Nov. 1 (UPI) — The House of Representatives is expected to vote Wednesday to expel Rep. George Santos after five Republican congressmen from New York sent a letter pushing his ouster.
The letter, signed by first-term Reps. Mike Lawler, Nick LaLota, Anthony D’Esposito, Marcus Molinaro and Brandon Williams, said removing Santos, R-N.Y. would allow voters to elect a replacement quickly.
New York state law mandates a special election would be held in about 100 days (mid-February), they said.
Some members of Congress have said they worry that ejecting Santos before a criminal proceeding or a House Ethics Committee report would set a dangerous precedent.
“This issue is not a political one, but a moral one,” they wrote. “Plain and simple- – this is a question of right and wrong.”
On Friday, Santos pleaded not guilty to a 23-count federal indictment, which included new and existing charges of unlawful monetary transactions, stealing identities and credit card information from donors, and reporting a false $500,000 campaign loan.
The vote on Wednesday would require a two-thirds majority. It will be the second time the House will try to determine if Santos should keep his seat while he faces felony charges and an ethics inquiry.
