In a stunning display of defiance, New York Republican Rep. George Santos unleashed a scathing tirade against his fellow congressional colleagues on Friday night. Santos, who is currently embroiled in an ethics controversy, accused the House Ethics Committee of unfairly targeting him while turning a blind eye to other unethical behavior within the House. The congressman’s explosive remarks were made during a lengthy conversation broadcast on X, formerly Twitter.
During the broadcast, Santos did not hold back, alleging that there are numerous felons and individuals with questionable backgrounds within the ranks of the United States Congress. He further accused some members of Congress of voting while intoxicated and engaging in inappropriate relationships with lobbyists. Santos expressed frustration that such behavior goes unchecked, asserting that unethical conduct occurs on a weekly basis without any corresponding ethics investigations.
The controversy surrounding Santos stems from a report released by the Ethics Committee last week. The report found “substantial evidence” that Santos had filed false campaign finance reports, misused campaign funds for personal purposes, had fraudulent connections to a business, and knowingly violated ethics laws. Among the findings, it was revealed that Santos had used campaign funds for personal expenses such as Botox treatments, luxury purchases at Hermes, and payments to OnlyFans.
Santos vehemently denied the allegations, claiming that the Ethics Committee report violated his rights to a fair trial. He criticized the report for making definitive statements about criminal matters and for containing what he described as an excessive amount of hyperbole. In addition to the ethics controversy, Santos is also facing federal charges related to conspiracy, wire fraud, false statements, falsification of records, aggravated identity theft, and credit card fraud.
Despite surviving two expulsion votes, Santos now faces the prospect of expulsion once again following the release of the damning Ethics Committee report. Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest has introduced a resolution to expel Santos, citing the evidence uncovered during the investigation as sufficient grounds for punishment. The timing of the expulsion vote remains uncertain, as it will be taken up when the House reconvenes.
Santos, in response, accused the Ethics Committee of unfairly targeting him and infringing upon his civil rights. He expressed his belief that he will be expelled simply because his colleagues did not want him in Congress. If Santos is indeed expelled, he would become the fifth member of the House to be forcibly removed in U.S. history and the first to be expelled before being convicted in court.
In the event of Santos’ expulsion, a special election would be held to fill his vacant seat. Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul would be responsible for scheduling the election. It is worth noting that Santos’ district voted for President Biden in 2020, but Santos, a freshman Republican House member, managed to pull off a surprising upset in the 2022 midterms.
As the ethics controversy surrounding Rep. George Santos continues to unfold, the political landscape remains uncertain. Stay tuned for the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews, and more political content.
