On Friday, December 1, more than 300 federal lawmakers voted to expel George Santos from the U.S. House of Representatives.
“It’s over,” Santos said before leaving the United States Capitol, according to NBC News.
“They just set a new, dangerous precedent for themselves.”
Recently, Santos served as the subject of an investigation conducted by the United States House Committee on Ethics. Ultimately, the committee returned a 56-page report detailing accusations of money laundering and wire fraud made against the now-former U.S. Representative. More specifically, the report accused the former lawmaker of spending campaign funds on designer goods, personal travel expenses, cosmetic treatments and adult-content subscriptions. Santos has also been accused of lying on his resumé, falsely claiming he obtained degrees from Baruch College and New York University.
“It’s a sad day for this institution and it’s a sad day for the American people,” U.S. Representative Anthony D’Esposito said, according to NBC News.
“A new precedent had to be set because someone lied and frauded their way to the House of Representatives — it should have never happened.”
Moving forward, voters in New York’s Third Congressional District will have the opportunity fill Santos’ seat through January 2025 by way of a special election. New York Governor Kathy Hochul must announce the date of the special election within ten days of Santos’ departure. From there, both parties will have the opportunity to nominate a candidate. Seventy to eighty days from Hochul’s proposed date, voters will cast their ballots at a nearby location.
