WASHINGTON — Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres plans to introduce a resolution Monday to censure embattled New York Republican Representative George Santos for his misleading comments about his education, work history and family background during his successful campaign for Congress in 2022, said a spokesperson.
Torres’ resolution, also from New York, will be favored, meaning the Republican-controlled House must act on it. Once Torres calls for a vote on the measure, it must be voted on or “tabled” (which effectively kills it) within 48 hours.
The resolution comes after federal prosecutors indict Santos and as the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into him drags on. Democrats are eager to inflict some sort of punishment on Santos before the August recess.
Torres spokesman Jacob Long said the hope was that the resolution could be put to a vote before members leave Washington in late July – unless the House Ethics Committee concludes its investigate Santos and won’t reveal his recommendation until then.
The New York Times first reported on Torres’ plans to introduce the resolution.
Democrats had introduced another favored resolution in May to oust Santos from the chamber, but Republicans successfully referred the matter to the ethics committee. New York Republicans who have criticized Santos and called for his resignation supported the dismissal on the understanding that the panel would act within 60 days, by Monday.
Rep. Nick LaLota, RN.Y., who represents the neighboring district of Santos, said at the time that he would have “preferred there had been enough votes to evict the sociopathic con man,” but that he thought that the ethics committee should act. “within 60 days and that the terrible liar is gone, by resignation or expulsion, before the August holidays.”
The ethics committee declined to comment.
Santos pleaded not guilty to the 13 federal charges against him, including wire fraud and money laundering. A trial date has not been set. His next court hearing is scheduled for September 7.
Votes of no confidence are rare in Congress but carry no serious penalty other than the stain of censure on a member’s record. House Republicans recently censured Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, for his role in investigating the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia. Democrats were highly critical of the vote at the time, and Schiff has raised millions since then.
While an expulsion vote requires two-thirds of the House to pass, a vote of no confidence only requires a simple majority.
In a statement to NBC News, Santos hammered home Democrats’ attempts to introduce the no-confidence resolution.
“The Democrats across the aisle have completely lost sight of the job they should be doing,” he said. “My record proves that my office is working hard, serving constituents and crafting relevant legislation. The Republican majority is also working hard to get the country back on track and clean up the mess left by the destructive one-party regime. Democrat. It’s time to stop the political ping-pong and do some real work.”
CORRECTION (July 17, 2023, 3:59 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misrepresented the year of Santos’ successful congressional campaign. It was in 2022, not 2020.
This article originally appeared on NBCNews.com