House Republican leaders have a plan to deal with Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who was hit with a 13-count federal indictment Wednesday accusing him of everything from money laundering to cheating the jobless benefits system.

Their message: let the courts deal with him.

I think in America, youre innocent til proven guilty, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Tuesday night after the news had broken that Santos had been indicted but before the formal charges had been unveiled.

Santos had already stepped down earlier this year from two committees he was assigned to after questions were raised about his background and campaign finances.

The move preempted action under a rule among House Republicans that an indicted representative step off of their committees unless cleared of wrongdoing.

In America, well just follow the same pattern we always have, right? If a person is indicted, theyre not on committees. They have the right to vote, but they have to go to trial, McCarthy said.

Two of McCarthys top lieutenants reinforced that trust the process message Wednesday morning.

In America, theres a presumption of innocence, but theyre serious charges. Hes going to have to go through the legal process, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told reporters at a press conference. Scalise is the second-ranking Republican in the House.

As Ive said, from the very beginning, on questions on this subject, this legal process is going to play itself out, said Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the fourth-ranking member of House Republican leadership. There are a set of rules and, as the majority leader stated, he voluntarily had stepped down from his committees.

Republicans hold a slim 222-213 majority in the House, giving them only a four-vote cushion if every representative votes with their party. With such a razor-thin majority, every vote counts.

For example, on the $4.8 trillion debt limit bill, House Republicans pushed it through the House with only Republican votes , 217-215. And this week, Republicans continue internal wrangling over a border security bill they hope to bring to the House floor soon. That, too, could be a knife-edge vote.