George Santos expulsion gets SNL parody as he plots revenge

Rep George Santos has been expelled from the House after more than a hundred Republicans joined almost all Democrats in voting to remove him from the chamber.

Mr Santos joins only a handful of lawmakers ever ousted from their role, following a damning 56-page report from the House Ethics Committee which outlined “substantial evidence” that Mr Santos violated federal law.

Leaving the floor in defeat, Mr Santos said, “They just set new dangerous precedent for themselves”.

A two-thirds majority was needed to expel Mr Santos – 311 members backed his ouster while 114 voted against it and two members voted present. The entire GOP leadership opposed the removal.

Despite saying in an interview he would go “graciously”, Mr Santos took to X late on Friday night and began laying out his revenge on New York area members of the House who voted to expel him.

Over the weekend, the disgraced former congressman was mercilessly parodied on Saturday Night Live with Bowen Yang playing him at a news conference on the steps of the Capitol before singing a lament to the tune of “Candle in the Wind”.

Key Points

• Watch: George Santos gets the SNL treatment in hilarious parody

• Who voted to keep Santos in Congress? All of House GOP leadership, Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene

• George Santos has been expelled from the House. What happens now?

• George Santos bitterly reacts to House expulsion: ‘To hell with this place’

• Moment George Santos expelled from US House in landslide vote

Fetterman social media team gets Cameo response from Santos in 16 minutes

21:50 , Gustaf Kilander

George Santos’ ‘Gatsby-esque’ journey is getting the Hollywood treatment

21:30 , Gustaf Kilander

The stunning rise and fall of serial fabulist George Santos is already being made into a film.

HBO Films has obtained the rights to the new book The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos by Mark Chiusano, which was published on 28 November, according to Deadline.

A film based on the book is now in development and is described as “a forensic and darkly comic look at the crazy, unprecedented congressional race on Long Island that led to Santos being elected,” the outlet reported.

It tells the story of Mr Santos’s local Long Island race for Congress, his rise to fame and his swindling and lying to get there.

“It follows 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,” Deadline reported.

Frank Rich, who produced the political satire Veep and the Murdoch empire-inspired Succession series on HBO, is bringing the story of Mr Santos to the big screen as one of the executive producers.

Mike Makowsky, the writer and producer of Bad Education, wrote the film and is also an executive producer, while Mr Chiusano is a consulting producer.

READ MORE

Republican Rep introduces bill to bar expelled members from getting pension

21:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Democratic Rep in Santos seat rolls out endorsement for House comeback

20:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Bill introduced in March would stop convicted ex-members from getting paid for media

20:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Ramaswamy slams expulsion of Santos, but calls him an ‘insane and pathological liar’

19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Vivek Ramaswamy came out swinging on X on Sunday night both against George Santos and the Members of Congress who voted for his expulsion.

“I’ll just say it - the expulsion of George Santos from Congress was wrong & sets an awful precedent for the future,” he wrote.

“The guy appears to be an insane & pathological liar, but the decision of whether he can serve belongs to the voters & whether he’s a criminal belongs to the courts,” he added.

“Mark my words: this opens a Pandora’s Box that will surely be exploited the next time MTG or Matt Gaetz or whoever else in either party pokes the uniparty bear,” he said.

George Santos threatens ex-colleagues with ethics complaints after expulsion

19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Having said he would leave Congress “graciously” were he expelled, disgraced former congressman George Santos appears out for revenge against those lawmakers who supported his expulsion in Friday’s landslide vote.

After his exit from the Capitol on Friday afternoon there was silence from the ex-Republican congressman.

That is, until 11.35pm when he took to his personal account on X and wrote of his intention to file ethics complaints against four of his former colleagues. The Independent has contacted their offices for comment.

First in his firing line was fellow New York Republican Rep Nicole Malliotakis.

Mr Santos made allegations of insider trading against the Staten Island congresswoman while making insinuations about her personal life. He added that he would be filing an ethics complaint about her.

“Let’s talk about hypocrisy,” he wrote. “Can someone ask Nicole MalioStockTips when did she become a savant in stock trading? The signature bank trades she did REEKS of insider trading much like Paul Pelosi’s every trade!

