House Set to Deliberate on Expelling Santos Following Damning Ethics Report
The House gears up for a pivotal vote as Republicans contemplate their stance on the expulsion resolution of indicted Rep George Santos, following a damning ethics report unveiling his misconduct
On Friday, the House will consider a resolution to expel indicted Republican Rep. George Santos from Congress following an ethics report on his conduct. Despite surviving prior attempts, there is increasing support for this latest effort after the release of a damning report in November. The report found that Santos had sought to exploit his House candidacy for personal financial gain.
After the ethics panel's findings, several Republicans who had not initially supported expelling Santos have now stated their intention to vote for expulsion. However, it remains uncertain whether there will be enough votes to remove the congressman from office.
Expulsion is the harshest penalty for a House lawmaker and is rarely enforced, as it necessitates a two-thirds majority vote to be successful, a difficult threshold to meet. Throughout history, only five House lawmakers have been expelled.
Santos declared he will not run for reelection after the ethics report was released, but he has declined to step down and has condemned the investigation as "a disgraceful politicized attack." The New York Republican has also pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges, which include fraud linked to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, misuse of campaign funds, and false statements about his personal finances on House disclosure reports.
Santos has refused to back down in the face of possible expulsion, claiming that he is a victim of bullying. He believes that his expulsion without a court conviction would establish a dangerous precedent. "If I give in and leave, they win," he stated defiantly during a heated news conference on Thursday, when questioned about why he won't step down. "This is bullying."
Republicans weigh how to vote
If the expulsion resolution is successful, it would mark the conclusion of a scandal-ridden and turbulent term on Capitol Hill for the newly elected congressman. Aside from the legal troubles he is confronting, Santos has caused astonishment and controversy in Capitol Hill due to the disclosure that he falsified major portions of his life story, including significant details in his resume and biography.
There is a debate among GOP Republican lawmakers about how to vote on the expulsion of Santos. Some argue that it is necessary to expel Santos due to the findings of the ethics investigation, while others are concerned about due process, noting that Santos is currently facing an unfinished legal battle and has not yet been convicted.
The renewed effort to remove Santos is a challenge for the newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson as he considers differing opinions within his party. The House Republicans have a slim majority, and expelling Santos would further reduce their numbers.
"We have not pressured members to vote a certain way, and we won't," Johnson informed reporters on Wednesday. "I believe that individuals will carefully and honestly make their decision. Personally, I have serious doubts about this, and I am worried about the precedent that may be established."
House Ethics panel releases scathing report
Johnson's statement expressing "reservations" will not offer protection for politicians to vote for expulsion, potentially complicating the support of some Republicans for this action.
The House Ethics Committee released a significant report in November after conducting an investigation into Santos' behavior. The committee revealed that it had discovered further "uncharged and unlawful conduct" by Santos, in addition to the criminal allegations already pending against him, and would promptly refer these new allegations to the Justice Department for further investigation.
The panel determined that the New York congressman used campaign funds for personal use, and engaged in deliberate violations related to financial disclosure and filing reports with the Federal Election Commission.
The committee chose not to include a disciplinary suggestion in its report, but stated that the congressman's behavior deserves "public condemnation, is beneath the dignity of the office, and has brought severe discredit upon the House."
Expulsion from the House exceedingly rare
If Santos is removed from the House in Friday's vote, he would join only five other lawmakers who have ever been expelled from the chamber. He would also be the first House member to be expelled without a conviction or support for the Confederacy. Out of the five House lawmakers who have been expelled throughout history, three were removed due to their support for the Confederacy.
The House's most recent expulsion occurred in 2002 when Democratic Rep. James Traficant of Ohio was voted out after being convicted of federal corruption charges. Prior to the release of the ethics report on the congressman's conduct, there were unsuccessful attempts to expel Santos.
In early November, an attempt by Republicans to expel Santos was unsuccessful. Prior to the vote, Santos asserted his right to "the presumption of innocence."
In May, the House referred a resolution led by Democrats to expel Santos to the Ethics Committee.
