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Congressman George Santos (R-N.Y.) has declared he will not resign his Congressional seat despite facing a potential expulsion vote in the House this week.

Santos is confronting a third expulsion attempt initiated by Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), who introduced a resolution for a vote on the matter. The New York congressman is embroiled in accusations of campaign finance violations, fraud, and ethical breaches, leading to 23 criminal charges against him.

In a defiant stance on the House floor, Santos contended that his expulsion would break the precedent set by previous House expulsions, which only occurred after criminal convictions. He challenged the notion of expulsion without a trial, questioning, “Are we to now assume that one is no longer innocent until proven guilty?”

Earlier, Santos had urged his colleagues to follow through with their decision, telling them to “put up or shut up.” He expressed concerns that his expulsion could set a dangerous new precedent, potentially leading to more frequent expulsions in the House. Despite surviving two prior expulsion votes, his support appears to be waning, especially after the House Ethics Committee’s recent report found “substantial evidence” of his misconduct.

Santos, set to stand trial in September 2024, recently acknowledged that expulsion seems likely based on his calculations. Santos also announced that he will not seek reelection, focusing instead on the upcoming trial and the current challenges in Congress.