Democrats are looking to expel New York's freshman Congressman George Santos, R-N.Y., based on allegations he's fabricated much of his biography.
Rep. Daniel Goldman, D-N.Y., said he's "just a simple liar," calling him a "conman" who "does not belong in Congress," according to the Hill.
The expulsion measure, put forward by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., is unlikely to receive a vote in the GOP-controlled chamber, but Democrats wish to draw more attention to the disgraced legislator. They also hope to link the broader GOP to the allegations and corner Republicans on their seemingly steadfast resistance to his removal.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said, "We're going to send the clear message that if Kevin McCarthy refuses to hold George Santos accountable, we will," The Hill reported.
Other sponsors include Reps. Garcia, Goldman, Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., and Becca Balint, D-Vt. The group, minus Goldman, is a part of the Congressional Equality Caucus, which advocates for the LGBTQ community. They have taken particular offense to Santos' claims that a onetime employee of his died in the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016.
"His continued pattern of fraud and deception is especially worrisome to our own LGBTQ+ community," said Garcia.
Santos road New York's red wave during the last midterms, taking Rep. Tom Suozzi's, D-N.Y., vacancy. He became the first openly gay Republican to acquire a House seat without an incumbent advantage.
Santos has been under extra pressure after The New York Times reported on his misrepresented personal and work history. According to the report, Santos lied about graduating from Baruch College, working with Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and running a small real estate company. He also lied about his mother dying in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and his grandparents fleeing the Holocaust.
Rep. McCarthy, R-Calif., has stood by Santos' right to be a House representative as elected by his constituency.
"I do not have the power simply because I disagree with somebody on what they have said, that I will remove them from elected office," said McCarthy.
The Democrats' single-page resolution focuses on the constitutional power of each chamber to "punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member."
The measure is unlikely to come to the floor, as 290 votes would be required. That means 80 Republicans would have to be on board. Democrats could use special procedural moves to push it to the floor, but House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., remains unwilling to do so.
He said Santos is a "total fraud" but added this is "an issue that Republicans need to handle," according to the Hill.
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