2023 Fitzpatrick Voted To Expel Rep. George Santos From The House.
In December 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick
voted for "the resolution that would expel Rep. Santos, R-N.Y., from the
House of Representatives." The vote was on the adoption of the
resolution. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 311 to 114.
[House Vote 691,
11/1/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/1/23;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
878]
Previous Efforts To Expel Rep. Santos Failed Due To A Lack Of A
Conviction. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Santos survived
two previous pushes to expel him, relying on an argument that he had
not been convicted and that due process was required. But the third
time was the charm for detractors who said there was enough
information to show he brought too much dishonor onto the chamber to
remain in office." [Congressional Quarterly,
12/1/23]
Expulsion Of Rep. Santos Was Called For As A Result Of Lies About
Employment, False Financial Disclosures, And criminal Charges.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "the resolution calls Santos
to task for lying about his employment, filing false financial
disclosure reports with the House and for the numerous criminal
charges Santos faces. [...] Prosecutors say Santos filed
fraudulent fundraising reports, repeatedly charged donors' credit
cards without their permission, defrauded supporters by having them
give money to a company under the guise that it would go to his
campaign, when Santos spent thousands of those dollars on luxury
designer clothes and other personal expenses. The 23 criminal counts
also include a charge that he fraudulently obtained more than
$24,000 in unemployment benefits and lied on his House financial
disclosure statements." [Congressional Quarterly,
10/26/23]
Congressman Santos Was Indicted On 13 Federal Criminal Charges,
Including Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Public Fund Theft, And
Making False Statements, And He Voted To Refer The Resolution To The
Ethics Panel. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Santos was
indicted last week on 13 federal criminal charges, including wire
fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false
statements to the House. He voted along with the rest of his party
to refer the expulsion resolution to Ethics." [Congressional
Quarterly, 5/17/23]
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Originally Said That Congressman
Santos Had The Right To Serve While His Indictment Cases Play Out
But Would Ask Him To Resign If Convicted. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "When the charges were first announced,
McCarthy said Santos has a right to serve while the Justice
Department case against him plays out --- as other past members who
were indicted have --- but that he would ask him to resign if he
were convicted." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Said He Wanted The Ethics Committee
To Move Quickly On The Expulsion Resolution Before The Justice
Department Case Was Resolved. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Now McCarthy said he wants the Ethics Committee, which
has the authority to recommend expulsion or other actions be taken
against Santos, to move 'quickly,' ideally before the Justice
Department case is resolved." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]
2023 Fitzpatrick Voted To Expel Rep. George Santos From The House.
In November 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick
voted for "the resolution that would expel Rep. Santos, R-N.Y., from the
House of Representatives." The vote was on the adoption of the
resolution. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 179 to 213.
[House Vote 564,
11/1/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 11/1/23;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
773]
Expulsion Of Rep. Santos Was Called For As A Result Of Lies About
Employment, False Financial Disclosures, And criminal Charges.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "the resolution calls Santos
to task for lying about his employment, filing false financial
disclosure reports with the House and for the numerous criminal
charges Santos faces. [...] Prosecutors say Santos filed
fraudulent fundraising reports, repeatedly charged donors' credit
cards without their permission, defrauded supporters by having them
give money to a company under the guise that it would go to his
campaign, when Santos spent thousands of those dollars on luxury
designer clothes and other personal expenses. The 23 criminal counts
also include a charge that he fraudulently obtained more than
$24,000 in unemployment benefits and lied on his House financial
disclosure statements." [Congressional Quarterly,
10/26/23]
Congressman Santos Was Indicted On 13 Federal Criminal Charges,
Including Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Public Fund Theft, And
Making False Statements, And He Voted To Refer The Resolution To The
Ethics Panel. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Santos was
indicted last week on 13 federal criminal charges, including wire
fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false
statements to the House. He voted along with the rest of his party
to refer the expulsion resolution to Ethics." [Congressional
Quarterly, 5/17/23]
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Originally Said That Congressman
Santos Had The Right To Serve While His Indictment Cases Play Out
But Would Ask Him To Resign If Convicted. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "When the charges were first announced,
McCarthy said Santos has a right to serve while the Justice
Department case against him plays out --- as other past members who
were indicted have --- but that he would ask him to resign if he
were convicted." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Said He Wanted The Ethics Committee
To Move Quickly On The Expulsion Resolution Before The Justice
Department Case Was Resolved. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Now McCarthy said he wants the Ethics Committee, which
has the authority to recommend expulsion or other actions be taken
against Santos, to move 'quickly,' ideally before the Justice
Department case is resolved." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]
2023: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Directly Expelling
Representative George Santos From The House Of Representatives. In May
2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the
"motion to refer the resolution to the House Ethics Committee. The
resolution would expel Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., from the House of
Representatives." The vote was on a motion to refer. The House agreed to
the motion by a vote of 221 to 204, thus the resolution was referred to
the House Ethics Committee. [House Vote 217,
5/17/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/17/23;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
114]
The Motion Referred The Expulsion Resolution To A Panel Instead Of
The House Holding A Direct Vote On The Resolution. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "In a 221-204 party-line vote, House
Republicans supported Speaker Kevin McCarthy's decision to refer the
expulsion resolution (H Res 114) to the committee instead of holding
a direct vote on the matter." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]
Congressman Santos Was Indicted On 13 Federal Criminal Charges,
Including Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Public Fund Theft, And
Making False Statements, And He Voted To Refer The Resolution To The
Ethics Panel. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Santos was
indicted last week on 13 federal criminal charges, including wire
fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false
statements to the House. He voted along with the rest of his party
to refer the expulsion resolution to Ethics." [Congressional
Quarterly, 5/17/23]
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Originally Said That Congressman
Santos Had The Right To Serve While His Indictment Cases Play Out
But Would Ask Him To Resign If Convicted. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "When the charges were first announced,
McCarthy said Santos has a right to serve while the Justice
Department case against him plays out --- as other past members who
were indicted have --- but that he would ask him to resign if he
were convicted." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Said He Wanted The Ethics Committee
To Move Quickly On The Expulsion Resolution Before The Justice
Department Case Were Resolved. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Now McCarthy said he wants the Ethics Committee, which
has the authority to recommend expulsion or other actions be taken
against Santos, to move 'quickly,' ideally before the Justice
Department case is resolved." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]
The Ethics Committee Would Investigate Santos' Alleged Illegal
Campaign Activities, Failures To Disclose Financial Information Or
Violation To Conflicts Of Interest Laws As Well As Sexual Misconduct
Towards A Person Who Was Seeking Employment In His Congressional
Office. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The committee said
it would be investigating whether Santos engaged in unlawful
campaign activity, failed to disclose required financial information
or violated federal conflict of interest laws --- matters the
Justice Department also investigated. But the Ethics Committee is
also investigating an allegation that Santos engaged in sexual
misconduct towards an individual seeking employment in his
congressional office, which goes beyond the scope of the DOJ probe."
[Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]
Typically, The Ethics Committee Would Pause Investigations If The
Justice Department Were Investigating A Member Until Proceedings
Were Finished, So The Ethics Committee Moving Forward With The
Resolution Would Disrupt Precedent. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Typically if the Justice Department is investigating a
member the Ethics Committee would pause its own investigation until
those proceedings conclude. McCarthy asking the Ethics Committee to
move ahead of DOJ would flout that precedent, but he's admitted the
decision is up to the committee." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/17/23]