The Republican speaker of the US House, Mike Johnson, announced that the chamber will vote on whether to expel George Santos on Thursday. This decision leaves it up to lawmakers to determine whether the New Yorker should be removed from office for embellishing his résumé and allegedly breaking federal law.
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During a press conference on Capitol Hill, Johnson told reporters on Wednesday, “What we’ve said as the leadership team is we’re going to allow people to vote their conscience. I think it’s the only appropriate thing we can do. We’ve not whipped the vote and we wouldn’t. I trust that people will make that decision thoughtfully and in good faith. I personally have real reservations about doing this, I’m concerned about a precedent that may be set for that. So, everybody’s working through that and we’ll see how they vote tomorrow.”
On Tuesday, Santos stated that he would not resign to avoid becoming only the sixth representative ever expelled from the House. “If I resign, I make it easy for this place,” Santos, 35, told reporters. “This place is run on hypocrisy. I’m done playing a part for the circus. If they want me to leave Congress, they’re going to have to take that tough vote.”
Earlier, two Democrats, Robert Garcia of California and Dan Goldman of New York, initiated proceedings to require an expulsion vote within two legislative days. Later, two Republicans, Anthony D’Esposito of New York and Michael Guest of Mississippi, did the same.
“We want to make sure that happens this week,” Garcia said. “I think whatever it takes to get that vote this week is what we’re doing. He has no place in Congress.”
The list of previous expellees includes three men who fought for the Confederacy in the civil war and two convicted of crimes. On Thursday, a two-thirds majority will be required to add Santos to the list of shame.
Santos, who was elected last year, admitted embellishing his résumé, including bizarre claims about his academic and professional history but denied any wrongdoing. He faces 23 federal fraud charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Santos has pleaded not guilty to the charges but has not yet stood trial. Many in Congress, including senior Democrats, have cited the lack of a conviction when opposing previous attempts to expel Santos, saying to do so without the verdict of a court would set a dangerous precedent.
Johnson must govern with a narrow and unruly majority. If Santos is removed, a special election will take place in his New York district within 90 days.
Related: The Fabulist review: timely tale of the rise and fall of George Santos
