Former congressman makes history as sixth-ever expelled from the House
Less than a year into his two-year term, now-former NY-03 Congressman George Santos was expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives on December 1, 2023, making him one of only a handful in history to leave Congress through that particular door.
Facing an expulsion vote just a few weeks after the House Ethics Committee released a mostly negative 56-page report on his actions during and after his 2022 campaign, Santos was removed from Congress with a vote of 311 in favor, 114 against, and two voting “present.”
As Santos heads off into the sunset (and onto the platform Cameo, and TV screens, and wherever else his fame carries him), legislators and political party leaders are ramping up for what will surely be a closely watched special election for his seat in Feburary.
Next steps for the seat
As per proper procedure, New York Governor Kathy Hochul formally announced by proclamation on December 5 that a special election would be held on February 13, 2024 to fill the seat vacated by Santos, that date being within 70 to 80 days of his departure, as per U.S. law.
Hochul commented in a statement to press, “As governor, I have the solemn responsibility to call a special election to ensure the voters of Long Island and Queens once again have representation in Congress. Members of Congress provide critical constituent services, serve as a link to federal agencies, and advocate on behalf of the constituents who sent them to Washington.”
The local Democratic and Republican parties spent the first few days of December interviewing and meeting with potential candidates for the NY-03 seat, who are chosen by party leaders rather than primaries in the case of a special election. On the Democrats’ side, a handful of names were mentioned in the slew of articles that followed Santos’ expulsion, but ultimately former NY-03 Rep. and gubernatorial primary candidate Tom Suozzi would take the spot, as his party announced on December 7.
The New York State Republican Committee had not yet announced its chosen candidate by press time.
Local leaders, constituents react
Reactions to Santos’ departure have been plentiful and frequently bipartisan, including in our neck of the woods.
Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, a Republican, commented, “I applaud the House of Representatives for finally expelling the fabulist George Santos from their ranks. This is something I have called for and supported since the story broke earlier this year, as it is clear that George Santos is a liar and con man who has no place in Congress. As a resident of CD-3 myself, I am excited to be able to elect a new representative who will be an effective advocate for the residents of this District, something which George Santos had failed to do since day one.”
New York State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (AD-16), a Democrat, commented, “It’s finally done and the people of the 3rd Congressional District are ready to move on. We need to learn from this experience, make sure it doesn’t happen again and get back to work for the residents who have been without representation for far too long.” Town of North Hempstead Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte, also a Democrat, noted, “As we move forward, let this serve as a reminder that our elected leaders must uphold integrity to ensure a future where the democratic process truly prevails.”
Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino, a Republican, also commented, “While George Santos chose to ignore our public demands for his resignation, I commend the United States House of Representatives for taking action to remove him. Since day one, my administration has worked with representatives from neighboring Congressional Districts to serve our community and we will continue to do so until a new representative is elected by the public.”
For his part, Anton Media Group reader-subscriber Richard Siegelman of Plainview wrote in: “Having just read that George Santos ‘can return to the House floor as a former member, and he can use some House facilities,’ my knowledge of the meaning of the polite phrase ‘Excuse me, I have to use the facilities’ tells me that Santos may now be able to literally do what he has already figuratively done to the whole House of Representatives over the past 11 months!”
A rare moment in history
As previously noted, Santos is one of only six representatives in US history to be expelled from the House. He is also the first Republican. But Santos’ removal is unique in that he is the only congressman to be removed without a criminal conviction or an association with the Civil War Confederacy.
The 1860s, a particularly tumultuous time of civil unrest in this country, resulted in the removal of three Southerners out of the lower chamber following their support to leave the Union. The three men were Missouri Reps. John Reid and John Clark, and Kentucky Rep. Henry Burnett. When the men were ousted, they were accused of abetting secession from the Union, helping to establish an alternative government in the South, and joining the war on the Southern side.
Expulsion would not occur again until the 1980s, when Rep. Michael Myers, a Pennsylvania Democrat, was removed following the Abscam bribery scandal, in which political officials were accused of accepting bribes in exchange for political favors.
The last prior congressman to be expelled was Rep. James Traficant of Ohio in 2002, on – among other things – charges of tax evasion, racketeering, bribery, and obstruction of justice.
Santos has tried to use the circumstances of his removal to undermine the decision. During a debate on the House floor, he stated, “Every member expelled in the history of this institution has been convicted of crimes or confederate turncoats guilty of treason. Neither of those apply to me. But here we are.”
Santos was removed following a House Ethics Committee report which suggested “substantial evidence” that the congressman violated federal law. Santos has been indicted on 23 charges, including wire fraud and identity theft. He has pleaded not guilty to these accusations.
A star in the making
It seems like expulsion won’t be the last we hear of Santos, as the former congressman is set to get the movie treatment sometime soon. HBO has confirmed they are in the works to produce a film based on journalist Mark Chiusano’s nonfiction book The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos.
Frank Rich, executive producer of Emmy-winning TV show Succession, will be dipping into that role again for the film adaptation, alongside Bad Education screenwriter Mike Makowsky.
The HBO film aims to chronicle “the Gatsby-esque journey of a man from nowhere who exploited the system, waged war on truth and swindled one of the wealthiest districts in the country to achieve his American dream,” as stated by the project’s logline.
Hollywood has been eagerly lapping up Santos’ drama for their own gains. A recent Saturday Night Live episode opened with a farewell skit to the former congressman. Cast member Bowen Yang offered a humorous speech. “This entire country has been bullying me just because I’m a proud, gay thief,” Yang’s Santos decried. “But what else is new? America hates to see a Latina queen winning.”
