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INTERESTED PARTIES MEMORANDUM
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To: Interested Parties
From: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Date: 5/17/2023
RE: The False Narrative of Republicans Referring George Santos to the Ethics Committee
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Following the 13-count indictment of Congressman George Santos, House Democrats introduced a resolution to expel him from Congress. As Chairwoman Suzan DelBene said, “It’s past time for New Yorkers to have the honest representation they deserve. Now is the time for Members of Congress to demonstrate where they stand and expel George Santos from Congress.”
But we already know that vulnerable Republicans are too weak and unwilling to stand up to the extremists in their party. That’s why they are attempting to hide behind referring the matter to the Ethics Committee Investigative Subcommittee (ISC).
Let’s be clear: these types of investigations take, on average, 624 days or roughly two years to complete… in other words, after the 2024 election. Precedent has also shown that the Department of Justice will request ISC to slow down and possibly even halt their investigation into an indicted member. There is also no means for ISC to ‘accelerate’ an investigation at the request of a party leader, despite the empty rhetoric and false assertions from McCarthy and GOP leadership. Put simply, a motion to refer expulsion to the Ethics Committee only serves to protect George Santos for the remainder of his term.
Long Islanders deserve honest representation and a Congressperson who doesn’t perpetuate fraud on their constituents – and the DCCC will make sure that any Republican who votes to push this under the rug by referring it to the Ethics Committee ISC is held accountable.
Below is a summary of the timelines of previous House Ethics Committee’s impaneled Investigative Subcommittees (ISCs) over the past 5 Congresses (117th to the 113th) – excluding members who resigned, lost an election, or were convicted while in office.
On average, these investigations took 624 days, or nearly two years.
- Delegate San Nicolas – opened March 11, 2020, closed June 24, 2022 – 835 days
- Rep. Matt Gaetz – opened on June 28, 2019, closed August 21, 2020 – 420 days
- Rep. David Schweikert – opened June 28, 2018, closed July 30, 2020 – 763 days
- Rep. Don Young – opened February 26, 2013, closed June 20, 2014 – 479 days
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