OAN’s Stephanie Stahl
1:21 PM – Friday, November 17, 2023
The GOP chairman of the House Ethics Committee has filed a new resolution to expel Representative George Santos from Congress after “substantial evidence” was released that allegedly shows Santos committed campaign fraud and theft.
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House Ethics Chairman Michael Guest, a Mississippi Republican, introduced a resolution on Friday, stating that the evidence uncovered during the committee’s investigation is more than enough to justify punishment, with expulsion being the most appropriate response.
The resolution won’t be put to a vote until after the House returns from its Thanksgiving recess on November 28th.
While Santos (R-N.Y.) has weathered previous attempts to remove him from the House, there is a growing momentum for this latest expulsion effort. Several Republicans, who had not previously supported expulsion, now indicate their intention to vote in favor following the ethics investigation.
The resolution comes a day after the committee released the 56-page report from the investigation.
The Ethics Committee’s report revealed additional instances of “uncharged and unlawful conduct” by Santos, extending beyond the existing criminal allegations. These new findings would prompt an immediate referral of the allegations to the Justice Department for further investigation.
The committee’s conclusion asserts that Santos aimed to exploit every facet of his House candidacy for personal financial gain through fraudulent means.
Despite only being in Congress since January, Santos declared he won’t seek re-election after the committee’s report. Santos has denounced the investigation as a “politicized smear,” and has pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges.
These charges include allegations of fraud related to COVID-19 unemployment benefits, misusing campaign funds, and providing false information about his personal finances on House disclosure reports.
In early November, a Republican-led attempt to expel Santos fell short. Some lawmakers expressed reservations about expelling a member amid an ongoing legal battle without a criminal conviction. Prior to the vote, Santos defended his right to “the presumption of innocence.”
Back in May, the House voted to refer a Democrat-led resolution to expel Santos to the Ethics Committee.
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