New York Rep. George Santos is facing a critical moment as the U.S. House of Representatives gears up for an unprecedented third vote on his expulsion. Amid a cloud of controversies and legal challenges, Santos remains defiant as he confronts the possibility of being only the sixth lawmaker in House history to be expelled.
During a speech on the House floor on Tuesday, Santos addressed the impending vote with a tone of defiance.
“It’s the third time we are going through this. I don’t care,” he said, underlining his resistance to the growing calls for his departure.
This latest vote comes after two failed attempts to remove Santos. However, the stakes are higher now, following a damning report from the House Ethics Committee. From a nine-month investigation, the report detailed a series of alleged ethical breaches and unlawful activities involving Santos’ campaign and personal finances.
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Santos criticized the expulsion process in his address to the House, suggesting it sets a dangerous precedent.
“This expulsion vote simply undermines and underscores the precedent that we’ve had in this chamber,” he contended. He also raised concerns about the constitutional implications of the vote, asking, “Are we to now assume that one is no longer innocent until proven guilty?”
Despite the severity of the allegations against him, Santos has steadfastly refused to resign.
“I will not be resigning,” he declared, indicating his intention to serve out his term.
The push towards this third vote gained momentum when California Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia filed a measure on Tuesday, compelling the House to act swiftly. In response, House Speaker Mike Johnson, the Louisiana Republican, announced that a vote on Santos’ future will be held on Friday.
The upcoming vote on Santos’ future is a litmus test for the House of Representatives, posing significant questions about the standards for Congressional conduct and the balance between due process and ethical responsibility.
Santos has announced that he will hold a press conference from the steps of the Capitol on Thursday morning.
