Republican moves ahead with effort to expel George Santos from House

Washington — A New York Republican moved ahead with an effort to expel Rep. George Santos from Congress on Thursday, a day earlier than the indicted congressman is predicted to plead not responsible to further federal fees. 

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito launched the decision to expel Santos as privileged, which means the Home should think about the measure inside two legislative days. 

Below the Structure, expulsion requires a two-thirds vote in favor. Solely 5 members have been expelled from the Home since 1861. 

D’Esposito and a number of other different New York Republicans introduced their intent to expel Santos earlier this month after he was hit with a number of further federal fees that accuse him of stealing his marketing campaign donors’ identities and bank card info to make unauthorized fees to his monetary profit. The superseding indictment additionally alleges he falsified marketing campaign finance reviews to hit fundraising benchmarks and bolster his marketing campaign. 

Santos is about to seem in courtroom on Friday for his arraignment within the superseding indictment. 

The brand new fees renewed the efforts to expel Santos after Home Republicans blocked a Democratic try in Could. On the time, then-Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy argued that the authorized course of must be allowed to play out and the matter was referred to the Home Ethics Committee to conduct an investigation.

Earlier this yr, Santos pleaded not responsible to fees that included an alleged scheme to defraud potential supporters of his 2022 marketing campaign. 

He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing as the fees have piled up and has been defiant amid requires him to resign. 

After the expulsion decision was launched, Santos posted on social media that he nonetheless has no plans to step down. 

“I am entitled to due course of and never a predetermined final result as some are searching for,” he stated.