WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. George Santos is staunchly refusing to resign and cautioned that his expulsion from Congress before being convicted in a court of law would set a dangerous precedent for future members of the body.
Watch Santos’ remarks in the player above.
The freshman Republican congressman from New York is facing the potential of becoming only the sixth member of the House to be expelled by colleagues. House Republicans and Democrats have put forward resolutions to remove him, with a vote expected on Friday.
Despite surviving two prior expulsion efforts, a damning House Ethics Committee report released on Nov. 16 has swayed more members to believe that his actions warrant the House’s most severe punishment.
Prior to the vote, Santos held a press conference just outside the Capitol on Thursday. He highlighted that, of the previous expulsions, three were related to disloyalty to the Union during the Civil War and two were for officials convicted in federal court, positioning himself as someone being treated differently.
“This will haunt them in the future where mere allegations are sufficient to have members removed from office when duly elected by their people in their respective states and districts,” Santos said.
The House Ethics Committee stated that it had gathered “overwhelming evidence” of lawbreaking by Santos which had been submitted to the Justice Department. The report unequivocally stated that he “cannot be trusted” following a lengthy investigation into his conduct.
READ MORE: Rep. George Santos won’t seek reelection after scathing ethics report details ‘overwhelming evidence’ of lawbreaking
The committee detailed that Santos knowingly caused his campaign committee to submit false or incomplete reports to the Federal Election Commission, used campaign finances for personal purposes, and violated the Ethics in Government Act regarding financial disclosure statements submitted to the House.
Santos also faces a 23-count federal indictment alleging he stole the identities of campaign donors and used their credit cards for unauthorized charges. Federal prosecutors claim Santos wired some of the funds to his personal bank account and used the remainder to boost his campaign funds, while maintaining his innocence.
Santos initially gave the GOP hope after winning his election in November 2022 and securing a seat previously held by Democrats, subsequently aiding in Republicans’ control of the House. However, reports soon surfaced that Santos had falsified details about his background, turning into a distraction and embarrassment for the party.
In March, the House Ethics Committee initiated an investigation into Santos, followed by a 13-count federal indictment unveiled in May by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York. The indictment was later replaced with a 23-count indictment.
Santos narrowly survived an expulsion vote in early November prior to the Ethics Committee’s findings, evidencing the tough task of garnering a two-thirds vote for expulsion from the House.
READ FULL: House Ethics report on George Santos’ alleged campaign crimes
Friday’s vote will mark the third expulsion effort during Santos’ brief time in Congress. With expulsion requiring a two-thirds vote, it poses a significant challenge.
“It’s just an unfortunate circumstance that I have to sit here and watch Congress waste the American people’s time over and over again on something that is the power of the people, not the power of Congress,” Santos said.
While acknowledging the historical context behind expulsion attempts, Santos instead framed it as an unfair persecution, stating “if I leave, they win. If I leave, the bullies take place. This is bullying.”
“They are trying to join me to the group of three Confederates and two people convicted in a court of law,” Santos said. “So, if I am to be expelled tomorrow, I will be number six in the history, the first Republican and the only one without a conviction or without having committed treason.”
He also criticized the Ethics Committee report as “littered in hyperbole, littered in opinion,” highlighting the decision to submit the report to the House without making a recommendation on punishment, suggesting an unfair process.
Asserting a claim of disparate treatment, he revealed plans to present a privileged resolution on the House floor to expel Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman from office. Bowman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count for triggering a fire alarm, asserting the need to hold all accountable.
Bowman responded by stating that no one in Congress or anywhere else in America “takes soon-to-be former Congressman George Santos seriously,” calling it a “meaningless stunt.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed “real reservations” about Santos’ expulsion, voicing concerns about the precedent it would set but also advising members to “vote their conscience.”
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York hosted his weekly press conference with a massive photo alongside him of Santos and Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, characterizing Santos as a “malignant distraction” that needs to be addressed.
Associated Press staff writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
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