McCarthy says he will ask Ethics Committee to move 'rapidly' on resolution to expel George Santos

Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he will 'quickly' try to refer a Democrat-led resolution to expel disgraced GOP Rep. George Santos to the Ethics Committee.'

'I would like the Ethics Committee to move rapidly on this. I think there's enough information out there now that they can start looking at this,' the GOP leader said, in comments that were a step further from previous times where he refused to call on Santos to resign. 

He said he would have a conversation with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about moving the resolution to Ethics. 'I think they can come back to Congress, probably faster than the court case.'

McCarthy added: 'I don't want to wait around for courts to act. I would like to have the House take action and have a process.'

House Democrats introduced the resolution to expel Santos after he was indicted on a string of offenses including money laundering, wire fraud and making false statements during his campaign.

The motion, introduced by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., requires a two-thirds majority vote in the House - meaning around 70 Republicans would have to get on board. 

McCarthy said: 'I don't want to wait around for courts to act. I would like to have the house take action and have a process'

McCarthy would only need a simple majority to refer the measure to the Ethics Committee - and would spare his members the choice between voting to table the resolution or voting to expel him before the ethics investigation is done. 

After the Ethics Committee, acts the full House would vote to expel him.  

If the House were to expel Santos it would lead to a special election in New York's third district, where President Biden won by eight points in 2020. 

Republicans would also be down one vote at least until the seat is filled - a vote they can't afford to lose with their slim five-seat majority. 

House Democrats are introducing a resolution to to expel disgraced GOP Rep. George Santos after he was indicted on a string of offenses including money laundering, wire fraud and making false statements during his campaign

The motion, introduced by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., requires a two-thirds majority vote in the House - meaning around 70 Republicans would have to get on board

He appeared in court last Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to the 13 charges and was freed on $500,000 bail in a pivotal moment in his career, just four months after he was sworn in. 

Santos signaled he won't resign, will still run for reelection and asked why President Biden's family wasn't being investigated by the Department of Justice. 

Prosecutors have accused him of using donor funds to buy designer clothes and pay off personal debts and for applying for COVID unemployment benefits while running for Congress and making $125,000 a year.

They have also accused him of lying on financial disclosure forms he filed to the House when he became a candidate by overstating his income from one job and failing to disclose income from another. He also allegedly lied about his earnings from his company, Devolder Organization.  

He will appear in court again on June 30 and was also made to surrender his passport.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has signaled he will not back Santos' reelection bid but stopped short of calling for him to resign. 

He noted that Sen. Bob Menendez remained in office after being indicted on bribery charges.