[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 28, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5930-H5931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NOTICE OF INTENTION TO OFFER RESOLUTION RAISING A QUESTION OF THE 
                        PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE

  Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I 
rise to give notice of my intention to raise a question of the 
privileges of the House.
  The form of the resolution is as follows:
  H. Res. 878 submitted by Mr. Guest, providing for the expulsion of 
Representative George Santos from the United States House of 
Representatives.
  Whereas, Representative George Santos is a Member of the United 
States House of Representatives;
  Whereas, soon after his election in November of 2022, Representative 
Santos' background came under public scrutiny;
  Whereas, on February 28, 2023, the Committee on Ethics of the House 
unanimously voted to impanel an investigative subcommittee (hereinafter 
in this resolution referred to as the ``ISC'') to review whether 
Representative Santos may have 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 engaged in sexual misconduct toward 
an individual seeking employment in his congressional office;
  Whereas, the ISC met nine times and, over the course of the 
investigation, authorized 37 subpoenas and 43 voluntary requests for 
information (RFIs) leading to its receipt of over 172,000 pages of 
documents, contacted or interviewed over 40 witnesses, and reviewed 
materials received from the Office of Congressional Ethics and relevant 
court records;
  Whereas, the ISC determined in its investigation that there was 
substantial evidence of violations of Federal law, the rules of the 
House, and other applicable standards related to many of the 
allegations charged in the indictment and substantial evidence of 
additional unlawful and unethical contact not charged in the 
indictment;
  Whereas, these additional violations relate to falsely reported loans 
reportedly received by his 2020 campaign and

[[Page H5931]]

leadership political action committee, GADS PAC, improper loan 
repayments to himself, systemic reporting errors in his 2020 and 2022 
campaigns' Federal Election Commission filings, and substantial 
evidence that campaign funds were converted to personal use;
  Whereas, the ISC also identified additional errors and omissions in 
his 2020 and 2022 Financial Disclosure Statements, as well as 
violations of Federal law and the rules of the House related to his 
unfiled 2021 and 2023 Financial Disclosure Statements, which were not 
charged in the indictment;
  Whereas, the ISC also found that Representative Santos failed to meet 
his duty of candor with respect to the ISC's investigation and instead 
presented the ISC with misrepresentations and delay tactics;
  Whereas, on May 10, 2023, Representative Santos was charged in 
Federal court in the Eastern District of New York with wire fraud in 
connection with a fraudulent political contribution scheme, unlawful 
monetary transactions in connection with the wire fraud allegations, 
theft of public money in connection with his alleged receipt of 
unemployment benefits, fraudulent application for and receipt of 
unemployment benefits, and false statements in connection with his 2020 
and 2022 House of Representatives Financial Disclosure Statements;
  Whereas, Nancy Marks, who served as treasurer to Representative 
Santos' campaign, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 
falsifying records, and identity theft in connection with the Santos 
campaign;
  Whereas, a superseding indictment was filed on October 10, 2023, 
charging Representative Santos with additional violations related to 
his 2022 campaign, including allegations of falsifying Federal Election 
Commission reports in connection with a $500,000 personal loan that was 
never made, falsifying the names of contributors to his campaign, 
engaging in aggravated identity theft and access device fraud, and 
enriching himself through a fraudulent contribution scheme;
  Whereas, Sam Miele, who served as a fundraiser to Representative 
Santos' campaign, pleaded guilty to a Federal wire fraud charge after 
impersonating a senior congressional aide for the purposes of 
soliciting funds;
  Whereas, the ISC that was established to review the allegations 
against Representative Santos adopted a report of its findings and 
submitted the report to the full committee;
  Whereas, the Committee on Ethics of the House unanimously voted to 
adopt the ISC report based upon the investigation providing substantial 
evidence that Representative Santos--
  One, knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or 
incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission, used campaign 
funds for personal purposes, engaged in fraudulent conduct in 
connection with Redstone Strategies, LLC, and engaged in knowing and 
willful violations of the Ethics in Government Act as it relates to his 
Financial Disclosure Statements filed with the House;

  Two, was a knowing and active participant in the wrongdoing; and
  Three, was given an opportunity, pursuant to committee rule 17(b), to 
submit a signed written statement responding to the allegations raised 
in a complaint filed by his fellow Members but did not do so;
  Whereas, the ISC--
  One, requested that Representative Santos provide all documents and 
information responsive to its request for information, but he did not 
do so;
  Two, asked Representative Santos to voluntarily testify, but he did 
not do so, and
  Three, provided Representative Santos the opportunity pursuant to 
committee rule 19(b)(3) to provide a statement under oath, but he did 
not do so;
  Whereas, as a Member of the United States House of Representatives, 
Representative Santos must be held accountable to the highest standards 
of conduct in order to safeguard the public's faith in this 
institution;
  Whereas, the Constitution of the United States of America charges the 
House with policing the behavior of its own Members, and the House 
should take action against Representative Santos commensurate with his 
violations of Federal law and the rules of the House, and
  Whereas, given his egregious violations, Representative George Santos 
is not fit to serve as a Member of the United States House of 
Representatives.
  Now, therefore, be it resolved that pursuant to Article I, Section 5, 
Clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States of America, 
Representative George Santos, be, and he hereby is expelled from the 
United States House of Representatives.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Yakym). Under rule IX, a resolution 
offered from the floor by a Member other than the majority leader or 
the minority leader as a question of the privileges of the House has 
immediate precedence only at a time designated by the Chair within 2 
legislative days after the resolution is properly noticed.
  Pending that designation, the form of the resolution noticed by the 
gentleman from New York will appear in the Record at this point.
  The Chair will not at this point determine whether the resolution 
constitutes a question of privilege. That determination will be made at 
the time designated for consideration of the resolution.

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