“Nicole is in it for herself! Just look at her record and it speaks for itself. Nicole MalioStockTips is a dirty dishonorable swamp creature selling the American people down a river for her own benefit.”

In a further catty dig, he said “@NMalliotakis the difference between you and I is that I don’t live in denial, I’m a PROUD GAY man and I’m not afraid to say it.”

READ MORE

‘Let the haters hate because they’re always gonna hate,’ Santos tells Cameo client

18:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Santos says ‘the truth’ will set him ‘free'

18:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Santos promises ‘pay-per-view’ interview

18:00 , Gustaf Kilander

George Santos joins Cameo after being expelled from Congress

17:28 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Congressman George Santos is selling videos on Cameo, the site where celebrities offer short greetings for a fee.

Mr Santos was expelled from the House on Friday after more than a hundred Republicans joined almost all Democrats in voting to remove him from the chamber.

The 35-year-old describes himself as a “former congressional ‘Icon’” on the site, where he charges $150 per video.

Options to request include holiday messages, birthday wishes, some gossip, a pep talk, a roast, or some advice.

Watch: Republicans wanted to move on from Santos drama

Sunday 3 December 2023 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

After Santos, McCarthy limps towards possible exit from Congress

Sunday 3 December 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was third in line to the presidency just a few months ago. Soon, he may not be in Washington at all.

The California congressman endured a grinding nine months as leader of a fractured and bitter Republican caucus, one that may have been destined to cast him aside from the very beginning. Following a last-minute deal with Democrats to avert a government shutdown in October, he was unceremoniously ousted by one of his most polarising foes: Matt Gaetz of Florida, leading a cadre of Republican malcontents with their own varying complaints about Mr McCarthy’s leadership.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

McCarthy limps towards possible exit from Congress after year of bruising speakership

Watch: Body of evidence against Santos became overwhelming

Sunday 3 December 2023 20:19 , Oliver O'Connell

Santos brands GOP lawmaker a ‘woman beater’

Sunday 3 December 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Disgraced former House member George Santos referred to a Republican lawmaker as a “woman beater” in fiery remarks exchanged ahead of the vote to expel him.

The 35-year-old called out “hypocrisy” from Ohio Representative Max Miller on Thursday, who had branded him a “crook”.

It came ahead of a vote on Friday, which ultimately saw Mr Santos expelled from the House following a damning ethics report that found he “knowingly” used his campaign committee to file false and incomplete reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

It also alleges that he used campaign donations for personal expenses, violated the Ethics in Government Act, and committed fraud using a company he co-owned.

Mike Bedigan has the story:

George Santos brands GOP lawmaker a ‘woman beater’

Watch: Santos claims ‘last-minute lie’ led to expulsion in early morning text to CNN reporter

Sunday 3 December 2023 19:53 , Oliver O'Connell

Congressman claims he and his mother were defrauded by Santos

Sunday 3 December 2023 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

An Ohio Republican who got into a contentious exchange with now-former New York congressman George Santos said he called himself a “victim” of the expelled Empire State representative because Mr Santos’s campaign ran up massive fake tabs on credit cards belonging to him and his mother.

In a letter distributed to fellow House members ahead of the historic vote to expel Mr Santos, Representative Max Miller said the ex-freshman representative’s 2022 campaign “had charged my personal credit card — and the personal card of my Mother — for contribution amounts that exceeded FEC limits”.

“Neither my Mother nor I approved these charges or were aware of them,” he continued, adding that he has expended “tens of thousands of dollars” in legal fees while trying to resolve the situation.

Andrew Feinberg reports:

GOP congressman claims he and his mother were defrauded by George Santos

‘To hell with this place’

Sunday 3 December 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep George Santos reacted bitterly to his expulsion from the House of Representatives after saying before the vote that he would leave “graciously”.

“The House spoke, that’s their vote. They just set a new dangerous precedent for themselves,” he said after the vote, according to CNN.

He was asked if he would remain and utilize his nonmember privileges since he’s not yet convicted of any crimes, he said: “Why would I want to stay here? To hell with this place.”

“I had no skin in the game,” he added when asked if he knew he was about to be removed.

“You know what? As unofficially no longer a member of Congress, I no longer have to answer your questions,” he told the press.

