WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) will face another expulsion vote when Congress returns from Thanksgiving break.
“This is an indication that Congress seems to be ready to move on from Representative Santos,” George Washington University’s Legislative Affairs Program Director Casey Burgat said.
Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), chairman of the House Ethics Committee, introduced the resolution. In a statement, he said the evidence his committee uncovered is “more than sufficient to warrant punishment and the most appropriate punishment is expulsion.”
“It seems in that case, literally anyone else would be more effective in that position because they can walk into a room on Capitol Hill and not be the first one voted off the island,” Burgat said.
Burgat said time isn’t on Santos’ side.
“The more time that goes on, the more names, the more signatures supporting this motion, the worse news it is for Representative Santos,” Burgat said.
If Santos is expelled from the House, it would be only the third time it has happened since the Civil War.
“Expulsion is kind of the last arrow in the quiver, at least historically,” Burgat said. “It’s the thing you never bring out unless the crimes are so unbecoming of someone serving in that office.”
Burgat said although Santos beat the first attempt to remove him earlier this month, the new report changes everything.
“The findings are incredibly specific, they’re incredibly damning, and more importantly for Republicans, they’re embarrassing,” Burgat said.
If he’s removed, New York would then hold a new special election to fill the district’s seat.