GOP Rep. Burchett condemns Santos ouster without legal conviction

Republican Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett on Friday expressed frustration that the House of Representatives would expel now-former New York Republican Rep. George Santos from the chamber without a legal conviction first.

"George Santos hasn’t been convicted of anything ... And in America, we’re still innocent until proven guilty," he said on "The Hill on NewsNation."

The lower chamber voted 311-214 to expel Santos after the House Ethics Committee published a report accusing him of a litany of wrongdoings. He has pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges but has not been convicted of any thus far.

Burchett further highlighted other members of the House who had been accused of significant malfeasance.

"We have one Congress member who has had at least an ongoing relation for quite some time with a Chinese communist spy, that’s been documented. You have one that’s possibly violated a immigration laws, you have one that’s called a fire alarm, which at least in Tennessee, that’s a pretty serious violation," he continued. "And we’re not talking about kicking those people out."

His remarks appear to refer to California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell and New York Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman. Swalwell has long faced allegations of maintaining a relationship with suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang. Bowman, meanwhile, recently admitted to pulling a fire alarm  in September, agreeing to a $1,000 fine and write an apology to the Capitol Police.

Prior to his removal, Santos filed a resolution to expel Bowman.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.