George Santos bitterly reacts to House expulsion: ‘To hell with this place’

What now for George Santos’s former district?

Sunday 3 December 2023 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

By state law, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has to announce a special election within ten days of the seat becoming vacant, with the election then being held within between 70 and 80 days – about two and a half months.

This means that following Mr Santos’s Friday ouster, his replacement will be chosen on or before 29 February 2024.

Here’s what you need to know:

George Santos has been expelled from the House. What happens now?

Botox, OnlyFans and a stay in the Hamptons

Sunday 3 December 2023 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The long-awaited House Ethics Committee investigation into George Santos landed hard – becoming the final nail in the coffin of the New York representative’s scandalous time on Capitol Hill.

The lengthy report from the committee published in early November stated that there was credible evidence to indicate that the Republican misused campaign funds for a wide range of personal expenses, committed fraud, and misled the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

It was a damning end to a months-long investigation which had, until then, been Mr Santos’s golden ticket to survive the repeated efforts by his fellow lawmakers — including Republicans from his own state — to kick him out of Congress.

His days were numbered and, on 1 December, Mr Santos was expelled from Congress in a historic vote.

House lawmakers voted 311 to 114 for his removal, with 105 Republicans joining with Democrats for his expulsion.

Lawmakers had tried to remove him just weeks before the report dropped – Mr Santos was saved that time by colleagues who did not wish to set a precedent of prejudging a member under investigation by the Ethics Committee. The New York congressman was already facing numerous felony charges in New York under indictment from the Justice Department.

Let’s dive into the Ethics Committee’s final report, which was referred to the Justice Department and which marked the beginning of the end for Mr Santos’ political career.

From Botox to OnlyFans: Key revelations in George Santos ethics report

Santos refuses to answer if he’s been asked to be on reality TV

Sunday 3 December 2023 16:15 , Oliver O'Connell

On Thursday afternoon, Olivia Beavers of Politico asked Mr Santos if he had been asked to appear on a reality TV show.

“Olivia, I’m not going to answer that,” he said.

Garrett Haake of NBC News noted that it was “not a no”.

Republican lawmaker filmed threatening ex-staffer in expletive-filled tirade

Sunday 3 December 2023 15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A Republican congressman was caught on camera at a Washington DC holiday party on Thursday threatening a former staffer in an expletive-filled tirade.

Rep Brandon Williams, who represents part of upstate New York, was seen jabbing his finger at Michael Gordon, his former campaign manager, during the event at the International Spy Museum.

As Mr Gordon protests, Rep Williams shouts at him: “You f*** with my family, I’ll end every relationship you have.”

GOP congressman filmed threatening ex-staffer in expletive-filled tirade

HBO options rights to George Santos movie

Sunday 3 December 2023 15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

You knew it was coming...

Deadline reports:

The meteoric political rise of George Santos and the web of fabulist tales it was built on are getting a movie treatment. HBO Films has optioned the rights to Mark Chiusano’s new book The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos, which was published on November 28, 2023.

...

The film, now in development, is described as a forensic and darkly comic look at the crazy, unprecedented congressional race on Long Island that led to Santos being elected to Congress. It comes from Frank Rich, who executive produced HBO’s Emmy-winning Washington DC satire Veep as well as the network’s Emmy-winning drama Succession.

Written by Mike Makowsky, the film tells the story of a seemingly minor local race that wound up a battle for the soul of Long Island, and unexpectedly put the now disgraced congressman on the world stage.

Rich and Makowsky will executive produce, with Mr Chiusano is serving as a consulting producer.

Santos threatens ex-colleagues with ethics complaints after expulsion

Sunday 3 December 2023 14:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Having said he would leave Congress “graciously” were he expelled, disgraced former congressman George Santos appears out for revenge against those lawmakers who supported his expulsion in Friday’s landslide vote.

After his exit from the Capitol on Friday afternoon there was silence from the ex-Republican congressman.

That is, until 11.35pm when he took to his personal account on X and wrote of his intention to file ethics complaints against four of his former colleagues. The Independent has contacted their offices for comment.

Read on...

