House Democrat forces vote this week to boot George Santos from Congress

A version of this story appeared in the On Background newsletter from The Washington Times. Click here to receive On Background delivered directly to your inbox each Friday.

A Democratic lawmaker on Tuesday set the wheels in motion for a vote later this week to expel embattled Rep. George Santos.

Rep. Robert Garcia filed a privileged resolution that forces a vote by Thursday on the fate of Mr. Santos. He said he didn’t want to leave it up to Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, to bring an expulsion vote to the floor.

“I think any Republican should be ashamed of himself or herself to not vote for this expulsion,” said Mr. Garcia, California Democrat. “He has clearly committed massive crimes. He has lied to his constituents, his whole life is a fabrication, and he himself is being prepared to be expelled.”

Expulsion resolutions require the support of at least two-thirds of the chamber to pass. Congress has only expelled five members in its 234-year history.

Mr. Santos welcomed the vote and said he expects to be ejected from Congress, though he vowed not to resign to avoid expulsion. He said the vote would set a precedent and show voters who the “judges, jury and executioners are in Congress.”

Mr. Santos, who said he would not run for reelection next year, survived the last attempt to expel him when Republicans and Democrats banded together to save the lawmaker, but the release of a searing ethics report has caused dozens to change their minds.

Those who voted to save Mr. Santos in October argued that the lawmaker — who faces 23 federal charges for wire fraud, theft of public funds, and money laundering, among others — had not yet been convicted for a crime, while others said they were waiting for a long-brewing House Ethics Committee report.

The ethics report said that there was fraud beyond what was contained in the federal charges and pressed that the lawmaker should be referred to the Justice Department.

House Ethics Committee Chair Rep. Michael Guest, Mississippi Republican, also introduced an expulsion resolution shortly after the report was released. House leadership could opt to bring Mr. Guest’s bill to the floor instead of Mr. Garcia’s.