House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed hesitations about expelling NY Republican Rep. George Santos from the House, emphasizing that Santos has not been convicted and insinuating that it sets a troublesome precedent. Johnson’s comments may undermine fellow Republicans’ support for expulsion. Rep. Nick LaLota initially indicated potential GOP votes for ousting Santos, but later admitted the vote “might be close.” The move requires a two-thirds majority and 18 Republicans who previously did not support expulsion have now indicated they will vote to expel Santos in the wake of an ethics investigation. Others like Rep. Mike Bost noted that they wish Santos would resign on his own, while Rep. Roger Williams has reservations about voting to remove a fellow member. Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Ralph Norman emphasized that it’s not Congress’ duty to remove a member before a felony conviction, and Rep. Victoria Spartz also expressed concerns about the investigation process. House ethics committee report raises deep concerns. The House will vote on the expulsion resolution on Friday. CNN’s Haley Talbot, Melanie Zanona, and Annie Grayer contributed to this report.
Johnson Expresses Concerns About Expelling Santos as Republican Backing Grows for Ousting New York Congressman