George Santos threatens ex-colleagues with ethics complaints after expulsion

Watch: George Santos gets the SNL treatment in hilarious parody

Sunday 3 December 2023 14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

George Santos got the SNL cold open parody treatment on Saturday night with cast member Bowen Yang reviving his impression of the disgraced former congressman

“This entire country has been bullying me just because I’m a proud, gay thief,” Yang says at a mock press conference on the steps of the Capitol. “America hates to see a Latina queen winning.”

After the press conference, Yang waltzes over to a piano and begins singing in the style of Elton John, lamenting his time in Congress to the tune of “Candle in the Wind”.

With Santos gone, what happens next?

Sunday 3 December 2023 13:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The expulsion of scandal-ridden freshman Congressman George Santos has lit the fuse of a mad dash to replace him, with Democrats eager to reclaim the seat the infamous fabulist nabbed in the 2022 midterms.

Mr Santos was ousted on Friday after more than two-thirds of the House voted to remove him from the chamber. He was booted after a litany of scandals and criminal charges, with the unravelling of his political career beginning before he even took office in January of this year.

The last Republican to represent the area was Rep Rick Lazio, who left Congress after losing the New York Senate election in 2000 to then-First Lady and subsequent Secretary of State and Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

So what happens next?

George Santos has been expelled from the House. What happens now?

Voices: George Santos may be gone - but there will be more of his kind

Sunday 3 December 2023 12:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

George Santos got what he wanted.

I first realised this about the now-expelled New York Republican during the speaker’s race in October, when he started shouting at a pro-Palestinian activist who had questioned him earlier. I had caught him coming out of the meeting room in the Longworth House Office Building and asked him about Jim Jordan when he caught the activist and shouted “you are human scum.”

Immediately, all of the reporters moved from covering the GOP disarray and zeroed in on him, effectively turning it into a reality show. And that’s how he wanted it. He got all of the Washington press corps, the House Republican conference and even some Democrats to play along with his charade as he distracted from his legal troubles.

That’s why the House vote to expel him will not deter him. He turned every attempt to shame him into an opportunity. Furthermore, Republicans in the House of Representatives have created an ecosystem that disincentivizes policymaking and instead elevates people who see Congress as a way to build their brand rather than make a difference.

And the press is just as guilty of giving him what he wants as anyone else.

Read on...

George Santos may be gone - but there will be more of his kind

How Botox, OnlyFans and a stay in the Hamptons brought down Santos

Sunday 3 December 2023 11:15 , Oliver O'Connell

John Bowden dives into the Ethics Committee’s final report, which was referred to the Justice Department and which marked the beginning of the end for Mr Santos’ political career.

From Botox to OnlyFans: Key revelations in George Santos ethics report

The Fall of George Santos

Sunday 3 December 2023 09:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Bevan Hurley reports on what we know about the rise and demise of George Anthony Devolder Santos — perhaps the most surreal saga to have occurred in the halls of Congress.

The incredible rise and dramatic fall of George Santos

‘To hell with this place’

Sunday 3 December 2023 07:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep George Santos reacted bitterly to his expulsion from the House of Representatives after saying before the vote that he would leave “graciously”.

“The House spoke, that’s their vote. They just set new dangerous precedent for themselves,” he said after the vote, according to CNN.

He was asked if he would remain and utilize his nonmember privileges since he’s not yet convicted of any crimes, he said: “Why would I want to stay here? To hell with this place.”

“I had no skin in the game,” he added when asked if he knew he was about to be removed.

“You know what? As unofficially no longer a member of Congress, I no longer have to answer your questions,” he told the press.

It was quite an exit as Eric Garcia and Gustaf Kilander report.

George Santos bitterly reacts to House expulsion: ‘To hell with this place’

Who voted to expel Santos?

Sunday 3 December 2023 05:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Less than half of Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to expel former congressman George Santos, but the ones who did so came mostly from endangered districts, swing states or were his fellow New Yorkers.

Mr Santos was one of 18 Republicans who in 2022 won in a district that had voted for President Joe Biden. All 17 of his fellow Biden-district Republicans--including his five fellow freshman Republicans in New York who won seats last year--voted to expel Mr Santos.

