House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is gathering votes from his slim majority to block Democrats' resolution to expel embattled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., along with House Democratic leadership, is pushing a resolution to the floor for a vote this week that would expel the Republican freshman congressman who is facing federal charges of money laundering, theft of public funds, and lying to Congress in his financial disclosures. He also allegedly lied to constituents about his background during the 2022 campaign, Axios reported.
Santos was indicted May 9 by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and was arraigned in that state the next day.
"This indictment seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations," stated U.S. Attorney Peace
in a press release on May 10. "Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself."
The resolution, with almost 50 Democratic co-sponsors, needs a two-thirds majority to pass, the report said.
As Democrats push the vote to the floor of the chamber, McCarthy is gathering votes from his majority to block the resolution, and instead will refer Santos to the House Ethics Committee for an investigation, according to Axios.
While GOP members are likely to vote down the resolution, several have called on Santos to step down and said they will support the Ethics Committee referral.
"[I will] vote to begin the process of removing George Santos from this sacred institution by formally referring his case to the House Ethics Committee," Rep, Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., told the news outlet.
Santos has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and said he will not resign his congressional seat.
Senior GOP aides told Axios that McCarthy met with a Republican delegation to brief them on his strategy to deal with the Democrats' resolution and push to get Santos out of office by sending it to the Ethics Committee.
Another New York Republican, Rep. Mike Lawler, told the news outlet that congressional members have never been removed from office without either a criminal conviction or recommendation from the Ethics committee.
"Never before has a member of Congress been removed without a criminal conviction or a referral," he said in the report.
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