United States legislators have voted decisively to expel George Santos, the scandal-ridden politician accused of deceiving his way into Congress and facing charges of misusing donor funds to fund his extravagant lifestyle.
On Friday, the House of Representatives cast a 311-114 vote, surpassing the required two-thirds majority, leading to the immediate removal of the first-term lawmaker. A contentious figure in the House’s lengthy history, the 35-year-old New York Republican becomes only the third individual since the Civil War to be ejected from the institution.
Despite aiding the Republicans in securing a narrow majority in 2022, Santos’ credibility crumbled as investigations revealed nearly every aspect of his background to be fictitious – from his education and religion to personal history and professional credentials.
Federal prosecutors have accused Santos of money laundering campaign funds and defrauding contributors, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty. However, a congressional ethics inquiry, citing “overwhelming evidence” of misconduct, concluded that Santos sought to “fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy,” sealing his fate.
Who Is George Santos, and Why Is He in Trouble?
George Anthony Devolder Santos, born on July 22, 1988, is an American politician who held the position of U.S. representative for New York’s 3rd congressional district from January to December 2023. Affiliated with the Republican Party, he secured his congressional seat in the 2022 elections after an unsuccessful attempt in 2020. Notably, Santos made history as the first openly LGBT member elected to Congress as a non-incumbent Republican. However, his political career faced a dramatic turn when he was expelled from Congress on December 1, 2023, marking the sixth expulsion in the history of the House.
The 35-year-old legislator is currently confronting numerous federal charges, which include wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States.
George Santos, who openly acknowledges being a “terrible liar,” has been plagued by allegations of deception and fraud throughout his relatively short tenure in Capitol Hill.
Even before being sworn into office, the New York Republican found himself embroiled in controversies such as a non-existent real estate portfolio, fraudulent assertions of holding college degrees, and ambiguity surrounding his religious identity, with conflicting statements about being Jewish or merely “Jew-ish.” Additionally, Santos reportedly misled donors by claiming involvement in producing the notorious Spider-Man musical on Broadway, a statement that turned out to be false.
Throughout his campaign, Mr. Santos portrayed himself as “the full embodiment of the American dream”: an openly gay individual born to Brazilian immigrants who ascended the ranks of Wall Street before transitioning into the realm of politics.
However, the celebratory phase of Mr. Santos’ political journey was abruptly cut short. His life narrative began to unravel rapidly, and the lawmaker ultimately confessed that significant portions of his story were entirely fabricated.
What Criminal Charges Does Mr. Santos Currently Face?
In May, Mr. Santos faced an indictment on 13 criminal charges, encompassing fraud, theft of public funds, money laundering, and making false statements to Congress. A subsequent superseding indictment filed in October introduced 10 additional charges, including conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), two counts of falsifying records to the FEC, and access device fraud.
Prosecutors contend that Mr. Santos engaged in the laundering of campaign funds for personal expenses, improperly claimed unemployment benefits, and falsely reported non-existent loans to his campaign to qualify for Republican Party support, among other alleged offenses. Despite the charges, he has pleaded not guilty to all accusations and consistently denies any wrongdoing. The trial is slated for September 9, 2024.
Is Mr. Santos Facing Removal from Congress?
Since assuming office, Mr. Santos has engaged in Twitter disputes with drag queens, co-sponsored a bill advocating for the AR-15 to be recognized as the “national gun of the United States,” and played a pivotal role as the deciding vote on the Republican bill to increase the nation’s debt ceiling. Despite his earlier vow to seek re-election next year, doubts now loom over his political future.
In late October, fellow New York Republicans officially called for his expulsion from Congress. The outcome remains uncertain, as a two-thirds majority vote by representatives is required for expulsion. Given the narrow Republican majority in the House, some lawmakers may be hesitant to forfeit a Republican vote on critical matters.
Historically, only five members of the House of Representatives have ever been expelled in the United States. In the two most recent cases, occurring in 1980 and 2002, representatives were expelled following convictions on federal charges.
Here’s What George Santos Has Said About His Past
A relative newcomer to U.S. politics, Mr. Santos gained recognition as the first openly gay Republican to secure a seat in the House of Representatives without incumbency, achieving this milestone in the previous year.
As per the online biography initially presented by his campaign (later revised), Mr. Santos is identified as a first-generation American born in the borough of Queens, New York City. His grandparents, the campaign stated, fled Jewish persecution in Ukraine, settled in Belgium, and faced persecution once again during WWII before finding refuge in Brazil. The narrative continued with his Brazilian-born parents later immigrating to the U.S. “in search of the American dream.”
Mr. Santos asserted that he received his education at Baruch College in New York City and subsequently evolved into a “seasoned Wall Street financier and investor.” He claimed to have acquired experience working at esteemed firms such as Goldman Sachs and Citigroup.
Additionally, Mr. Santos professed ownership of 13 properties, emphasizing that he had diligently earned them. He further stated that his mother was present “in her office in the south tower” of the World Trade Center during the events of September 11, 2001. According to the campaign’s website, she survived the attack but tragically passed away several years later.
Why Did Santos Exaggerate His Life Story?
The New York Times brought to light significant concerns regarding various aspects of Mr. Santos’s CV, including his education, work history, and even his assertions of being a college volleyball star. Additional news outlets failed to find supporting evidence for his claims of his grandparents fleeing antisemitism in Europe or his Jewish identity, despite previous assertions of being a “proud American Jew.”
Following these initial reports, Mr. Santos admitted to embellishing his background. Contrary to his earlier statements, he confessed to not having graduated from any university, never working for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and not owning properties across New York.
It was also disclosed that his mother, who passed away in 2016, likely wasn’t in the U.S. during the events of 9/11.
Mr. Santos further acknowledged misrepresenting his faith, stating to the New York Post that he is Catholic and had previously identified as “Jew-ish” upon discovering his maternal family’s Jewish background.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, Mr. Santos admitted to fabricating his biography and life story as a strategy to gain voter acceptance in New York’s third district. He confessed to being a “terrible liar” on these matters and expressed remorse for succumbing to the pressures he believed were necessary to secure election.
By January, nearly 80% of his constituents, according to a Newsday and Siena College survey, expressed a desire for his resignation.