The House of Representatives voted to expel Representative George Santos from Congress on Friday due to his numerous campaign lies and alleged finance crimes, further reducing the narrow majority held by the GOP. The resolution passed with a vote of 311-114, exceeding the two-thirds majority required. This marks Santos as the sixth House member in U.S. history to be expelled, and the third since the Civil War.
The expulsion of Santos reduces the number of House Republicans to 221, with 213 Democrats, making it more challenging for the majority to pass legislation without Democratic support. Democrats view this vacant seat as a prime opportunity for a pickup. New York law allows Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul 10 days to announce a special election to fill the vacancy, with the vote anticipated to take place in late February.
Former Democratic Representative Tom Suozzi, who left the seat in New York’s 3rd congressional district to run for governor, has already launched a campaign to reclaim the position. However, House Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Whip Steve Scalise, had initially opposed the expulsion resolution, raising concerns about ousting a fellow Republican.
Nevertheless, the release of a damning House Ethics report in mid-November, which revealed that Santos had misused campaign funds for personal expenses, led to a shift in the Republican stance. The report detailed the lawmaker’s lavish spending at high-end stores, cosmetic procedures, and visits to adult entertainment websites. Santos’ time in office has been marred by scandals, including admissions of lying about his professional and educational background and his subsequent denial of committing any crimes.
Santos currently faces nearly two dozen criminal charges, including identity theft, submitting false campaign finance reports, and stealing unemployment funds, to which he has pleaded not guilty. This is a developing story, and updates are anticipated.
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