NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — North Miami Beach Mayor Michael Joseph could potentially face criminal prosecution after the U.S. House Committee on Ethics voted to hold him in contempt of Congress and referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice for possible action.
According to South Florida media reports and a House Ethics Committee report dated June 10, the referral stems from Joseph’s repeated failure to comply with congressional subpoenas issued during the committee’s investigation into former U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick.
The committee said it sought documents and testimony from Joseph but that he failed to produce the requested records or appear before investigators despite receiving multiple subpoenas. A House Ethics subcommittee described his conduct as “egregious” and concluded that it warranted referral to the Department of Justice.
The referral itself does not mean Joseph has been charged with a crime. Federal prosecutors must first determine whether to pursue the case. However, if he is ultimately charged and convicted of criminal contempt of Congress, a federal misdemeanor, he could face up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $100,000, or both.
The congressional investigation examined allegations involving campaign contributions made to Cherfilus-McCormick through a political committee chaired by Joseph.
Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from Congress in April before House Ethics Committee proceedings that could have led to her expulsion. She is also facing separate federal criminal charges accusing her of fraud involving approximately $5 million in federal disaster relief funds. She has pleaded not guilty and denies any wrongdoing while seeking to regain her former congressional seat.
Joseph has also faced scrutiny closer to home.
Earlier this year, a city-commissioned investigation concluded that some of the mayor’s actions placed the City of North Miami Beach at “substantial legal, financial and ethical risk.” Among the findings were allegations that Joseph asked a city employee to alter official government records, raising concerns about possible violations of Florida’s public records laws.
The investigation also questioned expenses from an official trip to Japan, including a first-class airline upgrade that reportedly cost the city more than $3,000.
Although North Miami Beach commissioners considered censuring Joseph over the findings, the proposal ultimately failed to gain enough support.
Joseph has denied the allegations contained in the city investigation, previously calling the report “inaccurate.”
As of publication, neither Joseph nor a spokesperson for the City of North Miami Beach had publicly responded to the House Ethics Committee’s referral.
Whether the Department of Justice decides to pursue criminal charges now becomes the key question. Until then, the referral represents a significant legal development for the mayor and adds to the ongoing scrutiny surrounding his leadership and conduct in public office.
