The U.S. House of Representatives voted Friday to expel New York Congressman George Santos.
The resolution needed a two-thirds majority to pass, which it got with a 311-114 tally. Santos is facing 23 federal charges, which include conspiracy, wire fraud, making false statements and falsifying records to the FEC, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo. 3rd District, voted not to expel him. He pointed out that even though Santos has not yet been convicted of a crime, the evidence presented to the House Ethics Committee was “very damning.”
“He should be expelled,” Luetkemeyer said, “but if you do (that) by allowing the committee to be the last judge and jury here, now you’re going to open up every single individual in this body to somebody going out and making allegations.”
Luetkemeyer told Missourinet affiliate KWIX in Moberly that he would have preferred that the House Ethics Committee’s report into Santos had been dealt with by the courts.
“I’ve seen this happen already a couple of times and it forced them to have to defend themselves because in that situation you’re guilty until proven innocent,” he said.
Missouri Democrats Emanuel Cleaver and Cori Bush, and Republican Ann Wagner, voted to expel. Santos had already announced he would not run for re-election.
Copyright 2023, Missourinet.
