Convenience Big Store: Texans play key role in George Santos expulsion

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End of the line

"It had to be done," U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar said of expelling George Santos from Congress on Friday.

Of all the crazy stories the Republican from New York made up about his past and his wild spending on lavish gifts for himself, Escobar said ultimately the most damning part of it all was that he stole from his constituents and donors in an act of "brazen theft."

Escobar, an El Paso Democrat, is a member of the bipartisan House Ethics Committee, which produced a report that ultimately led to Friday's 311-114 vote to expel Santos from Congress.

While the vote to expel Santos was bipartisan, 17 Texas Republicans voted against it with U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, of Fort Bend County, making an impassioned plea to his colleagues to let Santos stay because while he has been indicted, he has yet to be convicted of any crimes.

"I do not, and have not, and will not support the removal of Rep. Santos and I encourage my colleagues to agree," Nehls said.

Other Texas Republicans took a very different approach. U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, said "the ethics violations were crystal clear and pretty serious." He said taxpayers shouldn't be on the hook for paying Santos's salary given the revelations.

While most Democrats voted to expel Santos, U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, wasn't among them. Green voted present and later warned in a speech about the precedent the vote would set in making it easier to expel other members of Congress.

"I think that at some point in the future, we're going to see the error of our ways," Green said. "This decision is going to haunt us."

Jeremy Wallace, Texas politics reporter

jeremy.wallace@houstonchronicle.com

Who's up, who's down

Up: Sandra Day O'Connor.

It is hard to understate how important the El Paso native was to the future of the American judicial system. It's not just that she was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court. The entire federal justice system had less than 50 women among some 500 judges when she was appointed. She undoubtedly paved the way for today's more diverse federal judicial system. O'Connor died on Friday in Phoenix at the age of 93.

Down: Greg Abbott.

A federal court on Friday rejected the Republican governor's appeal of a lower ruling that requires Abbott to move the 1,000-foot buoy barrier in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass out of the middle of the river and to the shoreline.

What do you think? Hit reply and let me know.

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Pick of the day

Jeremy Wallace and Scott Braddock talk all things Texas politics on the Texas Take podcast, released every Friday.

Photo by: Nadya Hassan

We are back with a new episode of the Texas Take podcast where Scott Braddock and I break down why the Texas House killed a school voucher plan and why Gov. Greg Abbott's endorsement of Trump is maybe more important for Abbott than Trump.

What else I'm reading

Lawsuits based on false claims about voting equipment could delay millions of dollars in cost of living increases for retired teachers expected to arrive in January. The lawsuits also threaten to hold up state property tax cuts for homeowners. The Texas Tribune reports voters widely approved both policies this fall but because the lawsuit challenges the validity of voting machines used, it is preventing the state from certifying the results.