With the proposed censure and expulsion, House faces an agenda of recriminations

The House of Representatives, fresh from nearly a month of paralysis and Republican infighting, is entering its first legislative week back consumed by a round of partisan blame and institutional conflict.

Using the strongest tools at lawmakers’ disposal, the House will consider a trio of disciplinary actions that have divided members, mostly along partisan lines. There is a Republican-authored resolution to expel Representative George Santos, the New York Republican who has been indicted on charges of fraud, stealing public funds and identity theft.

Republicans are in the process of formally censuring Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan and the only Palestinian-American member of Congress, whom they accuse of “anti-Semitic activities.”

And Democrats want to censure Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia and sponsor of the measure against Ms. Tlaib, also accusing her of anti-Semitism and of promoting “racist rhetoric and conspiracy theories.”

All measures are “privileged” under the House rules, meaning they have a special status that requires swift action and are not subject to the power of party leaders who normally determine what legislation is considered when.

Representative Anthony D’Esposito, Republican of New York, introduced the resolution against Mr. Santos last week, which aims to impose the ultimate punishment in Congress for unethical and potentially illegal behavior. The decision came after Santos’ latest federal indictment, which includes a total of 23 charges related to financial fraud and other criminal schemes tied to his 2022 campaign.

The effort is supported by four additional New York Republicans: Reps. Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro and Brandon Williams.

“I think there are dozens of Republican votes to both dispel and override the votes that were tabled,” Mr. LaLota told reporters before the measure was introduced.

But Speaker Mike Johnson, who emerged from last week’s painful Republican feud as the party’s new leader in the House of Representatives, has said he does not support the effort to expel a fellow Republican. Doing so, he noted, would erode his already slim four-seat majority. The measure requires a two-thirds majority, an unlikely outcome if Republicans follow his lead.

Moments after the expulsion resolution was read into the record last week, Mr Santos made it clear he would not resign, saying on some desire.”

Earlier this year, Representative Robert Garcia, Democrat of California, led a Democratic effort to expel Mr. Santos, but Republicans referred the resolution to the House Ethics Committee, effectively killing the measure.

Representative James A. Traficant Jr. was the last member to be removed from the chamber in 2002 after being convicted of multiple bribery, extortion and corruption charges. Normally, disgraced lawmakers resign before the House can expel them.

Lawmakers could also vote Wednesday on the two censures — a form of reprimand one step below expulsion, once reserved for the rarest of circumstances but now more common — aimed at Ms. Tlaib and Ms. Greene.

Ms. Greene’s move to punish Ms. Tlaib focuses on comments the Michigan Democrat has made about Israel and Gaza, as well as her participation in a pro-Gaza rally last month at the Capitol, where she accused Israel of committing genocide.

While some Democrats may be deeply uncomfortable with some of Ms. Tlaib’s comments, it seems unlikely that most will support Ms. Greene’s resolution. Many Republicans are expected to support it, but it was not clear whether it would pass.

Hours after reading the resolution in the House of Representatives, Ms. Greene became the subject of a censure sponsored by Representative Becca Balint, Democrat of Vermont. It seeks to condemn Ms. Greene for a litany of grievances that it calls “despicable and hateful conduct,” citing her past anti-Semitic statements and embrace of conspiracy theories, and her praise and defense of those accused of storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021. .

Republicans are expected to oppose it, and minority Democrats are unlikely to have the votes to push it through.

A third censure was introduced last week and referred to the committee to censure Representative Jamaal Bowman, Democrat of New York, for setting off a fire alarm in a House office building as House Democrats tried to buy time to enable them to examine proposed legislation to prevent this. a government shutdown that would take place within hours. Bowman has agreed to plead guilty to false fire alarm and pay a $1,000 fine.

Mr Johnson has refused to comment on any of the censures, telling reporters on Monday: “We’ll see what happens.”