New York Republicans looking to expel Rep. George Santos are planning to move forward as soon as next week, according to multiple GOP lawmakers.
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) said that he plans to trigger a privileged resolution on Wednesday, which would mean the full House would have to consider the measure within 48 hours. It would require a two-thirds vote to actually pass, a high bar that the House is unlikely to clear.
Those New York Republicans had renewed their push to distance themselves from the embattled Santos after he faced a superseding indictment earlier this month. Santos has pleaded not guilty and is denying wrongdoing for various charges like wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and more.
They had tabled a similar resolution earlier this year, after ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy argued they should let the legal process play out before moving to expel him — particularly given House Republicans’ thin majority. Now, the fresh push will be an early test for how Speaker Mike Johnson handles intense intraparty conflicts.
Regardless, the effort has political upsides for the New York Republicans. Many are first-term lawmakers in purple districts and are looking for any way they can publicly distance themselves from an indicted colleague. If they get an expulsion vote they’ll have an official record of opting to boot Santos from the House, even if it fails.
Daniella Diaz contributed to this report.
