House fails to pass resolution to expel embattled Rep. George Santos from Congress
WASHINGTON -- A Republican-led resolution to expel embattled Rep. George Santos failed in the House on Wednesday night.
The push to try to oust Santos came from fellow GOP lawmakers in the New York delegation, who argue his past lies and embellishments about his personal history and his various legal entanglements make him unfit for office.
Expelling Santos from Congress would've required two-thirds of the House, approximately 289 of the House's 433 current members if all were present.
The final vote was 179-213, falling well short of the votes needed to pass the resolution against Santos.
Santos originally said he would not beg for his constitutional rights and would let colleagues make their decision, but went to the House floor to debate his potential expulsion just hours before the vote.
On the floor, Santos defended his record and his right to due process.
Santos accused his fellow Republican colleagues of acting as "judge, jury and executioner."
"The actions taken within this body are delicate, and consistency is essential, and now is not the time to set dangerous precedent," he said.
Santos added, "I must warn my colleagues, that voting for expulsion at this point would circumvent the judicial systems right to due process that I am entitled to."
He said the expulsion effort is "politically motivated."
Santos was the only member to speak during the floor debate against the resolution to expel him from Congress.
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Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, of New York, introduced the resolution last Thursday evening to expel Santos from Congress. He was joined by four other New York Republicans, U.S. Reps. Nick LaLota, Michael Lawler, Marc Molinaro and Brandon Williams.
D'Esposito said Santos is not "fit to serve his constituents as a United States representative." He sent a letter to colleagues Wednesday urging members to vote in favor of the resolution.
"We strongly urge you to vote in favor of this resolution and encourage you to contact any one of us should you have any doubts about expelling George Santos from this body," the members wrote.
According to the U.S. House Archive, only five lawmakers have ever been expelled. If this resolution passes, Santos would be the first expulsion since 2002 when House Democrat James Traficant was removed after he was convicted of 10 felony counts.
Santos has not been convicted of a crime but has been indicted on 23 federal counts. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in court on October 27.
Santos was arraigned last week on a revised indictment accusing him of several frauds, including making tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges on credit cards belonging to his campaign donors.
The New York Republican pleaded not guilty to 10 new charges last Friday at a courthouse on Long Island. He has already pleaded not guilty to 13 other charges filed in May.
(ABC News contributed to this report.)
