Democrats in the House of Representatives hope to censure George Santos

It can be difficult to keep up with U.S. Rep. George Santos’ long list of falsehoods. For seven months, state Republicans and Democrats alike have called for his resignation from Congress while major conservative groups vowed not to work with him at all.

Although it might seem that the walls are closing in on the freshman 34-year-old congressman, Santos, who has admitted to being a “terrible liar,” continues to add to his saga of political and social controversies. Although he has little support from fellow Republicans, he still refuses to resign from his House seat and plans to run for re-election next year.

Congressional campaign records show that financing his campaign has proven to be a challenge. Santos has raised a meager $138,000 over the past three months, only to reportedly use $85,000 of it to help repay hundreds of thousands of dollars he lent himself to get elected in 2022. Before last year’s election, Santos reported having just $55,000 cash on hand.

No law prevents Santos from remaining in Congress while fighting criminal fraud and money laundering charges, but Reps. Ritchie Torres, Robert Garcia and Dan Goldman announced plans to introduce a resolution to censure Santos for his misleading comments about his education, work history and family background during his campaign for Congress in 2022. A censure is essentially a formal public reprimand by the House to punish misconduct that falls short of warranting expulsion. The censured member typically must stand on the House floor as the resolution detailing his or her offenses is read aloud.

The resolution comes after Santos’ indictment by federal prosecutors in May, and as the House Ethics Committee’s investigation of him continues. Democrats introduced a resolution in May to expel him from the chamber, but Republicans deferred it to the Ethics Committee. Democrats intend to bring up the latest measure through an expedited process that would bypass House committees before the August recess, unless the ethics panel acts sooner.

Once Torres calls for a vote on the measure, it must be voted on or “tabled” within 48 hours. Censure votes are rare in Congress, and don’t impose a serious penalty. A censure is essentially a stain on a member’s record. House Republicans recently censured Rep. Adam Schiff for his role in the investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia in 2016.

The censure resolution comes after Santos faced backlash for comparing himself to the civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who refused to move to the back of a bus in segregated Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. Santos has said he refuses to “sit in the back” like some politicians, such as Sen. Mitt Romney, would prefer him to do, referencing Romney’s remarks in February that Santos didn’t belong in Congress, and that he should be “embarrassed” for his multitude of falsehoods.

“If they come at me, I go right back for them, because I think for far too long they’ve gotten away with gettingalong to get along,” Santos told conservative talk show host Mike Crispi on the “Unafraid” podcast. “I’m going to call them out. You want to call me a liar? I’ll call you a sellout.”

In an effort to connect with his constituents, Santos tweeted a statement that he hosted a roundtable on July 10 to discuss the issue of noise pollution in his district, and potential solutions. He offered five amendments to the FAA Reauthorization Act for Safer and Quieter Skies centered on noise abatement, the safety of airport ramp employees, and ensuring the effectiveness of taxpayer-funded systems.

“We are fortunate in New York’s Third Congressional District to be located near world-class airports,” the statement reads. “However, science and first-hand experience from my constituents show that noise pollution is actively reducing our quality of life. The constant hum and rumbling of airline exhausts just above our heads remind New Yorkers of this problem daily, yet our officials in Washington don’t seem to hear.”