“Floridians deserve better”: Florida GOP rips Democrat caught turning $5 million disaster funds into campaign cash
Florida – The Republican Party of Florida has upped political pressure on U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, urging for her immediate resignation following a federal indictment that accuses the South Florida Democrat of misused disaster relief funds. Party officials claim that the allegations strike at the core of public trust and leave the congresswoman unable to remain in office.
In a sternly worded statement released Saturday, state GOP officials said Cherfilus-McCormick no longer had the moral authority to represent Floridians. The indictment charges that millions of cash intended for disaster relief were fraudulently transferred and used to support her political ambitions.
According to the accusations, about $5 million in FEMA funds, meant to aid communities during times of crisis, were channeled via a series of accounts and eventually used in ways that benefited her congressional campaign.
Republican leaders portrayed the claims as especially alarming considering the purpose of the cash involved. Disaster relief money, they claimed, is designed to provide urgent help to those confronting their most vulnerable moments, not to fuel political careers. The party’s statement highlighted that the alleged misuse goes beyond typical political debate and instead reflects a severe breach of public responsibility.
The GOP also took aim at how Cherfilus-McCormick has responded after the case became public. Party officials accused her of turning the court dispute into a fundraising opportunity, claiming she has sought campaign donations by presenting herself as a victim of political targeting. That attitude, Republicans contended, demonstrates a lack of accountability and compassion, particularly during the holiday season.
Evan Power, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, issued some of the strongest criticism, calling the fundraising efforts inappropriate and offensive.
“When you’re indicted for allegedly taking $5 MILLION in disaster relief from Floridians who needed help, you don’t ask them to bankroll you more with donations, you resign,” said Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power. “This is worse than Scrooge or the Grinch. There’s no remorse, no accountability, and no apology—just a grift. Floridians deserve better.”
Beyond attacking Cherfilus-McCormick personally, the Republican Party also leveled attacks at her Democratic colleagues. The statement questioned the silence of U.S. Representatives Jared Moskowitz and Maxwell Frost, indicating that their reluctance to openly condemn the alleged conduct could become a political problem of its own. Republican leaders suggested that voters would see the lack of response as a sign of approval or political convenience before the November elections.
The unfolding controversy adds another layer of strain to Florida’s already tense political scene. The legal case will continue in court, but the political repercussions is happening in public, with Republicans trying to make the indictment a major issue in the wider debate about ethics, accountability, and leadership.
As the case develops, the calls for Cherfilus-McCormick’s resignation illustrate how claims involving public funds, especially those connected to disaster relief, can quickly rise from legal matters into defining political flashpoints.
