Rep. George Santos has support of new Speaker Mike Johnson in expulsion fight — for now

Rep. George Santos has the support of newly minted Republican Speaker Mike Johnson in his fight to avoid being booted from the House of Representatives — for now.

The embattled Long Island congressman will continue to have the backing of GOP leaders until he is convicted of crimes for his campaign of lies and alleged fraud, the new speaker said.

“George Santos is due due process (and) we have to allow due process to play out,” Johnson told Fox News host Sean Hannity late Thursday. “If we’re gonna expel someone from Congress just because they’re … accused, that’s a problem.”

Johnson sought to tie the question of expelling Santos to the narrow Republican edge in the House: “We have no margin for error.”

That sets up a potential clash with fellow Republicans who are pushing for Santos to be expelled in a vote that should take place by Wednesday.

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., who represents a neighboring Long Island district, said Johnson told him behind closed doors that he and other proponents of ousting Santos should vote their conscience.

“He told me to do what’s right for your district,” D’Esposito said.

Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., another expulsion backer, predicted the expulsion effort could win the needed two-thirds majority in the House, although that seems unlikely if Johnson actively opposes it as he suggested he would.

“There seems to be a good sentiment out there that enough is enough,” LaLota said.

Santos says he’s innoccent of all charges against him and vows to fight to stay in Congress. He faces an arraignment today on a superseding indictment accusing him of additional campaign finance and fraud charges.

Last spring, Republican critics of Santos launched a similar effort to expel him.

But they caved after ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy pushed to hand the Santos case to the House ethics committee for a probe. So far nothing has come of that investigation, leading the GOP critics to press for a new expulsion effort.