Representative George Santos Remains in the House Despite Expulsion Attempt

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On Wednesday, a move to expel Rep. George Santos from the House faced rejection as a majority of Republicans and 31 Democrats chose to defer any disciplinary actions while his criminal trial and an ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation are underway.

The initiative to remove Santos was spearheaded by fellow New York Republicans eager to distance themselves from him due to accusations of dishonestly portraying his life, misappropriating donor funds, misleading Congress, and illicitly receiving unemployment benefits.

However, this motion failed to acquire the necessary two-thirds majority. With the final tally being 179 votes for expulsion and 213 against, the proponents couldn’t even achieve a simple majority.

For the motion to have passed, a significant number of Republican members would’ve had to go against the stance of the recently elected Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Johnson has been an advocate for Santos’ right to a trial and has expressed concerns over the implications of Congress expelling members based on allegations.

The day prior to the vote, the Ethics Committee disclosed the breadth of its ongoing investigation, having reached out to 40 witnesses and issued 37 subpoenas. They also revealed that further developments in their investigation will be announced by Nov. 17.

Post the voting session, Santos expressed his appreciation for the support he received, highlighting the importance of due process.

Historically, the House has been reluctant to resort to expulsion. Only five members have faced this punishment in its history, three during the Civil War and two following their corruption convictions. Expelling Santos before the conclusion of his federal court case would set a new precedent.

Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., shared his discontent, stating that Santos misled New York voters. He argued for prompt congressional action.

The debate on Santos’ expulsion was primarily held by the New York congressional delegation. While Republican Representatives such as Anthony D’Esposito, Nick LaLota, and Mike Lawler presented their arguments in favor of expulsion, Santos made an emotional plea for due process.

Rep. Dan Goldman was the only Democrat to voice his opinion during the debate, criticizing New York Republicans for their changing stance on Santos.

The New York Republican group provided a comprehensive list of charges against Santos, emphasizing the alleged serious financial fraud he committed during his 2022 House campaign.

Months earlier, under then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, the Republicans had avoided the Democrats’ move to expel Santos. The current Speaker, Johnson, despite acknowledging the charges against Santos, is against his immediate ouster, emphasizing the principle of due process.

Notably, the Democrats’ stance this time around was more varied than during the earlier expulsion attempt. Some, like Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., advocated for waiting for the Ethics Committee’s findings.

Rep. Marc Molinaro, a New York Republican, hinted at revisiting the expulsion effort post the Ethics Committee’s report release. He expressed anticipation that the findings will lean towards Santos’ removal.

Currently, Santos is facing 23 federal charges, with his trial set for September of the following year. He maintains his innocence.

In other House activities on the same day, attempts to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., were rejected, and Democrats withdrew their efforts to censure Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.

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More about fokus keyword: Rep. George Santos Expulsion Attempt

• [Expulsion Efforts in the House]
• [The Accusations against Rep. George Santos]
• [Historical Expulsions in the U.S. House]
• [Stance of Speaker Mike Johnson]
• [The Legal Proceedings against Rep. Santos]
• [Censure Attempts in the House]