A bipartisan panel of House lawmakers voted to kickstart a process that could lead to the expulsion of a congressional Democrat accused of laundering millions of disaster relief funds into her campaign account.

A House Ethics investigative subcommittee approved a motion for summary judgment, effectively finding Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., guilty of nearly all alleged violations outlined by the committee earlier this year. 

The verdict came after a rare public ethics hearing on Thursday — the first since 2010 — that lasted more than six hours as lawmakers from both parties grilled Cherfilus-McCormick’s counsel. The eight-member adjudicatory subcommittee, helmed by Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., announced its decision in a written statement Friday morning. 

“After careful deliberation that lasted until well past midnight, the adjudicatory subcommittee found that Counts 1-15 and 17-26 of the SAV [statement of alleged violations] had been proven,” committee leaders said in a statement.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted by a Miami grand jury for allegedly stealing $5 million in FEMA funds on Nov. 18, 2025, according to the Department of Justice. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)

EX-‘SQUAD’ DEM APPEARS TO BE LEANING ON RADICAL ACTIVIST AT CENTER OF DAMNING TLAIB REPORT IN COMEBACK BID

The panel’s myriad charges against Cherfilus-McCormick, who is facing a separate federal criminal indictment, ranged from using ineligible funds to finance her campaign to repeatedly filing false financial disclosure forms and seeking “special favors” with recipients of earmark funding requests.

The panel will meet after the Easter recess to determine its recommended punishment, which could be as severe as expulsion. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., has vowed to move forward with his resolution that would expel Cherfilus-McCormick regardless of the outcome. 

Under House rules, two-thirds of lawmakers have to agree to expel a member, meaning Steube’s resolution would need the support of some Democrats. 

House Democratic leadership has largely stood by Cherfilus-McCormick so far, though some congressional Democrats are signaling their discomfort with the allegations against their indicted colleague.

“The allegations before us are extremely serious,” Rep. Mark Desaulnier, D-Calif., said at the start of the hearing Thursday. “They not only concern an individual member’s conduct, they also implicate the public’s confidence in the House’s integrity as an institution.”

Cherfilus-McCormick, who first won election to Congress in 2021, is accused of stealing more than $5 million in disaster relief funds that were improperly paid to her family’s healthcare company, among other criminal allegations. She and her siblings allegedly used the illicit funds to jumpstart her congressional campaign and for personal use, including the purchase of a large diamond ring that Cherfilus-McCormick appeared to have worn in her official congressional portrait. 

Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty to the stunning federal charges brought in 2025. If convicted in federal court, Cherfilus-McCormick, 47, faces up to 53 years in prison.

Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., is vowing to move forward with his resolution that would expel Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

WATCHDOG RELEASES SCATHING REPORT ON TLAIB’S ALLEGED TIES TO TERRORIST GROUPS WARNING OF ‘POTENTIAL RISKS’

The House ethics panel’s investigation into Cherfilus-McCormick preceded the 2025 federal criminal indictment by more than two years. During that time, Cherfilus-McCormick shifted between four different attorneys while largely refusing to cooperate with the bipartisan panel.

On Thursday, Cherfilus-McCormick sought to use the fact of her new legal representation to further delay the committee’s proceedings until June — a request the eight-member panel promptly denied in a closed-door session. Her new attorney, William Barzee, repeatedly claimed a violation of Cherfilus-McCormick’s due process rights while maintaining her innocence.

“For you to sit here and make the claim that we, the committee, is trying to trample upon the rights of your client. I take offense to that,” Guest told Barzee in a combative exchange. “For two years we’ve tried to get documents from your client. Not only have we requested documents, but we have subpoenaed those documents. Those documents were not provided for two years.”

“I’m personally offended because I know the work that this committee goes to protect all members and to make sure that we go above and beyond,” Guest continued.

Members of both parties appeared unconvinced by Barzee’s argument, attempting to claim that Cherfilus-McCormick was entitled to the millions of dollars she accepted from her family’s company that stemmed from the FEMA overpayments.

When he claimed that an undated chart was evidence of a “profit-sharing agreement” showing her legal title to the money, the bipartisan panel appeared visibly perturbed. 

Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., chaired the adjudicatory subcommittee that grilled William Barzee, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick’s attorney, on the raft of ethics violations against the congresswoman. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I did a lot of business transaction law for a number of years before I came to Congress. I drafted a lot of profit-sharing agreements. Never saw one that was just a chart that was unsigned,” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, told Barzee.

Later in the hearing, Barzee argued that because Cherfilus-McCormick is of Haitian descent, it was not atypical to have a “handshake agreement” to divvy up millions of dollars between her and her family instead of a formal legal document.

