Rep. George Santos Expelled from Congress

Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was expelled from Congress following a House Ethics Committee report. The report found substantial evidence of misuse of campaign funds and other federal crimes.

• Bipartisan Vote: The expulsion required a two-thirds majority and passed with a bipartisan vote of 311-114.

• Controversies and Charges: Santos faced controversies even before his tenure in Congress, including fabrications in his resume. He faced multiple federal charges, including money laundering, wire fraud, identity theft, credit card fraud, and lying to Congress.

• Defiance and Denial: Despite calls for resignation from both parties, Santos remained defiant, denying wrongdoing and pleading not guilty to federal charges.

• Previous Efforts to Remove: There were two prior attempts to remove Santos from Congress, which failed while awaiting the Ethics Committee's report.

• Damning Ethics Report: The 56-page report accused Santos of exploiting his campaign for personal financial gain, including stealing from his campaign and deceiving donors. It concluded that Santos "cannot be trusted."

• Alleged Misuse of Funds: Allegations include using $50,000 in campaign funds for personal debts, luxury purchases, and other expenses.

• Reaction to Expulsion: Despite the overwhelming support for his expulsion, Santos refused to resign, stating he would take his removal as a

"badge of honor."

• Impact on GOP: Santos' expulsion, a rare occurrence in Congress, narrows the GOP's majority in the House. His district, leaning Democratic, presents a potential gain for Democrats in a special election.

• Special Election: New York Governor Kathy Hochul is required to declare a special election within ten days of the vacancy, to be held between 70-80 days after the declaration.