© Reuters. The workplace door of U.S. Rep. George Santos (R-NY) is seen the morning after two Democratic lawmakers moved to power a vote to expel Santos from the Home of Representatives, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 29, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
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By Moira Warburton and David Morgan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Home of Representatives is predicted to vote on Friday on whether or not to expel scandal-plagued Republican George Santos, who faces legal corruption fees and new accusations that he misspent marketing campaign cash, in response to Republican aides.
A number of lawmakers have launched motions concentrating on the first-term lawmaker after a report by his Home colleagues urged that federal prosecutors ought to deliver extra fees in opposition to Santos, 35, who fabricated massive features of his life story in his election marketing campaign.
The movement requires a two-thirds majority within the Home, which Republicans management by a slender 222-213 majority.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson stated social gathering leaders won’t inform rank-and-file Republicans learn how to vote as a result of some consider he shouldn’t be kicked out earlier than his legal case is resolved.
“I personally have real reservations about doing this. I’m concerned about a precedent that may be set,” he stated at a information convention.
Johnson stated earlier within the day that the vote would happen on Thursday, however Republican aides, talking on situation of anonymity, stated later it’s anticipated for Friday.
Santos’ district, which features a small slice of New York Metropolis and a few of its japanese suburbs, is seen as aggressive.
The bipartisan Ethics Committee on Nov. 16 launched a report on allegations that Santos dedicated marketing campaign finance fraud. It documented a sample of poor bookkeeping and misuse of marketing campaign funds so pervasive that his election “has called into question the integrity of the House.”
Santos beforehand pleaded not responsible to federal fees by prosecutors in New York of laundering marketing campaign funds to pay for private bills and charging the bank cards of donors with out permission, amongst different marketing campaign finance violations.
Santos didn’t reply to a request for touch upon Wednesday.
WILL NOT STEP DOWN
Santos stated after the discharge of the report that he wouldn’t run for reelection in 2024, however refused to step down earlier than then.
The Ethics Committee stated it referred extra “uncharged and unlawful conduct” to the Justice Division for potential legal prosecution, together with new proof of falsely reported loans obtained by Santos’ unsuccessful 2020 congressional marketing campaign, improper mortgage repayments and “systemic reporting errors” in each his 2020 and 2022 campaigns.
The report additionally detailed extravagant – and probably unlawful – spending of marketing campaign cash, together with 1000’s of {dollars} on Botox, luxurious manufacturers similar to Hermes, and “smaller purchases” from OnlyFans, a web site recognized for sexual content material.
A vote on Nov. 1 to expel Santos failed as a result of Republicans want Santos’ seat to guard their slender Home majority, which empowers them to dam a lot of Democratic President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.
However it’s unclear whether or not Santos will obtain the identical assist a second time. Numerous the 182 Republicans who voted in opposition to expulsion have come out to say they might not do the identical once more.
Santos first got here into the general public eye when media retailers revealed he’d fabricated virtually each facet of his private {and professional} historical past, together with working at Goldman Sachs and Citibank and graduating from New York College.
The experiences triggered him to be shunned by lots of his Home colleagues and made him the frequent butt of jokes by late-night TV comedians.
Santos has since admitted to fabricating massive components of his resume.
