Republicans to introduce resolution to ‘rid the House of George Santos’

New York Republicans in the US House will introduce a resolution to expel George Santos, the serial fabulist and accused fraudster who faces new charges under a superseding federal indictment.

“Today, I’ll be introducing an expulsion resolution to rid the People’s House of fraudster George Santos,” the GOP congressman Anthony D’Esposito said in a post on social media.

D’Esposito said the resolution would be co-sponsored by Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro, Nick Langworthy and Brandon Williams – all House Republicans from New York.

Santos won his own New York seat last year, in midterm elections that saw the House swing to Republican control in no small part due to success in the Empire state.

Santos’s resume swiftly unraveled, as news outlets reported allegations of wrongdoing beyond the mere “embellishment” to which he admitted, even bringing into question his actual name.

Santos remained defiant and party leaders, beholden to a narrow majority, chose not to act against him.

That stance endured even after Santos pleaded not guilty in New York in May to multiple charges of fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements.

Last week, Santos’s former campaign treasurer pleaded guilty to fraud.

Then, on Tuesday, a superseding indictment introduced 10 new charges against Santos relating to allegedly stealing donors’ identities and charging thousands of dollars to their credit cards.

Santos, who first told reporters he had “no clue what you guys are talking about”, now faces 23 criminal charges.

As reported by CNN, on Wednesday he told reporters: “I’m pretty much denying every last bit of charges.”

He also said he would not resign and still intended to run for re-election.

The same morning, Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington, a watchdog group, said Santos was the only member of the current Congress who has not yet filed a mandatory personal financial disclosure. Penalties can include fines and civil or criminal penalties.

Only five House members have ever been expelled – three for fighting for the Confederacy in the civil war and two after being convicted of crimes including fraud and bribery.

Kevin McCarthy, the speaker ejected by hard-liners last week, had resisted attempts to add Santos to that list, instead referring him to the House ethics committee.