WASHINGTON — The House voted on Friday to expel Republican Rep. George Santos of New York after a critical ethics report on his conduct that accused him of converting campaign donations for his own use. He was just the sixth member in the chamber's history to be ousted by colleagues.
The vote to expel was 311-114, with all four of Nevada’s representatives voting in favor of the resolution. Expulsion requires support from two-thirds of the House, a purposefully high bar, but a blistering House Ethics Committee report that accused Santos of breaking federal law proved decisive.
Santos fought the expulsion effort leading up to the vote, leading his own defense during House floor debate and in conducting a news conference and interviews.
“I will not stand by quietly,” Santos declared as lawmakers debated his removal the evening before the vote. “The people of the Third District of New York sent me here. If they want me out, you’re going to have to go silence those people and go take the hard vote.”
Of the previous expulsions in the House, three were for disloyalty to the Union during the Civil War. The remaining two occurred after the lawmakers were convicted of crimes in federal court. Santos made his case for remaining in office by appealing directly to lawmakers who worry they are setting a new precedent that could make expulsions more common.
House Speaker Mike Johnson was among those who voiced concerns about removing Santos, though he has told members to vote their conscience. Others in leadership agreed with his reasoning and opposed expulsion. But some Republicans, including Santos' colleagues from New York, said voters will welcome lawmakers being held to a higher standard.
“I’m pretty confident the American people would applaud that. I’m pretty confident that the American people expect that, and I hope that tomorrow, in this great chamber, we set that precedent,” said Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, whose district adjoins Santos'.
Santos warned lawmakers they would regret removing a member before they have had their day in court.
“This will haunt them in the future where mere allegations are sufficient to have members removed from office when duly elected by their people in their respective states and districts,” Santos said.
The expulsion push is just the latest chapter in what has been a spectacular fall from grace for Santos, a first-term lawmaker initially celebrated as an up-and-comer after he flipped a district from Democrats last year and helped Republicans win control of the House. But, soon after, troubles began. Reports began to emerge that Santos had lied about having Jewish ancestry, a career at top Wall Street firms and a college degree. His presence in the House quickly became a distraction and an embarrassment to the party.
In early March, the House Ethics Committee announced it was launching an investigation into Santos. Then in May, the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York indicted Santos, accusing him of duping donors, stealing from his campaign and lying to Congress. Prosecutors would later add more charges in an updated 23-count indictment.
The indictment alleges he stole the identities of campaign donors and then used their credit cards to make tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges. Federal prosecutors say Santos, who has pleaded not guilty, wired some of the money to his personal bank account and used the rest to pad his campaign coffers.
Meanwhile, Ethics Committee investigators spent eight months investigating Santos and interviewing witnesses. When their work was complete, the panel said it had amassed “overwhelming evidence” of lawbreaking by Santos that it sent to the Justice Department.
Among other things, the Ethics panel said that Santos knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission, used campaign funds for personal purposes and violated the Ethics in Government Act with his financial disclosure statements.
Rep. Mark Amodei, Nevada’s only Republican in the chamber, said on social media he voted in favor of expulsion despite concerns of the precedent it would set. Amodei the nature of allegations levied against Santos disqualified him from office.
“Prior to the completion of the Committee’s investigation and the release of its report, I rejected calls to expel Mr. Santos from the House of Representatives,” Amodei posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. “However, following the release of the Ethics Committee’s report, the evidence uncovered is more than sufficient to warrant punishment. Mr. Santos deserves his day in federal court, but serving in Congress is a privilege he no longer deserves.”
Rep. Dina Titus, a Democrat and Nevada’s senior House member, said in a statement she also only supported Santos’ expulsion after the committee released its findings.
“Among the basic requirements for members of Congress is acting with integrity at all times and being honest with one’s constituents,” Titus said. “Representative Santos has violated the trust of his constituents and the American people by acting in a manner that taints the honor and dignity of this office. Accountability matters.”
An aide for Rep. Steven Horsford, a fellow Nevada Democrat who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, said Friday’s vote marked a “sober day” for the chamber.
“Now that this sad episode is over, it’s time for Congress to get back to work and to put people over politics,” Horsford’s office said in a statement. “My legislative priorities are those of the people I serve and to pass solutions to lower household costs, create good paying jobs and to protect access to health care, Medicare and Social Security.”
Nevada’s only other representative, Democrat Susie Lee, did not release a statement. Her office pointed to a Nov. 16 statement released after the House Ethics Committee released its findings on Santos, in which she called the details “damning” and damaging to democracy.
Arguing against expulsion during debate Thursday, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., said that while he respects the Ethics Committee, he had concerns about how the Santos case was handled. He said he was troubled that a Republican-led committee would submit a report that was so judgmental and publicized.
“The totality of circumstance appears biased," Higgins said. "It stinks of politics and I'll oppose this action in every way.”
While the Ethics Committee does have a Republican chairman, its membership is evenly divided. Rep. Susan Wild, the ranking Democrat on the committee, reminded members that the decision approving the investigators' findings was unanimous.
“As the Ethics Committee's report lays out in thorough detail, Mr. Santos has repeatedly, egregiously and brazenly violated the public's trust,” Wild said. “Mr. Santos is not a victim. He is a perpetrator of a massive fraud on his constituents and the American people.”
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York held his weekly press conference with a massive photo next to him of Santos and Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia sitting in the House chamber together and laughing. It's an example of how Democrats are looking to tie other Republicans to Santos when possible.
“George Santos is a malignant distraction, and hopefully that issue gets resolved,” Jeffries said before the vote.
Sun staff writer Casey Harrison contributed to this report.