House Republicans from New York will be moving to expel U.S. Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who is facing 23 federal criminal felony charges, but as they ramp up their efforts the New York Congressman is working to censure a House Democrat.
Representative Santos now faces “one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of making materially false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), two counts of falsifying records submitted to obstruct the FEC, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of access device fraud, in addition to the seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the United States House of Representatives,” according to a press release earlier this month from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Santos is due back in federal court on Friday.
“Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) said that he plans to trigger a privileged resolution on Wednesday,” Politico reports. “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.”
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Congressman Santos on Wednesday became an original co-sponsor of legislation to censure U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and strip him of all his committee assignments. Bowman on Thursday pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of intentionally pulling a fire alarm.
Bowman also thanked the District of Columbia Attorney General’s office, and said he is “grateful that the United States Capitol Police General Counsel’s office agreed I did not obstruct nor intend to obstruct any House vote or proceedings,” ABC News reports.
He admitted he is “responsible for activating a fire alarm,” and said earlier that he “will be paying the fine issued, and look forward to these charges being ultimately dropped.”
“I think we all know that Republicans will attempt to use this to distract everyone from their mess, but I look forward to putting this behind me and to continue working hard to deliver for New Yorkers,” he said, acknowledging, “It’s pretty embarrassing.”
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“I was trying to get out the door. I was rushing to a vote. I’m thankful that we have an agreement in place, and I’m thankful that in three months it’s going to be dismissed,” he added.
The resolution to censure Bowman claims he “pulled a fire alarm to obstruct the proceedings of the House,” an allegation he denies.
It also claims, “the interruption of official proceedings of Congress by pulling a fire alarm was a theatrical attempt to cause panic, therefore endangering the safety and well-being of members of the House, of staff, and members of the public on the Capitol grounds.”
