WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman John Duarte (CA-13) issued the following statement regarding his decision to vote to expel Representative George Santos from the United States House of Representatives.
“After careful consideration of the Ethics report concerning Representative Santos’ conduct on the campaign trail, I have decided to vote in favor of his expulsion from the United States House of Representatives,” said Rep. Duarte.
The 56-page Ethics report came after a diligent 9-month investigation by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee which unanimously found substantial evidence that Representative Santos knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission, used campaign funds for personal purposes, and engaged in fraudulent financial conduct, placing him in direct violation of federal criminal law.
“Failing to expel George Santos after the findings of the Ethics Committee would set a concerning precedent. It would suggest that the highest representative body in the country tolerates fraudulent behavior and disregards the genuine findings and recommendations of the institutional bodies we have established to prevent such abuses of power.”
