House Republicans on Wednesday dodged Democrats’ energy play to drive a vote on expelling disgraced Rep. George Santos from Congress, sending the decision as a substitute to the Ethics Committee.

The GOP movement to jettison the decision to the House Ethics Committee handed in a party-line 220-204 vote.

The privileged decision for expulsion was launched Tuesday by Rep. Robert Garcia, California Democrat, forcing GOP leaders to deliver the measure to the ground for a vote. The movement to ship it to the Ethics panel succeeded in avoiding the vote, which might have put Republicans on the spot to assist Mr. Santos to guard their skinny majority within the chamber.

The Ethics Committee is already investigating Mr. Santos, a Republican who was revealed to have lied about most of his life story — together with having Jewish heritage — to get elected in final 12 months his district on New York’s Long Island.

Mr. Garcia known as Mr. McCarthy’s transfer “a cop-out.” 

“This is already in the Ethics Committee,” he stated earlier than the vote. “We want an actual vote on the expulsion.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, stated Tuesday that he needed the Ethics panel to take care of Mr. Santos’ scenario as swiftly as doable as a substitute of leaving it to members to expel Mr. Santos from Congress.

Mr. McCarthy has stated he is not going to assist Mr. Santos’ re-election.

Mr. Santos was charged in New York final week with 13 counts of fraud and money-laundering crimes associated to marketing campaign donations. He pleaded not responsible. He is predicted in court docket once more on June 30.

The embattled congressman known as the costs towards him a “witch hunt.” He has stated is not going to resign from workplace, regardless of calls to take action from GOP lawmakers within the New York delegation.

Rep. Dan Goldman, a New York Democrat and a former federal prosecutor, stated the Ethics Committee seemingly gained’t act till the federal felony case runs its course.

“Prosecutors are going to ask the Ethics Committee to pause and let their prosecution go first,” Mr. Goldman stated. “That’s what I did for 10 years, that is the nature of how these things work. And traditionally, the Ethics Committee will defer to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution and Kevin McCarthy knows that.”

He accused Republicans of sidestepping their accountability to go on file about the place they stand on Mr. Santos.

“By supporting a cop-out redundant motion, they’re avoiding responsibility to make hard votes in Congress,” he stated.

In March, the Ethics Committee launched a probe to find out if Mr. Santos “engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign; failed to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House; violated federal conflict of interest laws in connection with his role in a firm providing fiduciary services; and/or engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual seeking employment in his congressional office.”

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