Other freshmen who flipped seats such as Reps Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon’s 5th district, Jen Kiggans of Virginia’s 2nd also voted to boot the 35-year-old. Many of them know that Mr Santos is a drag on their brand and needed to kick him out. For instance, Rep John Duarte of California’s 13th district, who also voted to expel, only won his district by 564 votes.

In addition, other Republicans such as Reps Don Bacon of Nebraska and Brian Fitzpatrick, who are considered more moderate Republicans who voted to certify the 2020 presidential election results, also voted to kick him out.

Continued...

Voices: George Santos may be gone - but there will be more of his kind

Sunday 3 December 2023 03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

George Santos got what he wanted.

I first realised this about the now-expelled New York Republican during the speaker’s race in October, when he started shouting at a pro-Palestinian activist who had questioned him earlier. I had caught him coming out of the meeting room in the Longworth House Office Building and asked him about Jim Jordan when he caught the activist and shouted “you are human scum.”

Immediately, all of the reporters moved from covering the GOP disarray and zeroed in on him, effectively turning it into a reality show. And that’s how he wanted it. He got all of the Washington press corps, the House Republican conference and even some Democrats to play along with his charade as he distracted from his legal troubles.

That’s why the House vote to expel him will not deter him. He turned every attempt to shame him into an opportunity. Furthermore, Republicans in the House of Representatives have created an ecosystem that disincentivizes policymaking and instead elevates people who see Congress as a way to build their brand rather than make a difference.

And the press is just as guilty of giving him what he wants as anyone else.

Read on...

George Santos may be gone - but there will be more of his kind

Whither the Republican majority?

Sunday 3 December 2023 02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The many, many scandals of George Santos

Sunday 3 December 2023 01:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Dogged by surely one of the oddest scandals to hit American politics in the last few years, Mr Santos has been facing calls for his expulsion and resignation even before he was seated as representative for New York’s 3rd Congressional District.

John Bowden takes a look back at how Mr Santos’ scandal-plagued political career evolved – from the beginning to its abrupt end:

From a resume of lies to an OnlyFans scandal: George Santos’s many controversies

Santos refuses to answer if he’s been asked to be on reality TV

Sunday 3 December 2023 00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

On Thursday afternoon, Olivia Beavers of Politico asked Mr Santos if he had been asked to appear on a reality TV show.

“Olivia, I’m not going to answer that,” he said.

Garrett Haake of NBC News noted that it was “not a no”.

The George Santos chronicles: A timeline

Saturday 2 December 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Dogged by surely one of the oddest scandals to hit American politics in the last few years, Mr Santos faced calls for his expulsion and resignation even before he was seated as representative for New York’s 3rd Congressional District.

John Bowden takes a look back at how Mr Santos’ scandal-plagued political career evolved – from the beginning to its abrupt end:

From a resume of lies to an OnlyFans scandal: George Santos’s many controversies

Kimmel to Santos: ‘Have a good time in jail’

Saturday 2 December 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

During his show on Thursday night, Mr Kimmel took aim at Mr Santos, expressing his disbelief at how long it has taken the House to expel him.

“This is like if a mental patient escaped the hospital and wandered into an air traffic control tower and then a year later he was still up there landing planes,” he joked.

Despite the uncertainty, Mr Kimmel noted that Mr Santos is making the most of his remaining time in the spotlight, holding a fiery press conference in front of the Capitol on Thursday in which he criticised Congress colleagues for “wasting the American people’s time”.

Jimmy Kimmel roasts George Santos ahead of expulsion vote

Saturday 2 December 2023 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Moment George Santos expelled from US House in landslide vote

‘To hell with this place’

Saturday 2 December 2023 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

As he flounced down the steps of the US Capitol on Friday with his raincoat on his shoulders like a cape, Rep George Santos certainly reacted bitterly to his expulsion from the House of Representatives despite earlier having said before the vote that he would leave “graciously”.

“The House spoke, that’s their vote. They just set new dangerous precedent for themselves,” he said after the vote, according to CNN.

He was asked if he would remain and utilize his nonmember privileges since he’s not yet convicted of any crimes, he said: “Why would I want to stay here? To hell with this place.”

“I had no skin in the game,” he added when asked if he knew he was about to be removed.

“You know what? As unofficially no longer a member of Congress, I no longer have to answer your questions,” he told the press.

