Rutherford Statement on Vote to Expel George Santos from Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Rutherford (FL-05) released the following statement on the House’s decision to expel Rep. George Santos (NY-03) from Congress with a bipartisan vote of 311 to 114:

“I have dedicated my life to law and order. I took a sworn oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution, and as a member of the House Ethics Committee, I am charged with the responsibility to hold all members of the House to the highest ethical standards, House Rules, and the rule of law.

“On February 28, 2023, the Ethics Committee’s Investigative Subcommittee (ISC) launched an investigation into Rep. George Santos. After a thorough and complete investigation, the ISC, on which I served, released our findings with a unanimous conclusion that substantial evidence showed that Rep. Santos knowingly and repeatedly violated federal laws and House Rules, including filing false and incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission, misusing campaign funds for personal purposes, engaging in fraudulent conduct in connection with RedStone Strategies LLC, and violating the Ethics in Government Act as it relates to his Financial Disclosure Statements filed with the House. The ISC found Rep. Santos’s conduct to be beneath the dignity of the office and to have brought severe discredit upon the House.

"For this reason, I voted for H. Res. 878 to expel Rep. Santos from the U.S. House of Representatives. I believe we have a duty and a responsibility to the American public to uphold the integrity of this institution and hold a rulebreaker accountable. Rep. Santos is entitled to due process in his criminal prosecution and will have his day in court. As a Member of the House, however, he must be held accountable to the highest standards of conduct in order to safeguard the public's faith in this institution. The Constitution charges the House with policing the behavior of its own Members, and the House should take whatever action it deems appropriate in light of the ISC's findings."

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