Thirty-one House Democrats voted against expelling Representative George Santos because they fear his expulsion would set a bad precedent if Santos is not convicted or found guilty of ethics violations.
Axios gave the reason why so many Democrats voted no:
Some Democrats were concerned about the precedent of voting to expel Santos before a conviction or an Ethics Commission report, several senior House Democrats told Axios.
One Democrat was upset that dozens of their colleagues voted against the measure, calling it “unreal” and “really weird.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) explained his no vote:
NEW: Jamie Raskin says about his vote against evicting George Santos: “I’m a constitution guy.”
Says he will “definitely vote to deport Santos” if convicted, but “until then it is a very risky path and we must adhere to due process and the rule of law” pic.twitter.com/U71OHIs8oB
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) November 2, 2023
Given that this majority in the House of Representatives is MAGA and is out for revenge against Democrats, Democrats’ concerns about the precedent that would be set if they voted yes have some validity. The current House majority is trying to impeach President Biden without evidence, so their willingness to ignore rules and norms has been made very clear.
Expulsions require a two-thirds majority and the threshold is high because they are only intended for the most serious cases. When the House Ethics Committee delivers its final report, there will likely be another vote on Santos’ expulsion. If the nonpartisan Ethics Commission recommends deportation, Democratic no votes are expected to turn to yes, with many Republicans joining in.
Whether George Santos is expelled or voted out of the House by voters in his district, his time in Congress will soon end.
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Jason is the editor-in-chief. He is also a White House press pool and congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Pricing and professional memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association