The House Ethics Committee announced on Wednesday that it had voted to launch an investigation into allegations of campaign finance law violations by Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL).

The committee said in a statement that members will probe claims that Cherfilus-McCormick “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.”

While Republicans control the House, the Ethics Committee vote to launch the investigation was a bipartisan one. It came after possible violations were referred to the committee by the Office of Congressional Ethics back in September.

The investigation will be led by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY). The committee declined to provide details on the specifics of the allegations, as is routine before releasing a report on its findings.

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Appeals court throws out conviction of former congressman for lying to FBI
Rachel Schilke, Breaking News Reporter
December 27, 2023

A federal appeals court on Tuesday overturned a former Nebraska congressman's conviction for lying to the FBI about illegal campaign contributions during his reelection campaign, ruling that his case was tried in the wrong venue.

The United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco ruled that former Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry should have been tried in Nebraska or Washington, D.C., where the false statements were made, instead of California, where his trial was held.

U.S. District Judge James Donato wrote in a 23-page opinion on Tuesday that Fortenberry's trial "took place in a state where no charged crime was committed, and before a jury drawn from the vicinage of the federal agencies that investigated the defendant."

"The Constitution does not permit this," Donato said. "Fortenberry's convictions are reversed so that he may be retried, if at all, in a proper venue."

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