Santos survives expulsion as removal effort once again falls flat in House

Rep. George Santos (R-NY) has avoided expulsion from his seat in Congress after the House rejected a motion to remove him from the lower chamber, citing the ongoing ethics investigation into the embroiled New York freshman.

The House voted 179-213 to remove the first-term incumbent, dealing a blow to his fellow New York Republicans who sought to expel Santos from the House immediately. To do so, the resolution would require a two-thirds majority to pass the lower chamber, meaning at least 78 Republicans would have needed to join all Democrats in advancing the measure, but only 24 Republicans voted in favor of the motion, which was counteracted by more than 30 Democrats who broke with their party to vote against it.

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The failed resolution marks the second time Santos has avoided an expulsion from the House after Republicans voted in May to refer the matter to the Ethics Committee for an investigation. Several lawmakers signaled they would vote against the measure, noting they wanted to wait for the committee to finish its investigation before voting to expel him. Another 19 members — 15 Democrats and four Republicans — voted present.

Stefan Jeremiah/AP

The Ethics Committee issued an update on Tuesday regarding its investigation into Santos, examining several allegations, including 23 counts charged via two federal indictments, as well as several other criminal and ethical indictments. The committee did not provide details of its findings, noting more information about “its next course of action” would be available on or before Nov. 17, giving Republicans a chance to avoid the consequential vote until more evidence is uncovered.

Some Republicans have expressed hesitation to expel Santos before his criminal trial is finished, claiming it could set a dangerous precedent for future proceedings. Others also pointed to the GOP’s slim majority in the House, noting if Santos was ousted in the competitive district, their four-seat majority could shrink to three.

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However, New York Republicans in the House — Reps. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Nick LaLota (R-NY), Brandon Williams (R-NY), and Marc Molinaro (R-NY) — sought to push back against those arguments in a “Dear Colleague” letter sent to lawmakers ahead of the vote urging Republicans to back the resolution.

“Plain and simple — this is a question of right and wrong,” the lawmakers wrote. “The United States Congress must always uphold the highest standards and ensure accountability for those who have taken advantage of the American people — regardless of political party.”