US--Congress-Santos-Fallout            12/02 06:55

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House is making history this year in ways that 
Republicans could hardly have envisioned when the party took control.

   First, the Republicans voted to oust their speaker, Kevin McCarthy, and on 
Friday they voted to get rid of one of their own, indicted GOP Rep. George 
Santos of New York.

   Never before had a House majority voted to evict its speaker, and not since 
the Civil War had the chamber voted to expel a member who was charged but not 
yet convicted of a crime.

   The result has been a dizzying 11 months in a House majority riven by 
infighting, chiseling away at the powers of Congress and taking its toll on the 
actual business of governing.

   As the year comes to a close, the arc of power for House Republicans is at 
an inflection point, a new era of performance politics and chaotic governing 
that shows no signs of easing.

   "Is it messy? Yeah, sure," said Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, among the New 
Yorkers who led the ouster of Santos. "But when you're actually governing in a 
democratic republic, it can be messy."

   In many ways, Santos is a product and practitioner of a new way of 
governing, a system that rewards big personalities who rise to prominence with 
charismatic if often extreme public personas rather than the quieter work that 
governs the nation.

   Instead of shying from the exposure, Santos, who is accused of fabricating 
much of his life story, embraced his moment in history, another segment of his 
celebrity run in Congress.

   Ahead of voting, Santos convened a lively press conference on the Capitol 
steps, breezily answering questions about his future (he did not plan to seek 
reelection) and whether his shoes were purchased illegally with campaign funds 
(he said they were several years old).

   He defended himself against the "bullying" and decried the "smear" against 
him.

   "This is my battle," Santos said before a crush of cameras, acknowledging he 
would have done "a lot" of things differently.

   Santos doubled down on his own personal narrative, not as the fraudster he 
is charged with being, but as the representative of the New Yorkers who sent 
him to Congress and who, he argued, are the ones who should decide whether or 
not to remove him.

   "I came in here as a mad-as-hell activist who was just disenfranchised," he 
said. "I leave here, no regrets."

   His quick ascent in politics as an outsider modeled partly after Donald 
Trump is reflective of this postmodern political era, and the power of a single 
lawmaker to become famous for being famous.

   Santos joined a diverse class of younger freshmen lawmakers who were 
changing the face of the GOP. His celebrity status only rose after the 
outrageous embellishments he made about his background, his experience, even 
his family heritage came to light.

   Essentially, the bulk of the Santos life story appears to have been made up. 
A scathing House Ethics report found "overwhelming evidence" of lawbreaking by 
Santos, including questionable campaign expenditures on items like Botox. He 
has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he duped donors.

   His swift downfall shows the GOP's willingness to turn on its own, 
particularly when it is politically expedient, even at the risk of losing 
another dependable vote from their slim majority that now teeters amid 
retirements.

   But Republicans split over ousting Santos just as they did earlier in 
October over McCarthy's removal as speaker.

   "One was a mistake and one was righteous and necessary," said Rep. Nick 
LaLota, R-N.Y., about the two votes. "What we did today was righteous and 
necessary if we are going to claim the mantle of being the party of 
accountability."

   But Trump ally Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who orchestrated McCarthy's 
ouster as speaker, led a wing of Republicans defending Santos' right to his day 
in court.

   The roll call became a test for the new Speaker Mike Johnson, who told 
lawmakers they should vote their conscience, as leaders do to signal there is 
no preferred party position.

   There was a moment during the two days of debate when it seemed as if Santos 
might be able to hang on. But in the end, even the supportive votes from 
leadership were not enough, and more than the two-thirds required tally in the 
House voted to expel him.

   Time is slipping for other year-end business in Congress, including passage 
of the annual spending bills needed to prevent a government shutdown. The risk 
of shutdowns has hovered all year and the next deadline for funding is Jan. 19.

   Johnson told lawmakers they would next soon turn to a vote to formally 
authorize the impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden over the business 
dealings of his son, Hunter.

   A vote could come as soon as next week, but it's uncertain that the House, 
now down a Republican member, will have enough votes for that next priority, 
historic impeachment proceedings.

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