In a stunning turn of events, Rep. George Santos, a Republican from New York, is facing expulsion from Congress after being charged with several federal crimes, including fraud and money laundering. A group of House Republicans from New York, led by Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, introduced a privileged resolution to expel Santos, citing a series of scandals and allegations against him. The resolution has gained support from fellow New York Republican Reps. Brandon Williams, Nick LaLota, and Marc Molinaro.
The move to expel Santos comes after revelations that he allegedly misled voters about his personal life and background. Santos was initially indicted for various federal offenses in May and was recently charged with additional crimes earlier this month. These charges include wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds. The mounting allegations and ongoing legal battles have prompted calls for his removal from Congress.
D’Esposito, who introduced the resolution, stated, “While George Santos is entitled to his day in court to plead his innocence, the people of New York’s 3rd Congressional District deserve a representative who is solely focused on serving the public and not spending the majority of their time combating 23 federal charges.” He emphasized the need to remove Santos from Congress, referring to him as a “conman.”
The privileged resolution was first announced on October 11, just a day after the latest charges against Santos were revealed. This recent action now allows the House to hold a floor vote on the resolution within two legislative days. Santos, in response to the resolution, claimed his entitlement to due process and denied any wrongdoing. However, the mounting evidence against him has raised concerns about his ability to effectively serve his constituents.
Santos’ legal troubles began in May when he pled not guilty to charges of money laundering, theft of public funds, and lying to Congress. The latest indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s office on October 10 includes 10 additional charges, bringing the total to 23 counts. These charges allege that Santos stole people’s identities, made unauthorized charges on his own donors’ credit cards, and lied about the financial state of his campaign.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace expressed the seriousness of the charges, stating, “Santos falsely inflated the campaign’s reported receipts with non-existent loans and contributions that were either fabricated or stolen. This Office will relentlessly pursue criminal charges against anyone who uses the electoral process as an opportunity to defraud the public and our government institutions.”
The resolution to expel Santos from Congress highlights the growing concerns about his ability to fulfill his duties as a representative. As the legal proceedings continue, the fate of Santos’ political career remains uncertain.