Cherfilus-McCormick faces an upcoming federal criminal trial this summer. 

A former SNP council leader has been found guilty of preying on young men and boys.

Jordan Linden, 30, was convicted of 10 offences – including five sexual assaults, stalking and sexual communication – following a trial at Falkirk Sheriff Court.

Linden, who stood down as leader of North Lanarkshire Council in 2022 after the allegations came to light, was placed on the sex offenders’ register ahead of his sentencing in May.

The offences took place over a 10-year period between 2011 and 2021.

Police Scotland said all of the victims were either boys or young men, with the youngest aged just 14.

The force said Linden, who also chaired the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) between 2015 and 2016, sexually assaulted two victims at a house party following a Dundee Pride parade in 2019.

Linden was charged in February 2024.

Detective Chief Inspector Diane Barr said: “This was a protracted investigation which involved speaking with a broad range of people, many of whom regarded Linden as being in a position of trust.

“He abused this position to befriend young males who were seeking his support and the opportunity to learn from his work, however his conduct toward them was far from professional.

“I’d like to thank the victims who came forward to report their experiences to police. Their testimony and support ensured that we were able to bring Linden before the courts.

“No one should be subjected to sexual offending, and we will always investigate reports, regardless of when they occurred or who the perpetrator is.”

Read more from Sky News:
Man jailed for assaulting woman after Barron Trump alerted UK police
Police appeal over woman murdered more than 30 years ago

Linden stepped down as North Lanarkshire Council leader in July 2022.

He later quit the council and the SNP in March 2023.

During his trial, some witnesses testified their complaints were downplayed or ignored by adults in the SYP and SNP.

Following Linden’s conviction, the Scottish Conservatives said John Swinney must be “completely transparent” about how the SNP leadership handled the complaints.

The SNP and SYP were contacted for comment.

Eating more meat may help your memory, a new study suggests.

While some experts suggest adopting plant-focused diets for better health, recent research indicates that a higher intake of unprocessed meat may protect against dementia in older people who have a variant of the APOE gene, which is linked to increasing Alzheimer’s risk.

Researchers tracked over 2,100 older participants – all of whom were dementia-free at the start of the study – for up to 15 years as part of the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care.

DEMENTIA RISK SIGNALS COULD LIE IN SIMPLE BLOOD PRESSURE READINGS, RESEARCHERS SAY

Participants self-reported their diets, while researchers periodically evaluated their cognitive performance through extensive testing and a structured dementia diagnostic process.

The study then compared the cognitive health of participants who had a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease (those with the variant genotypes APOE 3/4 and 4/4) with those who did not have the genotypes.

Eating more meat may help your memory, a new study suggests. (iStock)

Previous studies have shown that individuals with the APOE 3/4 genotype face a three- to four-time higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s compared to the general population, while those with the 4/4 genotype have an eight- to 12-time higher risk, according to Mayo Clinic.

Everyone has the APOE gene — one copy from each parent — but about one in four Americans carries a version (like APOE 3/4) that can raise their risk of Alzheimer’s, according to the National Institutes of Health.

‘DEMENTIA VILLAGE’ COULD PUSH AMERICANS TO RETHINK HOW WE TREAT MEMORY LOSS

The participants with a higher genetic risk who consumed less meat had more than twice the risk of dementia than those without the gene variants, the researchers found.

Those with the gene variants who ate the largest amount of meat had significantly slower cognitive decline and a lower risk of dementia.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

The study also found that eating less processed meat was associated with a lower risk of dementia, regardless of APOE genotype.

“When standardized to a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet, median weekly consumption ranged from approximately 250 grams in the lowest quintile to 870 grams in the highest,” first author Jakob Norgren, a researcher at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at the Karolinska Institutet, told Fox News Digital.

“While this study suggests a specific benefit for certain genotypes, a larger body of evidence points to the MIND diet for long-term brain health,”  a medical expert noted. (iStock)

The researchers did not investigate a “carnivore diet,” as the participants who consumed the most meat still ate moderate amounts of cereal and dairy, Norgren added.

The study findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Su-Nui Escobar, a registered dietitian based in Miami, urged caution when interpreting the results, as the study reports grams of meat, not grams of protein.

“When you translate that, it comes out to about 30 grams of protein per day from meat, something many people already eat,” Escobar, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines recommend including lean meats and poultry as part of a healthy protein intake, limiting red meat, and minimizing processed meats.

