House Republicans voted to pass a measure to return Representative George Santos to the ethics committee, giving the embattled congressman more time until an investigation into his conduct was completed.
All Republicans voted to send the matter to Ethics, seven Democrats voted “present” while the others voted against moving the resolution back to committee.
Santos himself voted with the Republicans to send the matter to Ethics.
“The House Republicans are now officially the SAVE SANTOS CAUCUS,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., who introduced the resolution.
Earlier on Wednesday, Garcia pleaded for Santos’ deportation, saying he “should not have access to our country’s best-kept secrets.”
The ethics panel has been investigating Santos since March, examining whether he engaged in illegal activities during his campaign, failed to properly disclose financial information to the House and other areas.
Meanwhile, Santos communications director Naysa Woomer resigned on Wednesday. Woomer accepted the position a week before the first New York Times story came out in December, and a well-known source said she had been unhappy in the position for a “long time.”
House Republicans voted to pass a measure to return Representative George Santos to the ethics committee, giving the embattled congressman more time until an investigation into his conduct was completed
Santos enters the Capitol on the day of a vote on the impeachment issue
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he would act “quickly” to refer the eviction to Ethics. He could have introduced the measure, which would have required a simple majority, or expulsion for a full-floor vote, which would have required a two-thirds majority, about 70 Republicans and all Democrats.
‘I would like to see the ethics committee work on this quickly. I think there’s enough information now to look into this,” the GOP leader said, in remarks that were a step up from previous times he refused to call for Santos to resign.
“I think they can come back to Congress, probably faster than the trial.”
McCarthy added, “I don’t want to wait for courts to act. I would like to see the House take action and have a procedure.’
Democrats introduced the resolution to expel Santos after he was charged with a range of crimes during his campaign, including money laundering, bank fraud and making false statements.
McCarthy said, “I don’t want to wait for courts to act. I would like the house to take action and have a process”
After the ethics committee acted, the full house would vote to evict him.
The investigation also focuses on whether Santos violated federal conflict of interest laws in connection with his role in a company that provides fiduciary services; and/or engaged in sexual misconduct against a person seeking employment in his congressional office,” the House Ethics Committee said in a statement.
If the House ousted Santos, it would trigger a special election in New York’s Third District, where President Biden won by eight points in 2020.
Republicans would be down at least one vote until the seat is filled — a vote they can’t afford to lose with their narrow four-seat majority.
House Democrats introduce a resolution to evict disgraced GOP Representative George Santos after he was charged with a range of crimes during his campaign, including money laundering, wire fraud and making false statements
The motion, introduced by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., requires a two-thirds majority vote in the House — meaning about 70 Republicans should get on board
He appeared in court last Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to the 13 charges and was released on $500,000 bail at a pivotal time in his career just four months after being sworn in.
Santos indicated that he will not step down, will still run for re-election and asked why President Biden’s family was not investigated by the Justice Department.
Prosecutors have accused him of using donor funds to buy designer clothes and pay off personal debts and to claim COVID unemployment benefits while running for Congress, earning $125,000 a year.
They also accused him of lying on financial disclosure forms he filed with the House when he became a candidate by overestimating his income from one job and failing to disclose earnings from another. He also allegedly lied about his income from his company, Devolder Organization.
He will appear in court again on June 30 and also had to surrender his passport.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has indicated he will not support Santos’ re-election bid, but has not called for him to resign.
He noted that Senator Bob Menendez remained in office after being indicted for bribery.