Eric Garcia and Gustaf Kilander filed this report on the disgraced former congressman’s exit.

George Santos bitterly reacts to House expulsion: ‘To hell with this place’

What now for George Santos’s district?

Saturday 2 December 2023 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The expulsion of scandal-ridden freshman Congressman George Santos has lit the fuse of a mad dash to replace him, with Democrats eager to reclaim the seat the infamous fabulist nabbed in the 2022 midterms.

Mr Santos was ousted on Friday after more than two-thirds of the House voted to remove him from the chamber. He was booted after a litany of scandals and criminal charges, with the unravelling of his political career beginning before he even took office in January of this year.

The last Republican to represent the area was Rep Rick Lazio, who left Congress after losing the New York Senate election in 2000 to then-First Lady and subsequent Secretary of State and Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Gustaf Kilander explains what happens next as the expulsion tees up a special election in a crucial presidential election year.

George Santos has been expelled from the House. What happens now?

What revelations were in the House ethics committee report?

Saturday 2 December 2023 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The long-awaited House Ethics Committee investigation into George Santos landed hard – becoming the final nail in the coffin of the New York representative’s scandalous time on Capitol Hill.

The lengthy report from the committee published in early November stated that there was credible evidence to indicate that the Republican misused campaign funds for a wide range of personal expenses, committed fraud, and misled the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

It was a damning end to a months-long investigation which had, until then, been Mr Santos’s golden ticket to survive the repeated efforts by his fellow lawmakers — including Republicans from his own state — to kick him out of Congress.

John Bowden has the story of fraud, fraud, and more fraud...

From Botox to OnlyFans: Key revelations in George Santos ethics report

Republican lawmaker threatens ex-staffer in expletive-filled tirade

Saturday 2 December 2023 18:06 , Oliver O'Connell

A Republican congressman was caught on camera at a Washington DC holiday party on Thursday threatening a former staffer in an expletive-filled tirade.

Rep Brandon Williams, who represents part of upstate New York, was seen jabbing his finger at Michael Gordon, his former campaign manager, during the event at the International Spy Museum.

As Mr Gordon protests, Rep Williams shouts at him: “You f*** with my family, I’ll end every relationship you have.”

Read on...

GOP congressman filmed threatening ex-staffer in expletive-filled tirade

George Santos: An incredible rise... and a dramatic fall

Saturday 2 December 2023 17:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Congressman George Santos’ shortlived tenure has been anything but dull — his rise to power and fall from grace have been equally mired in controversy.

After less than two years in Congress, his list of lies and scandals finally caught up with him, as he was ousted from Congress following the release of a damning House Ethics Committee report.

On 1 December, Mr Santos became only the sixth lawmaker ever to be expelled from the House, with a vote of 311 to 114.

Though the entire GOP leadership opposed his removal, 105 Republicans joined with Democrats in pushing him out.

The committee report appeared to be the final nail in the coffin, finding “substantial evidence” that Mr Santos had broken federal laws after finding “additional uncharged and unlawful conduct,” which included using campaign funds to make purchases at Hermes, Sephora and OnlyFans.

Bevan Hurley tracked one of the shortest and most colourful careers in congressional history.

The incredible rise and dramatic fall of George Santos

Whither the Republican majority?

Saturday 2 December 2023 16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Who voted to keep Santos in Congress?

Saturday 2 December 2023 16:15 , Eric Garcia

Less than half of a majority of Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to expel former congressman George Santos, but the ones who did so came mostly from endangered districts, swing states or were his fellow New Yorkers.

Mr Santos was one of 18 Republicans who in 2022 won in a district that had voted for President Joe Biden. All 17 of his fellow Biden-district Republicans--including his five fellow freshman Republicans in New York who won seats last year--voted to expel Mr Santos.

Other freshmen who flipped seats such as Reps Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon’s 5th district, Jen Kiggans of Virginia’s 2nd also voted to boot the 35-year-old. Many of them know that Mr Santos is a drag on their brand and needed to kick him out. For instance, Rep John Duarte of California’s 13th district, who also voted to expel, only won his district by 564 votes.

In addition, other Republicans such as Reps Don Bacon of Nebraska and Brian Fitzpatrick, who are considered more moderate Republicans who voted to certify the 2020 presidential election results, also voted to kick him out.

