Congressman McClintock Opposed Expulsion Of Santos
Washington, DC — The US House voted 311 to 114 to expel George Santos from Congress.
The Republican Representative from New York came under fire in a House Ethics Committee Report two weeks ago stating there is “substantial evidence” that he broke the law on various occasions related to allegations like money laundering and falsifying campaign finance reports.
Most Democrats voted in favor of expulsion this morning, along with 105 Republicans, to reach the 2/3 majority required. Two Democrats and 112 Republicans voted against the measure, including Mother Lode representative Tom McClintock.
He states that while he condemns the actions of Santos, the expulsion vote creates new precedents, and the decision should be made by voters of his district.
McClintock’s full statement is below:
“This resolution substantially broadens the grounds for expulsion that the House has observed for nearly 2 ½ centuries. I do not condone the conduct that is alleged. Indeed, I condemn it. After all I have read about Mr. Santos, I feel a little like Thaddeus Stevens when he was asked if there was anything Simon Cameron wouldn’t steal. He said, “I don’t think he would steal a red hot stove.” When Cameron objected, Stevens gladly withdrew the remark.
The power of expulsion negates the right of the people to choose the representative they most want to speak for them in Congress. Such an extreme power should be used with extreme care. Until now, the precedent for expulsion has been limited to acts of disloyalty (joining the confederacy) and conviction of serious crimes involving the office. Santos has been charged with such crimes, but has not been convicted. Although Congress is not required to wait for a verdict, I believe it should. Trial by a jury of one’s peers is an essential element of our jurisprudence, and a congressional committee, buffeted by partisanship, political pressures and personal relationships is a poor substitute.
Given the heightened political passions that are afoot these days, I think we should resist expanding the traditional grounds for expulsion and trust our justice system and our citizens to resolve the issue, as surely they will.”
