WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Rep. George Santos will face a third vote to oust him from Congress the week after Thanksgiving as a growing number of lawmakers say they will back a new expulsion motion filed Friday, November 17, a day after the release of a scathing House Ethics Committee report, Newsday reported.
Santos (R-Nassau/Queens), in an interview with Newsday Friday, November 17, defended some of the expenses cited in the report — such as payments for Botox treatments — accusing his former campaign treasurer of telling him the purchases were considered campaign expenses. His assertions came hours after House Ethics Committee Chairman Mike Guest (R-Miss.) on Friday filed a motion to expel Santos that is expected to start the process to require a vote within two legislative days when the House reconvenes on Nov. 28.
Santos survived one expulsion vote on May 16, initiated by Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and another on Nov. 1 on a measure sponsored by Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park), but he may not dodge the third try after the release Thursday of a detailed and damning Ethics Committee report.
A growing number of lawmakers who voted previously against expelling him say Santos no longer should be a member of the House after release of the 55-page report that laid out the case that Santos exploited his position for personal gain. Only five House members have been expelled — three for disloyalty in the Civil War era and two after being convicted of criminal activity. It takes two-thirds of those voting to approve a motion to expel, a high hurdle considering that Santos would be the first to be expelled while indicted but before conclusion of a trial.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who had raised concerns about ousting Santos because of the slim Republican House majority and Santos’ due process rights, issued a statement Thursday night that did not discourage his Republican conference from ousting Santos.
“As members from both parties, members of the Ethics Committee and Representative Santos return to Congress after the Thanksgiving break, Speaker Johnson encourages all involved to consider the best interests of the institution as this matter is addressed further,” Johnson spokesman Raj Shah said.
At least three of the House Ethics Committee members — Guest (R-Miss.), Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) and Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), the ranking member — said they would vote to expel Santos.
“I think the fact that the Republican Ethics Committee chairman not only supports expulsion, but is leading the resolution to do it, is a good indicator that for some of my more senior colleagues following suit,” said Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville). Also, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-N.C.), who were among the 31 Democrats who voted against expelling Santos earlier this month, said Thursday they would now vote to force him out of the House. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) said Thursday on MSNBC he would vote to expel Santos after having voted against expulsion earlier this month. Possibly easing concern over losing a Republican vote by expelling Santos is the special election on Tuesday to fill the House’s only current vacant seat in a majority Republican district in Utah, which could maintain the Republicans’ current eight-vote majority. After the report came out, Santos said he would not run for reelection.
Santos, who faces trial in U.S. District Court in Central Islip in September on a 23-count federal criminal indictment, complained in a social media post Thursday about allegations in the Ethics Committee report about issues such as misuse of campaign funds. Santos has denied all the federal charges. “What the ‘ethics committee’ did today was not part of due process, what they did was poison a the (sic) jury pool on my ongoing investigation with the DOJ. This was a dirty biased act and one that tramples all over my rights,” Santos wrote.
Santos told Newsday on Friday that several of the charges were campaign related, but never reported to the Federal Elections Commission by his former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks of Shirley.
Asked about the $1,500 in charges for Botox cited in the ethics panel’s report, Santos said he was advised by Marks the cosmetic procedure was considered a campaign expense because it was “to keep fresh because of a campaign.” “I’ve always gotten my Botox on myself, I’ve always paid it out of my pocket, but then during the campaign, she told us it was covered,” Santos said.
Marks’ attorney, Ray Perini, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment on Friday.
Asked about a $12 expense for the OnlyFans adult website, Santos said the charge was made on his business credit card, not his campaign credit card. He denied making the charge and said he was looking into who was behind it.
“It wasn’t put there because it was significant, it was put there to smear me,” Santos said.
He said he would respond in further detail to the report at a Nov. 30 news conference on the U.S. Capitol steps — which could coincide with the vote to expel him.