Santos yields floor time to Democrat Goldman ahead of expulsion vote

As the House prepares to consider an expected expulsion vote against Rep. George Santos, the embattled New York Republican yielded a few minutes of his floor time to fellow New York Rep. Dan Goldman (D).

“Mr. Chair, I yield five minutes to my colleague from New York, Mr. Goldman,” Santos said on the House floor.

Goldman, an outspoken critic of Santos, previously called for his expulsion in May alongside other House Democrats. However, the effort ultimately failed when the House voted to punt the expulsion resolution to the House Ethics Committee instead.

It’s an unexpected move for Santos to yield his time to a Democrat who supports expelling him from Congress. Santos was allotted 30 minutes to address the House ahead of an expected expulsion vote Wednesday night.

Goldman took the opportunity to again express his support for expelling his New York colleague from the House.

“I rise today in support of this resolution to expel George Santos from Congress, as I did in May, when I co-sponsored a similar expulsion resolution that the sponsors of today’s resolution, my colleagues — my Republican colleagues from New York, did not support,” Goldman said.

“I agree with everything that my Republican colleagues have said here today. But everything they have said here today was also true in May, when they voted to protect George Santos,” he said.

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) and a group of New York Republicans moved to force a vote on expelling Santos last week.

CNN reported that Goldman first went to the New York Republicans who introduced the expulsion resolution to ask for floor time. When they declined to yield him time, Goldman reportedly asked Santos to yield him a few minutes, which he inclined to do.

Axios also reported that a post from Goldman on X, formerly Twitter, was a reason that the New York Republicans declined to yield him time. The post criticized the five New York Republicans for not backing the resolution to expel Santos in May.

A spokesperson for Goldman confirmed to The Hill that both CNN’s and Axios’s reporting is accurate.

Santos faces 23 federal charges from both an initial and a superseding indictment; he has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Santos has faced criticism since being elected to office after reporting revealed he allegedly misrepresented his work experience and education while campaigning for the seat.

The Hill has reached out to Santos and D’Esposito for further comment.

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