Shafaq News / The US House of Representatives voted today, Friday, to expel Republican representative George Santos due to allegations of corruption and misappropriation of campaign funds, marking the sixth such case in the House's history.
With a majority vote of 311 to 114, the controversial new representative was ousted, surpassing the necessary two-thirds majority required for a member's expulsion. Santos became the sixth member in the House's history to face this fate.
Shortly before the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced his intention to vote against expulsion, according to one of his aides.
Upon realizing his impending removal, Santos draped his coat over his shoulders, shook hands with members who voted against his expulsion, and left the House chamber.
Santos, aged 35, has been embroiled in controversy since his election in November 2022, confessing to fabricating a significant portion of his resume. Federal prosecutors accuse him of diverting campaign donations for personal use and deceiving donors, although Santos maintains his innocence.
Santos survived a previous expulsion attempt in early November, with 182 of his fellow Republicans and 31 Democrats voting against his dismissal, arguing that his criminal case should be resolved first.
His ousting will reduce the Republican majority in the House to 221 votes versus 213.
His district, covering parts of New York City and Long Island, is considered a competitive area between the Republican and Democratic parties.
A congressional investigation last month revealed that Santos spent nearly $4,000 at a spa, including Botox injections, using campaign funds. He also spent over $4,000 from campaign funds at the luxury store "Hermès" and made purchases on the online platform "OnlyFans", known for adult content.
Santos' troubles began shortly after his election in November 2022 when media reports surfaced that he had not attended New York University or worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, as he claimed during his campaign.
He also falsely claimed Jewish ancestry, stating that his grandparents fled the Nazis during World War II.
Facing a 23-count indictment, federal prosecutors accused him of inflating total donations to garner more support from the Republican Party, using funds for personal expenses, and withdrawing amounts from donors' credit cards without authorization.
Among previous expulsion cases in the House, three were due to disloyalty during the Civil War, and the remaining two were after federal court convictions of lawmakers for crimes.