The House is expected to take up a high-stakes resolution on Friday to expel indicted Republican Rep. George Santos from Congress in the wake of a scathing ethics report on his conduct.
The New York congressman has survived prior attempts to oust him, but there has been growing momentum for this latest effort after the House Ethics Committee released a long-awaited report in November, which concluded that Santos “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.”
A number of Republicans who previously did not support expulsion for Santos have said they will now vote to expel as a result of the ethics panel’s findings, though it is still unclear if there will be enough votes to oust the congressman.
Expulsion is the most severe form of punishment for a lawmaker in the House. It is exceedingly rare and requires a two-thirds majority vote to succeed – a high bar to clear. Only five House lawmakers have ever been expelled.
Santos announced that he would not seek reelection following the release of the ethics report, but he has refused to resign and has denounced the investigation as “a disgusting politicized smear.”
The New York Republican has separately pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges, including allegations of fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, misusing campaign funds and lying about his personal finances on House disclosure reports.
Santos has remained defiant as he faces the threat of expulsion, arguing that he is being bullied and that it would set a dangerous precedent if the House expels him since he has not been convicted in a court of law.
“If I leave, they win,” he said at a combative news conference Thursday when pressed on why he won’t resign. “This is bullying.”
If the expulsion resolution succeeds, it would bring an end…
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