At the same time, House Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson; House Majority Leader Steve Scalise; fellow New Yorker and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer all voted to keep him in Congress.

Similarly, many archconservative Republicans such as Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, House Freedom Caucus Chair Scott Perry, and Tim Burchett of Tennessee voted to keep him in office.

Several other Republicans from swing districts voted to keep him in office. Rep Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who only won her re-election in Colorado’s 3rd district by 546 votes last year, voted against expulsion.

Rep Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who had called for his resignation, also voted against expulsion.

Saturday 2 December 2023 21:53 , Oliver O'Connell

Moment George Santos expelled from US House in landslide vote

Santos says his community service will be to clean up Congress

Saturday 2 December 2023 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Unrepentant disgraced ex-Republican representative George Santos has decided that in filing all of these ethics reports against his former colleagues he is assuming a new role to sweep clean the halls of the US Capitol of corruption.

Check out his new bio on X:

...but wait, there’s more

Saturday 2 December 2023 15:37 , Oliver O'Connell

Three other tri-state area representatives are also in Mr Santos’s sights as his revenge tour gets underway.

Republican Congressman Mike Lawler of upstate New York:

Republican Congressman Nick LaLota of Long Island:

And Democratic Congressman Rob Menendez of New Jersey, son of Senator Bob Menendez (currently under investigation regarding overseas dealings):

After making the allegations against the four New York area reps, Mr Santos signed off for the night at 12.42am.

Stay tuned...

George Santos begins to plot his revenge

Saturday 2 December 2023 15:30 , Oliver O'Connell

George Santos is not going quietly.

After his exit from the Capitol on Friday afternoon there was silence from the disgraced former Republican congressman. That is, until 11.35pm that night when he took aim at his first target, fellow New York Republican Rep Nicole Malliotakis.

He not only accused her of insider trading but also made claims about her personal life.

Mr Santos then said he would be filing an ethics complaint against the Staten Island rep.

Today’s papers in New York

Saturday 2 December 2023 15:25 , Oliver O'Connell

...and then brand him a ‘woman beater’?

Saturday 2 December 2023 15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

George Santos brands GOP lawmaker a ‘woman beater’

Did George Santos defraud a fellow GOP congressman?

Saturday 2 December 2023 15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

An Ohio Republican who got into a contentious exchange with now-former New York congressman George Santos said he called himself a “victim” of the expelled Empire State representative because Mr Santos’s campaign ran up massive fake tabs on credit cards belonging to him and his mother.

In a letter distributed to fellow House members ahead of the historic vote to expel Mr Santos, Representative Max Miller said the ex-freshman representative’s 2022 campaign “had charged my personal credit card — and the personal card of my Mother — for contribution amounts that exceeded FEC limits”.

“Neither my Mother nor I approved these charges or were aware of them,” he continued, adding that he has expended “tens of thousands of dollars” in legal fees while trying to resolve the situation.

Andrew Feinberg has the full story.

GOP congressman claims he and his mother were defrauded by George Santos

105 Republicans vote to expel disgraced congressman George Santos from Congress

Saturday 2 December 2023 14:00 , Eric Garcia

The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to expel now-former congressman George Santos of New York, with 105 of his Republicans joining every Democrat to remove the embattled member from office.

Mr Santos joined the ranks of five other members of Congress--all of them Democrats and three of whom were members of the Confederacy--to be expelled, which he said he considered a badge of honor.

Votes to expel members of Congress are extraordinarily rare and require a two-thirds majority of the House of Representatives. The vote came after Speaker Mike Johnson and most of House Republican leadership voted to keep him in the House of Representatives.

The vote bookends Mr Santos’s spectacularly bizarre jaunt as a candidate and elected official. After initially losing his race in a district in Long Island in 2020, Mr Santos and a handful of Republicans flipped seats that had voted for President Joe Biden in 2022 when Democrats in New York underperformed amid concerns about crime. Mr Santos seemed to represent a new type of Republican as a gay Latino man with Brazilian heritage.

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George Santos bitterly reacts to House expulsion: ‘To hell with this place’

Saturday 2 December 2023 13:00 , Gustaf Kilander, Eric Garcia

Rep George Santos reacted bitterly to his expulsion from the House of Representatives after saying before the vote that he would leave “graciously”.

