**House Expels Rep. George Santos for Alleged Financial Crimes and Lies**

*Lawmakers vote to oust New York Republican, shrinking GOP majority*

The House of Representatives voted on Friday to expel Rep. George Santos, a Republican from New York, for alleged financial crimes and lies that have marred his brief time in office. The expulsion has further diminished the GOP’s already slim majority in the chamber.

**Expulsion Vote**

Lawmakers overwhelmingly voted 311-114 to oust Santos from Congress. The measure required the support of two-thirds of the chamber to pass, and two members voted present.

Santos’ expulsion makes him the sixth House member in U.S. history to be booted from Congress, and the third since the Civil War. The removal of Santos has lowered the number of House Republicans to 221, with 213 Democrats, making it more challenging for the majority to pass legislation without Democratic support.

**Potential Pickup Opportunity**

Democratic leaders see Santos’ seat as a prime pickup opportunity. According to New York law, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul has 10 days to announce a special election to fill the vacant seat, with a vote expected to take place in late February.

“I am prepared to undertake the solemn responsibility of filling the vacancy in New York’s 3rd District,” Hochul stated in a post on social media shortly after the expulsion vote. “The people of Long Island deserve nothing less.”

**Reaction From Former Rep. Tom Suozzi**

Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who left the seat in New York’s 3rd congressional district to run for governor, has already initiated a campaign to take back the seat.

**Republican Opposition**

House Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Whip Steve Scalise, were initially opposed to the expulsion resolution, wary of removing one of their own colleagues from office.

**Background of Allegations**

The move to expel Santos gained momentum following the release of a scathing House Ethics report in mid-November. The report concluded that Santos “blatantly stole from his campaign” and spent donors’ money on luxury items and services, as well as visiting the adult website OnlyFans.com.

Santos has faced multiple scandals during his time in office, including admitting to lying about his professional and educational background shortly after winning the seat in 2022. He has been charged with nearly two dozen counts of financial crimes, including identity theft, submitting false campaign finance reports, and stealing unemployment money. While Santos has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges, the ethical and legal cloud surrounding him eventually led to his expulsion from Congress.

The expulsion of Rep. George Santos is a significant development that has further shifted the balance of power in the House of Representatives, elevating the position of the Democratic majority while dealing a blow to the GOP’s control in the chamber.