Study limitations

As the study is observational, it doesn’t prove that eating more meat directly leads to a decrease in Alzheimer’s disease and slower cognitive decline – only that there’s an association between the two, the researchers noted.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“While this study suggests a specific benefit for certain genotypes, a larger body of evidence points to the MIND diet for long-term brain health,” Jamie Mok, registered dietitian nutritionist and national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Fox News Digital.

The Los Angeles-based expert recommends a diet consisting of nutrient-dense foods as one of the most promising and practical strategies for delaying cognitive decline and supporting overall healthy aging.

Approximately one in 10 Americans over 65 is living with dementia, while another 22% have cognitive impairment, according to a recent national study. (iStock)

“By emphasizing leafy greens, berries, nuts, legumes and lean proteins, this eating pattern has been shown to reduce Alzheimer’s risk by half and slow brain aging by several years,” Mok added.

Approximately one in 10 Americans over 65 is living with dementia, while another 22% have cognitive impairment, according to a recent national study.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

The number of new Alzheimer’s cases is expected to double in the coming decades as the population ages – from about 514,000 in 2020 to over one million by 2060.

Last year, dementia cost the U.S. an estimated $781 billion and led to more than 100,000 deaths, per the NIH.

Savannah Guthrie will return to “Today” on Monday, April 6, NBC News announced on Friday. 

Guthrie, who has been away from NBC’s flagship morning show since her mother, Nancy, went missing on Feb. 1, opened up about the decision during a multipart interview that has aired throughout the week. 

“It’s hard to imagine doing it because it’s such a place of joy and lightness, I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not. But I can’t not come back, because it’s my family. I think it’s part of my purpose right now. I want to smile, and when I do, it will be real. And my joy will be my protest. My joy will be my answer, and being there is joyful, and when it’s not, I’ll say so,” Guthrie told colleague Hoda Kotb.

“I consider this my family, and when times are hard you want to be with your family,” she continued. “And so I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know if I’ll belong anymore, but I would like to try. I would like to try.”

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE BREAKS DOWN OVER POSSIBILITY HER MOM WAS TARGETED BECAUSE OF HER FAME, APOLOGIZES TO FAMILY

Savannah Guthrie is returning to “Today” on April 6. (Photo by NDZ/Star Max/GC Images)

Guthrie said she will not “be the same,” but suggested “maybe it’s like that old poem: ‘More beautiful in the broken places.’”

Before talking about her own future, Guthrie said her family can’t move forward without knowing what happened to her mother. 

“How can someone vanish without a trace? Someone knows something,” Guthrie said. 

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE SAYS FAMILY IN ‘AGONY’ IN FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE MOTHER NANCY’S DISAPPEARANCE

Savannah Guthrie sat down for an interview with fellow “Today” show host Hoda Kotb to discuss her mother’s disappearance. (NBC/Today)

The NBC News anchor also opened up about her faith during the emotional interview. 

“God doesn’t tell us not to wrestle with it, this isn’t some cheap faith, and my mom taught me that. God only requires our authentic presence,” Guthrie told Kotb.

“Faith is how I stay connected to my mom,” she continued. “She taught me… I saw her grieve. I saw her world shatter, and I saw her get up.” 

Nancy Guthrie is believed to have been taken from her home against her will. Her son-in-law dropped her off at home around 10 p.m. the night before she went missing from the same home the “Today” co-anchor grew up in. In the early morning hours, a masked man appeared on her doorstep. He appeared to be armed with a handgun.

At around 2:30 a.m., her pacemaker made its last sync with her Apple devices, indicating a potential timeframe for when she was taken out of the home. Her watch and iPhone were recovered inside. She called the home her mom’s “safe haven,” and said it was “really hard to see that violated” when she visited the crime scene. 

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE TELLS ‘TODAY’ THAT MOTHER NANCY’S BACK DOOR WAS ‘PROPPED OPEN’ IN NEW INTERVIEW

“Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie said her family is in “agony” while sitting down with Hoda Kotb. (NBC/ TODAY)

A series of unverified ransom notes were sent to media outlets, including TMZ and a local Tucson station, leading many to believe the disappearance is somehow financially motivated. No suspects have been publicly identified. 

Savannah Guthrie vowed to be strong for her own children. 

“I will not fall apart. I will not let whoever did this take my children’s mother from them,” she said through tears. 

“Our anguish is real, we need help, we need someone to tell the truth,” she added. “I have no anger in my heart. I have hope in my heart. I have love. But this family needs peace.”

The tragic ordeal has captivated the nation and has put the “Today” co-anchor at the center of a major news story. Kotb has been anchoring alongside Craig Melvin while Guthrie is away from the show. Guthrie visited Rockefeller Center on March 5 to meet with colleagues.

A reward of more than $1 million is being offered for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.