True, it appears that Santos is a liar who cheated campaign donors out of thousands of dollars so he could fund a tacky, degenerate lifestyle buying luxury clothes and subscribing to online pornography. (Yes, Santos paid for something that is free, but I’m not defending him as a genius.) He’s been charged with serious crimes, and he’s probably someone I’d never let near my kids or borrow a ten-spot. But he hasn’t been convicted of anything. And Republicans, with a 14-seat majority, are in no position to be shedding votes. What’s the rush? Santos is up for reelection in a year anyway. Until then, why not just hold off on any votes related to OnlyFans?
It’s a pretty well-attested principle of conservativism that you can’t charge an office-holder, a future office-holder, or someone standing as candidate for office. Expelling him from Congress is the only way he can be charged, so of course that had to happen first.
I mean, otherwise it’s a perfect circle of legal immunity, right? Can’t expel a politician who hasn’t been convicted; can’t convict a politician who hasn’t been expelled.