House Votes to Hold Two Individuals in Contempt of Congress

<p>The House of Representatives voted unanimously to hold two individuals in contempt of Congress on September 1, 2026. The individuals are North Miami Beach Mayor Michael Joseph and Hector Roos, a former aide to ex-Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., for not cooperating with the House Ethics Committee's investigation into Cherfilus-McCormick, who is under federal indictment.</p><p>The decision now rests with the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding whether to pursue criminal charges against Joseph and Roos. A contempt of Congress conviction can result in a fine of up to $100,000 and a maximum of one year in jail.</p><p>Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., stated, "The committee cannot fulfill its obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House for witnesses, ignore its subpoenas, and the House cannot accept such willful disregard of its authorities. Mr. Roos and Mr. Joseph willfully failed to comply with multiple subpoenas issued by the committee."</p><p>Guest further noted that their actions impeded the investigations into serious allegations against Cherfilus-McCormick, which included violations of federal law. He called for referrals to the DOJ for contempt of Congress.</p><p>The measure passed by voice vote, meaning individual lawmakers were not recorded on their positions. No objections were raised by any lawmakers during the voice vote.</p><p>Democratic representatives indicated their support for the action against their fellow party members. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., emphasized the importance of enforcing lawful congressional processes to maintain public confidence in Congress.</p><p>Guest accused Roos of filing inaccurate reports with the Federal Election Commission while working for Cherfilus-McCormick and stated that Joseph was involved in improperly providing corporate funds for her campaign.</p><p>Joseph cited attorney-client privilege as a reason for not complying with the committee, but lawmakers argued that this justification was not valid.</p><p>Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from Congress earlier this year amid pressure from both political sides. The DOJ has alleged that she and her co-defendants conspired to misappropriate $5 million in federal emergency funds, which were reportedly used to support her 2021 congressional campaign.</p><p>Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty to the charges.</p>