Florida Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has publicly called for the expulsion of two colleagues from the House of Representatives, citing what she describes as severe ethical breaches. Luna stated she would vote to remove both Texas Republican Tony Gonzales and Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick from office.
Luna's Public Demand
In a post on the social media platform X, Luna was unequivocal. "NO means NO. I'd vote to expel both him and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. Both need to go," she wrote. This demand places intense pressure on the House to confront allegations that have been simmering for months, testing the chamber's willingness to police its own members across party lines.
The Allegations Against Gonzales
The call for Gonzales's removal stems from multiple reports of sexual misconduct. A report from The San Antonio Express-News alleges that during his 2020 campaign, Gonzales asked a staffer for nude photographs a dozen times over three days. This follows earlier revelations, which prompted Luna to file resolutions in March seeking to censure Gonzales or strip his committee assignments. Those earlier allegations involved an affair with a different congressional staffer who later died by self-immolation.
Text messages, provided to The Hill by the deceased staffer's widower and said to be extracted from her phone, appear to show Gonzales soliciting sexual material from her even after she expressed discomfort. The House Ethics Committee has launched an investigation into these matters, though it has declined to comment on the specific Express-News report. Luna's stance aligns with her recent, vocal advocacy for sexual assault survivors, a focus she has maintained amid the ongoing probe into Jeffrey Epstein's estate.
The Case Against Cherfilus-McCormick
Luna's demand also targets Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who faces her own ethics crisis. The Florida lawmaker is accused of improperly accepting $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds that were directed to her family's company. The House Ethics Committee's adjudicatory subcommittee recently concluded its work, finding that the panel had proven 25 out of 27 counts of ethics violations against her.
Cherfilus-McCormick has denied any wrongdoing. However, she refused to cooperate with the House Ethics investigation, missing deadlines and canceling scheduled interviews at the last minute on advice of counsel, reportedly due to concerns about potential federal charges. The findings have sparked criticism not only from Republicans like Luna but from within her own party as well, highlighting the bipartisan nature of the ethical concerns. This scrutiny comes as the Ethics Committee held a rare public hearing to examine the fraud allegations.
Bipartisan Backlash
The pressure on Cherfilus-McCormick is not confined to the GOP. Fellow Democrats have also called for her resignation. Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez stated plainly on X last month, "Since she was found guilty, she should resign or be removed." Texas Democrat Vicente Gonzalez echoed this sentiment in comments to Punchbowl News, suggesting she should step aside. This internal Democratic dissent occurs as the party navigates broader electoral challenges, including how to position candidates in key races, a topic explored in the context of Texas Democrat Talarico's Senate bid strategy.
Broader Political Context
Luna's explosive demand arrives during a period of significant political friction. The Republican conference is already grappling with internal divisions, a dynamic on display as CPAC Texas highlighted GOP splits on issues like Iran. Simultaneously, governance challenges persist, such as the ongoing severe TSA disruptions at Texas airports due to a prolonged federal shutdown. Calls for expelling sitting members of Congress remain rare and extreme, reserved for the most serious allegations of misconduct. Luna's move forces a direct confrontation over whether the alleged actions of Gonzales and Cherfilus-McCormick meet that high bar.
The next steps rest with the House Ethics Committee and the political will of the chamber's leadership. Expulsion requires a two-thirds majority vote, a high threshold that demands substantial bipartisan support. Whether Luna's public campaign galvanizes that support or further deepens partisan trenches will be a critical test for the 118th Congress's commitment to its own ethical standards.
