Ahead of Friday's expected vote, Santos introduced a privileged censure resolution against another House member, but also said, "If this is it, this is it."
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/santos-to-fight-expulsion_n_65689a68e4b07b937ff3d188WASHINGTON ― Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) defiantly said Thursday that he’ll continue fighting to keep himself from being only the sixth member ever to be expelled from the House of Representatives.
“If I leave, they win,” Santos told reporters during an early morning press conference outside the Capitol. “This is bullying.”
As Santos spoke, a garbage truck slowly crossed behind him, obstructing his stately backdrop in a moment quickly memorialized on social media by C-SPAN.
Santos’ tenure in Congress started with admissions that he lied about his background, and he then saw federal charges related to his election campaign, followed by a damning ethics report this month that was the last straw for many lawmakers.
The chamber began debate Thursday on a third effort to oust Santos, who is accused in an indictment of stealing his donors’ identities to charge their credit cards and using the proceeds for personal items. Unlike the previous two attempts, the new one stands a good chance of gaining the two-thirds majority needed to jettison Santos.
Still, a handful of Republicans sat with Santos on the House floor and spoke out against expulsion.
“Whatever Mr. Santos did with Botox or OnlyFans is far less concerning to me than the indictment of Sen. Menendez,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), contrasting some of Santos’ alleged unlawful campaign expenditures with the bribery charges against Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.).
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) complained that Santos was being “publicly crucified.”
But it was Republicans, especially some of Santos’ colleagues from New York, who led the debate to throw Santos out.
“You, sir, are a crook,” said Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), pointing at Santos in a mild breach of House decorum.
