In a recent development, Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who is facing mounting pressure from his New York Republican colleagues to be expelled from office, pleaded not guilty on Friday to 23 federal charges. These charges include fraud, money laundering, falsifying records, and aggravated identity theft, according to reports from the Washington Post.

The indictment against Santos, originally issued in May by prosecutors from the U.S. attorney's office in the Eastern District of New York, was followed by a superseding indictment in October, which added an additional 10 charges. Federal prosecutors have accused Santos of various financial crimes, including improperly obtaining unemployment benefits while employed and running for Congress in 2020, and misusing the credit cards of his political donors. Additionally, Santos allegedly filed false information regarding his campaign finances on federal forms.

On Friday, Santos appeared in the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Long Island, where he officially entered a not guilty plea to all charges. The case, overseen by Judge Joanna Seybert, is scheduled for trial in early September 2024, only two months prior to the general election.

Despite the mounting legal challenges, Santos has expressed his intention to complete his full term in office and seek reelection next year. However, the resolution for his expulsion introduced by five New York Republicans earlier this week further intensifies the political pressure against him. The resolution is expected to be voted upon in the coming week.

The controversy surrounding Santos began when the New York Times uncovered several falsehoods in his biography shortly after he won the swing district seat in the 2020 election. The discrepancies included misrepresented work history and education credentials. While Santos admitted to embellishing his résumé, he continued to make unverified or disproven claims regarding his background, such as being a descendant of Holocaust survivors.

The revelation of these false claims led to calls from New York Republicans for Santos to resign, which he vehemently rejected. In May, House Democrats attempted to expel Santos, but the matter was referred to the House Ethics committee by the Republican majority. With the recent federal charges, his Republican colleagues from New York have renewed their efforts to expel him.

One of the Republicans pushing for Santos's expulsion, Rep. Anthony D'Esposito (R-N.Y.), shared how he raised the matter with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). D'Esposito recounted that Johnson advised him to "do what's right for your district" after a meeting on the issue.

Responding to the resolution for expulsion, Johnson emphasized the importance of due process. He stated, "George Santos is due due process," and added that expelling members of Congress solely based on charges or accusations can present a larger problem.

Meanwhile, Santos's reelection campaign has faced fundraising challenges. In the last filing period, the campaign refunded more money than it raised. On social media, Santos initially posted ambiguous messages hinting at an "end life," but later clarified that he is not resigning and believes in the right to due process.

During a discussion on the social media platform Spaces, Santos connected his fight for innocence in federal court with the expulsion efforts against him, expressing concern about denying him due process. He criticized his colleagues, saying, "If this motion passes, I think it's a clear indication that this country has now gone down the drain."

As the legal battle unfolds, the future of Rep. George Santos's political career remains uncertain.