The House of Representatives voted today, Friday, to expel Republican Congressman George Santos from New York, marking only the fifth such action in U.S. history, with the last occurring 20 years ago. This decision comes in response to a series of alleged crimes and ethical violations. Investigations revealed that Santos fabricated key portions of his biography. The expulsion resolution passed with a majority of 311 votes against 114, with many Republicans turning against Santos during the third attempt to expel the New York congressman this year after two previous failed attempts.
The vote followed the release of a 56-page report from the Ethics Committee two weeks ago, which accused Santos of various misconduct including stealing funds from his campaign, deceiving donors about how contributions were used, creating fictitious loans, and engaging in fraudulent business dealings. The report alleges that Santos spent substantial amounts on personal enrichment, including visits to spas, casinos, high-end shopping trips, and more.
Santos has consistently denied any wrongdoing and resisted calls to resign, claiming in a press conference on Thursday that his colleagues in the House were "bullying" him, and that the Ethics Committee report was incomplete and "full of exaggerations." He also said he believed there were enough votes to keep him in office. Santos stated on the "Fox & Friends" program on Friday morning, "I believe that if it is God's will for me to stay here, I will stay, and if it is God's will for me to leave, I will leave, and I will do so gracefully."
Santos also faces 23 federal criminal charges, including fraud, money laundering, and forgery, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Expelling a member of the House requires a two-thirds majority, with Republicans holding a slim majority. Previous attempts to remove Santos failed, but the latest push gained momentum partly because the resolution is sponsored by Republican Congressman Michael Guest of Missouri, the Chair of the Ethics Committee.
During the House discussion on Thursday regarding the resolution, Guest defended the committee's work and report, stating that investigators spent eight months reviewing 172,000 pages of documents and interviewing 40 witnesses. He described the findings as "shocking." He also emphasized that Santos had a "great opportunity to be heard" by the investigators and the committee. Republican Congressman Troy E. Nehls stated that he does not support the efforts to remove Santos, claiming that the Ethics Committee had been "weaponized" against him.
