The first-term Republican congressman from New York could well become just the sixth member of Congress to have been expelled by colleagues. Republicans and Democrats have offered resolutions to remove him, and the House is expected to vote on one of them Friday.
Santos preempted the vote with a press conference just outside the Capitol early Thursday. He noted that, of the previous expulsions, three were for disloyalty to the Union during the Civil War and two were for lawmakers who had been convicted in federal court. In short, he presented himself as someone who was being treated differently.
“This will haunt them in the future where mere allegations are sufficient to have members removed from office when duly elected by their people in their respective states and districts,” Santos said.
The House Ethics Committee, in its scathing report, said it had amassed “overwhelming evidence” of lawbreaking by Santos that had been sent to the Justice Department, concluding flatly that he “cannot be trusted” after a monthslong investigation into his conduct.