The House Ethics Committee has begun an investigation into Rep. George Santos (R-New York). (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation last week into embattled Rep. George Santos (R-New York). The investigation is looking into several issues related to his 20222 congressional campaign.
Leah Walker, director of the Walker Institute of Politics and host of KSL at Night, joined Dave and Dujanovic with hosts Dave Noriega and Debbie Dujanovic on Monday to discuss what the committee is looking into.
Dujanovic points out the House Ethics Committee can only investigate Santos for anything that may have taken place after he was sworn into office. Anything before then is off limits to the comittee.
Dujanovic asked, “What could possibly come of this House Ethics Committee investigation?”
“So they are not known for aggressively pursuing,” Murray said. “…. Like prosecutors? They’re not really got that power. Secondly, House members are usually reluctant to go after their sitting colleagues.”
Murray says the committee isn’t going to find Santos guilty because it isn’t a jury. However, it could go to House leadership and tell them he’s in clear violation. She says the House could then remove him from the chamber.
Murray says House members have been removed in the past. However, it was challenged in the Supreme Court, which ruled that House members can’t be removed because the voters picked them.
“So, what you need is for at some point, George Santos to decide to quit if that makes sense,” she said.
“But the guy serves a two-year term,” Dujanovic said. “It feels like we’re literally four years into his two-year term.”
Dave & Dujanovic can be heard on weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon.
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