Apparently 105 Republican members of Congress have decided that “due process” is no longer needed for anyone who stands accused. Regardless of how you feel about New York Representative George Santos, the expulsion from Congress, without any judicial or court hearing, is a remarkable development.
The final vote was 311 for, with 114 against expulsion. Reps. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) and Al Green (D-Texas) voted “present,” and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.) voted against the measure.
Santos becomes the first Republican ever expelled from Congress and only the sixth member in history to suffer such a fate.
A special election will be held in New York CD-03 to replace him. The Republican House majority now sinks to four seats if all members are present.
Democrats rally around their accused with political ferocity. However, the jellyfish Republicans can never elevate to see the bigger picture. The big winner in this outcome are House Democrats who can now strategically use the small majority to defeat Republican legislation.
WASHINGTON DC – Top GOP lawmakers have a new problem on their hands: Rank and file Republicans frustrated with their leaders’ late-game opposition to expelling George Santos.
The New York Republican’s intra-party critics finally succeeded Friday in their push to expel their indicted colleague. They prevailed despite the opposition of all four top House Republican leaders, who lined up in the 24 hours before his ejection to say they would support keeping Santos in office.
Republican leaders also didn’t whip votes against Santos, arguing that his expulsion was a vote of conscience. In the end, their members split almost evenly — 105 voted to bounce him and 112 voted not to. But some who voted to expel took issue with their leaders’ decision to come out as opponents of expulsion at the last minute, warning that it risked looking like an attempt to tip the scales for Santos.
Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) said he was “very disappointed” with how GOP leaders handled the vote.
“Too many people, including leadership, were using excuses that simply cannot be successfully argued with everyday Americans,” Womack said in an interview. “Had leadership had its way, we would have reset the bar on standards of conduct at a level that we would live to regret.”
Womack, a respected senior appropriator, added that “I am thankful that there were enough thoughtful members of Congress, on both sides of the aisle, that recognize that there was only one course of action here.” (read more)
The Republican wing of the Uniparty are experts at losing while proclaiming they held on to their principles.
Santos deserved due process. However, if you look at the litany of Republicans who voted against him, you will discover the same aligned names were with the Nancy Pelosi impeachment effort against Donald Trump.
