George Santos to be expelled next week.
New York Republicans to Force Vote on Expulsion of Rep. George Santos
In a bold move, New York Republicans are set to push for a vote on the expulsion of Rep. George Santos (R-NY) next week, just days after the election of Mike Johnson (R-LA) as speaker.
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), accompanied by Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), the House majority whip, and fellow New York freshmen, introduced a resolution on Thursday to expel Santos. The congressman is currently facing a staggering 23 federal charges, including wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Resolution with a Deadline
This resolution holds significant weight as it is privileged, giving House leadership until next Friday to call for a vote. Santos, who is deeply disliked by his New York colleagues, faced an expulsion attempt in May. However, the matter was referred to the Ethics Committee for investigation, which has been ongoing since March.
Initially, D’Esposito and his colleagues voted in favor of the motion, expecting the Ethics Committee to conclude its investigation by the August recess. Unfortunately, that deadline came and went without any resolution. D’Esposito introduced the measure on October 11, shortly after federal prosecutors added 10 new charges against Santos. However, they had to wait until this week due to the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as speaker.
“We would have done this two weeks ago if we weren’t in the situation that we were in,” D’Esposito stated during a press conference alongside Reps. Nick LaLota (R-NY) and Mike Lawler (R-NY), both elected in purple districts last year.
A Challenging Vote
House leadership could attempt to table the resolution, but with a four-vote majority, Republicans cannot afford to lose any seats. D’Esposito, along with four other New York Republicans co-sponsoring the resolution, made it clear that they would vote against tabling.
“We plan on voting on a resolution to expel George Santos,” D’Esposito affirmed.
For the expulsion to be successful, it will require a two-thirds vote in the House. While all Democrats are expected to vote in favor, the real challenge lies in convincing a third of Republicans to join them.
LaLota expressed confidence in the effort, stating, “There seems to be a good sentiment out there that enough is enough,” referring to the guilty plea of Santos’s campaign treasurer earlier this month.
However, many Republican colleagues are hesitant to expel Santos without a conviction, believing that the issue should be left to the voters in the upcoming election.
“I’ve always said, look, whether it’s going to be at the ballot box or convicted in a court of law, that his days here are numbered,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a New York Republican who introduced a resolution to expel another colleague, Democrat Jamaal Bowman, for pulling a fire alarm last month.
Timing and Support
The Santos resolution comes just a day into Johnson’s speakership, but LaLota and his colleagues carefully considered this before taking action. Ultimately, they concluded that it could not wait.
“The speaker’s had a day to bask in some glow of getting elected. It’s apparently a very difficult process in this town to get elected speaker,” LaLota quipped. “But nevertheless, it’s never the wrong time to do the right thing. And we need to clean up this Santos mess for Long Island, for New York, and for the House of Representatives.”
The lawmakers did consult with Johnson beforehand, who advised them to “Do what’s right, and do what’s right for New York,” according to LaLota.
Santos responded to the expulsion push by reiterating his refusal to resign, stating, “I’m entitled to due process and not a predetermined outcome as some are seeking.”
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How are New York Republicans hoping to hold Eorge Santos accountable for his alleged actions?
Eorge Santos and we expect every Republican to vote in favor of it,” D’Esposito declared. “This is a matter of integrity and holding our elected officials accountable for their actions.”
Expelling a member of Congress is a rare occurrence, but with the seriousness of the charges against Santos, New York Republicans are determined to take a stand. In addition to the federal charges, Santos has faced numerous allegations of unethical behavior and misuse of his office. His continued presence in the House has been a stain on the party’s reputation and a source of frustration for his colleagues.
The resolution to expel Santos is expected to be a contentious vote, with partisan lines likely to be drawn. While Democrats may be hesitant to vote in favor of expulsion, Republicans are hopeful that some will join them in condemning Santos’s alleged actions.
The Road Ahead
If the resolution passes, Santos will become the first member of the House to be expelled since James Traficant in 2002. It would send a strong message that New York Republicans are committed to maintaining a high standard of ethics and accountability within their party.
However, even if the resolution is successful, Santos’s expulsion would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate, a much harder threshold to reach. Nonetheless, New York Republicans are determined to at least take a stand and send the message that they do not tolerate corruption or unethical behavior among their ranks.
As the vote approaches, tensions are high among New York Republicans, who view this as a critical moment for their party and for the integrity of the House as a whole. The outcome of this vote could have far-reaching consequences, both for Santos’s political future and for the reputation of New York Republicans.
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