House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday he has “real reservations” about moving forward with a vote to expel lying Rep. George Santos (R-NY), which will take place later this week.
“I personally have real reservations about doing this,” Johnson told reporters on Capitol Hill. “I’m concerned about a precedent that may be set for that.”
During an earlier GOP conference meeting, the House speaker said, lawmakers made “good faith” arguments “both pro and con, for the expulsion resolution for Santos.”
“There are people who say you have to uphold the rule of law and allow for someone to be convicted in a criminal court before this tough penalty would be exacted on someone,” the Louisianan explained. “That’s been the precedent so far.”
“There are others who say, ‘Well, upholding the rule of law requires us to take this step now because some of the things he’s alleged to have done, the House Ethics Committee having done their job, are infractions against the House itself,’” he went on.
“And so what we’ve said, as the leadership team, is we’re going to allow people to vote their conscience. I think it’s the only appropriate thing we can do,” Johnson concluded. “I trust that people will make that decision thoughtfully and in good faith.”
Santos’ fellow Long Island GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito on Tuesday privileged a resolution introduced earlier this month by House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest (R-Miss.) to remove Santos from Congress following a scathing report.
The privileged nature of the resolution means the House must dispose of it within two legislative days.
The ethics report identified campaign finance violations not previously contained in a 23-count federal indictment, including personal expenditures on Botox, luxury goods and X-rated OnlyFans subscriptions.
Santos, 35, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and refused to resign — but announced he will not seek re-election in 2024.
Johnson told reporters that he currently expects the vote will take place Friday.
The House speaker said Monday that he spoke “at some length” with Santos over the Thanksgiving holiday “about his options,” as the truth-challenged congressman stares down his third expulsion vote this year.
Unlike the first two, this week’s vote is expected to remove the New Yorker, sources told The Post.
Republicans currently have a 222-213 majority in the House, but the expulsion requires a two-thirds vote, meaning at least 290 members must cast ballots against Santos if the lower chamber is full.
“Put up or shut up, and enough of this charade,” Santos dared his colleagues on Tuesday after having expressed in a Friday X Space that he believed he would be ousted.
“They want me to resign because they don’t want to take this tough vote that sets the precedent to their own demise in the future,” he told reporters.
Democrats and Republicans each introduced earlier resolutions to remove Santos in May and November, respectively, both of which failed. Several lawmakers expressed that the House ethics inquiry should conclude first before a vote.
Santos will also head to trial on Sept. 9, 2024, to face federal campaign finance fraud charges.