The U.S. Congress is facing an important decision this week regarding the impeachment of Representative George Santos (Republican from New York), as this decision marks the third of its kind and could lead to his removal from Congress without being convicted of a crime, potentially costing the Republicans a seat in their narrow majority in Congress.
Key Facts
Representatives Robert Garcia (Democrat from California) and Dan Goldman (Democrat from New York) introduced the latest impeachment resolution on Tuesday as a “special” procedure, which requires Congress to vote within 48 hours.
This resolution comes after a scathing report earlier this month from the House Ethics Committee, which found that Santos “egregiously stole from his campaign” by engaging in a series of schemes to defraud donors, prompting many Republicans who previously voted against prior impeachment efforts to change their votes.
Indications suggest that Santos may be able to remain in office if he is impeached for a third time, which requires a two-thirds majority: House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican from Louisiana) stated on Wednesday that he has “real reservations” about the precedent that would be set by impeaching him without a conviction, and other Republicans, including Representatives Troy Nehls (Republican from Texas) and Byron Donalds (Republican from Florida), have stated that they will vote against his impeachment.
If Santos is impeached, it could impact the narrow Republican majority of 222-213, as he represents a district that was previously under Democratic control and would have voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 based on its current boundaries.
The Big Number
77. This is the number of Republicans who will need to vote with the 213 Democrats in Congress to impeach Santos, provided that all members from both sides are present for the vote and all Democrats vote in favor of his impeachment. About 60 Republican members, including 24 who previously voted in favor of his impeachment, have stated they will support his impeachment this time, according to a Politico report. However, not all Democrats support Santos’s impeachment, as 46 members voted “present” or against previous impeachment efforts, and 21 members have stated that they will change their votes in favor of impeachment this week, according to the Politico report.
What to Watch
Santos is scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday, but he has not indicated that he will announce his resignation, despite growing calls from Republican members, including Johnson, for him to resign this week following the latest resolution. Johnson stated that the vote is likely to take place on Thursday, but House leaders also indicated on Wednesday that it could be postponed to Friday, according to Punchbowl News.
Background
The vote could be the first time Santos faces formal punishment for the numerous ethical and criminal allegations against him that have emerged since his election to Congress last November. Weeks before his inauguration in January, The New York Times published a report indicating that he lied on significant aspects of his background, including his career on Wall Street, his college degrees, his Jewish heritage, and his mother’s presence in the Twin Towers during the 9/11 attacks. More serious allegations were broadcast in the following months suggesting he committed crimes, including stealing from a charity he helped create to assist a dying U.S. Army veteran’s service dog, and lying on federally required financial disclosure forms about the extent of his wealth and the sources of his alleged wealth. Santos was charged earlier this year with federal fraud charges related to stealing donors’ identities and using their credit cards for personal expenses, as well as making false statements in federally required financial disclosure forms, among other charges. He has stated that he does not intend to plead guilty to all the charges against him.
What
We Don’t Know
Who will replace Santos if he is ousted. New York Governor Kathy Hochul must call for a special election to replace him within 10 days of the vacancy, and it must be held between 70 and 80 days later. Local party committees select their candidates for the special election, according to state law. Sixteen candidates have already declared their intention to run for Santos’s seat in the 2024 election, including former Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-New York), who stepped down from Congress to run for governor.
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