GOP Delays Vote on Santos Expulsion

Facts

• On Wednesday, the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives voted along party lines to refer to the House Ethics Committee a resolution on whether Rep. George Santos (R-NY) should be expelled from office.¹
• The 221-204 vote postpones a vote by the full House, which would have required a two-thirds supermajority to expel Santos.²
• The House Ethics Committee is already investigating Santos, who is suspected of engaging in unlawful activity during his 2022 campaign and failing to properly disclose information to the House.³
• The House vote comes one week after Santos was arrested on 13 federal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements to the House. He pleaded not guilty and was released on $500k bond.⁴
• After Wednesday’s vote, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said the ethics committee could, and should, investigate the matter “very quickly.” Previously, he had signaled he would be in favor of a full House vote after the matter passes through the committee.⁵
• Santos’ term has been marred by legal issues and revelations that he fabricated parts of his resume and personal history – including lying about having Jewish ancestry, a Wall Street background, college degrees, and a career as a star collegiate volleyball player.⁶

Sources: ¹New York Times, ²Independent, ³The Hill, ⁴USA Today, ⁵CNN, and ⁶PBS NewsHour.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by Federalist. Santos’s lies were harmless, and like all Americans he has a right to due process on the criminal charges, so there’s no reason for him to go anywhere. Santos didn’t lie any more than Biden or other politicians, but Democrats are coming after him as part of the political witch hunt that’s also led to Trump facing criminal charges.
• Democratic narrative, as provided The Daily Beast. Although Republicans are claiming they’re following due process, what they’re really doing is buying time in order to maintain their slim majority in the House. Ethics investigations are slow, and while this drags on Republicans have a better chance at sticking together with some crucial votes coming up.