GOP Rep. George Santos of New York faces push to expel him from Congress
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Embattled Republican Rep. George Santos of New York is facing his latest challenge from a fellow lawmaker.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., on Tuesday sought to force a vote to expel Santos from the House.
The House has two days to act on Garcia's resolution, meaning a vote has to be scheduled by Thursday afternoon. Lawmakers could also try to table the move.
However, the resolution faces an uphill climb in the House, which has a Republican majority and requires a two-thirds majority vote to expel a member. The resolution has nearly 50 cosponsors, all Democrats.
Garcia on Twitter shared that “Republicans will now have a chance to demonstrate to the American people that an admitted liar and criminal should not serve in Congress.”
I'm starting the process of forcing a floor vote on our resolution to expel George Santos from the U.S. House of Representatives. Republicans will now have a chance to demonstrate to the American people that an admitted liar and criminal should not serve in Congress. pic.twitter.com/GLmskqnier
— Congressman Robert Garcia (@RepRobertGarcia) May 16, 2023
Politics Rep. George Santos pleads not guilty to 13 counts including fraud, lying to Congress
USA TODAY has reached out to Santos’ office for comment.
Santos, who has announced a reelection bid for his seat, on Tuesday said he has not yet seen the resolution and has not had conversations with House leaders, ABC News reported. He told the outlet "Whatever happens innocent until proven guilty."
The Republican lawmaker earlier this month pleaded not guilty to 13 federal charges, including fraud and lying to Congress. He allegedly transferred money from political donors into personal bank accounts during his campaign, using the money for personal expenses. The Department of Justice also alleges that he committed unemployment insurance fraud by applying for benefits when he was employed, among other charges.
In a news conference following his arrangement, Santos called the investigation a "witch hunt" and maintained his innocence.
Santos last year admitted that he lied about his job experience and college education during his campaign for his House seat.
“My sins here are embellishing my resume. I’m sorry," he said in an interview with the New York Post.
Contributing: Ella Lee, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NY GOP Rep. George Santos faces push to expel him from Congress
