(WASHINGTON) Rep. George Santos simply survived a vote Wednesday to expel him from the Home as most Republicans and 31 Democrats opted to withhold punishment whereas each his felony trial and a Home Ethics Committee investigation proceed.
The trouble to kick Santos out of the Home was led by his fellow New York Republicans, who’re anxious to distance themselves from a colleague notorious for fabricating his life story and accused of stealing from donors, mendacity to Congress and receiving unemployment advantages he didn’t deserve.
However the decision failed to achieve the required two-thirds vote. Supporters couldn’t even acquire a easy majority, with the ultimate vote being 179 for expulsion and 213 towards.
To succeed, quite a few Republican lawmakers would have needed to break ranks with newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson, who has stated Santos ought to get his day in court docket. Johnson, R-La., additionally lately informed Fox Information that if Congress goes to expel members as a result of they’re charged with a criminal offense or accused of wrongdoing, that is an issue.
Some Democrats additionally voiced considerations about getting forward of the Ethics Committee, which issued a uncommon memo the day earlier than, citing the depth of its investigation with some 40 witnesses contacted and the issuance of 37 subpoenas. It additionally stated the subsequent steps of the committee’s investigation can be introduced by Nov. 17.
I really feel like due course of continues to be alive. I really feel like there’s sufficient colleagues on each side of the aisle right here who perceive that, Santos stated after the vote.
Congress has not often resorted to essentially the most excessive punishment at its disposal. The Home has expelled solely 5 members in its historical past three in the course of the Civil Battle and two after their convictions on public corruption costs. It will be groundbreaking for the Home to kick out Santos earlier than his case in federal court docket is resolved.
Some Republicans, nevertheless, stated that they had seen sufficient of Santos. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., stated he believes in due course of, but in addition thinks Santos misrepresented himself to New York voters and so they by no means would have elected him if that they had recognized the true George Santos.
We dont want the Santos charade during the 2024 election cycle. I believe the Congress must take motion now,” Womack stated.
The Home flooring debate over whether or not to expel Santos was undertaken strictly by members of the New York congressional delegation. On one facet, Republican Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Nick LaLota and Mike Lawler laid out their case for expelling Santos.
Mr. Santos is a stain on this establishment and never match to serve his constituents within the Home of Representatives,” D’Esposito stated.
On the opposite facet was Santos, who appealed to lawmakers to carry off on expulsion, saying that passing judgment with out due course of would engender distrust.
I am preventing tooth and nail to clear my identify in entrance of your entire world,” Santos stated. It hasn’t been straightforward, however I am preventing by God’s grace.
The one Democratic lawmaker to talk in the course of the debate was Rep. Dan Goldman. He stated Santos ought to have been expelled in Might when Democrats introduced an expulsion decision, and the one cause the New York Republicans had been main the trouble now was as a result of Santos hangs like an albatross across the necks of each single Republican from New York.
They dont care any extra about integrity or morality or the popularity of this establishment than they did in Might once they voted to guard Mr. Santos,” Goldman stated. “They simply care about their reelection in a single yr once they know that their assist for George Santos goes to be an issue.
The New York Republicans specified by their expulsion decision the array of costs Santos is dealing with in federal court docket, saying the fees indicated Santos engaged in severe monetary fraud all through his 2022 marketing campaign for the Home. The decision stated he deceived voters relating to his biography and isn’t match to serve his constituents as United States Consultant.
Mr. Santos has stated expelling him earlier than he’s formally charged and located responsible would create a brand new precedent on this physique, one that might have destructive penalties for generations,” LaLota stated. “Respectfully, Mr. Speaker, I disagree. The implications and precedents of not expelling him for his lies and fraud has the potential to do much more injury to this establishment.
In Might, Republicans underneath then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California sidestepped the Democratic-led effort to expel Santos. Whereas 204 Democrats voted towards a movement to refer the matter to the Home Ethics Committee, Home Republicans stood unified behind the trouble that delayed motion on Santos conduct.
Johnson, who took the speaker’s gavel final week, made it clear he would favor to not oust Santos at this level, regardless of the numerous costs towards the congressman, as Johnson struggles to manage a really slim majority.
Hes solely been charged. He hasnt been discovered responsible of something. We have now due course of in America,” stated GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chairman of the Home Judiciary Committee, who opposed the expulsion decision.
Democrats had been additionally extra divided than they had been in the course of the earlier expulsion effort towards Santos.
Neither the Ethics Committee nor the courts have completed adjudicating this, tweeted Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., who voted towards expulsion. On this nation, one is presumed harmless till PROVEN responsible. No exceptions.
Rep. Marc Molinaro, a New York Republican who supported the expulsion effort, stated the delegation would possible increase it once more as soon as the Ethics Committee releases the findings of its investigation.
I think the report goes to return public quickly, and its going to be clear that he ought to be faraway from Congress, he stated.
Santos faces 23 costs in federal court docket. His trial has been scheduled for September subsequent yr. He has pleaded not responsible to these costs.
Additionally on Wednesday night, the Home voted to reject an effort to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Democrats referred to as off an effort to censure Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