“The House spoke, that’s their vote. They just set new dangerous precedent for themselves,” he said after the vote, according to CNN.

He was asked if he would remain and utilize his nonmember privileges since he’s not yet convicted of any crimes, he said: “Why would I want to stay here? To hell with this place.”

“I had no skin in the game,” he added when asked if he knew he was about to be removed.

“You know what? As unofficially no longer a member of Congress, I no longer have to answer your questions,” he told the press.

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Who voted to expel George Santos?

Saturday 2 December 2023 12:00 , Gustaf Kilander

One hundred five Republicans voted to expel Mr Santos, while 112 voted to keep him in office. Five Republicans didn’t vote.

Among the Democrats, 206 members voted to boot Mr Santos, and two voted to keep him in place, whole three didn’t vote.

The two Democrats who voted to keep Mr Santos in the House were Reps Bobby Scott of Virginia and Nikema Williams of Georgia – fellow Democrats Jonathan Jackson of Illinois and Al Green of Texas voted present.

In total, 311 members voted to remove Mr Santos, easily crossing the two-third threshold of 290 – 114 members voted against his removal, two voted present, and eight didn’t vote.

Read the full list of how each member voted

Santos refuses to answer if he’s been asked to be on reality TV

Saturday 2 December 2023 11:00 , Gustaf Kilander

On Thursday afternoon, Olivia Beavers of Politico asked Mr Santos if he had been asked to appear on a reality TV show.

“Olivia, I’m not going to answer that,” he said.

Garrett Haake of NBC News noted that it was “not a no”.

George Santos's former district is ripe picking for the Democrats

Saturday 2 December 2023 10:00 , Eric Garcia

George Santos no longer represents New York’s 3rd district after 11 months as its congressman. Many of his constituents will likely be happy he is gone.

His expulsion will now trigger a new election. But as he hails from a district that normally goes blue, Democrats have an opportunity to pick up a seat and reduce the House GOP majority by one seat.

In 2020, Mr Santos tried running against incumbent Democratic Rep Tom Suozzi, who beat him by 13 points in a district that Joe Biden had won by about eight points.

When Mr Suozzi ran for governor in 2022, that left the seat open. Democrats in New York that year attempted to draw a congressional district map that was more favourable to the Democrats, which kept the 3rd district and every other district the same.

But incumbent Democratic Gov Kathy Hochul, who was running for a full term after she replaced disgraced Governor Andrew Cuomo, severely underperformed in her race against then-congressman Lee Zeldin, winning by only 6.4 points in a state that Mr Biden won by 23.2 points in 2020.

Mr Zeldin won Nassau County, which includes Long Island and the 3rd district, by 10.5 points – flipping a county Mr Biden won in 2020.

Mr Santos won largely on the coattails of Mr Zeldin’s prowess and concerns about crime in New York City proper, given that Mr Santos’s district also includes parts of Queens.

Democrats will certainly be licking their chops in an attempt to flip the seat. Indeed, Mr Suozzi, who lost the primary against Ms Hochul, is running for his old seat, as are other candidates.

Democrats have overperformed in special elections ever since the Dobbs v Jackson decision last year that overturned Roe v Wade. But Republicans, now free of the stain of Mr Santos, will likely pour money into the seat and say that their next candidate will be more morally scrupulous than Mr Santos.

As of right now, the race can best be considered leaning toward the Democrats, but the GOP still has a shot.

House Majority PAC plans to spend big to take back Santos district

Saturday 2 December 2023 09:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The House Democratic super PAC has revealed their plans to “a significant role in the NY-03 special election, and we will do whatever it takes to flip this district blue,” House Majority PAC President Mike Smith said, according to CNN.

Who voted to keep Santos in Congress? All of House GOP leadership, Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene

Saturday 2 December 2023 08:00 , Eric Garcia

Less than half of a majority of Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to expel former congressman George Santos, but the ones who did so came mostly from endangered districts, swing states or were his fellow New Yorkers.

Mr Santos was one of 18 Republicans who in 2022 won in a district that had voted for President Joe Biden. All 17 of his fellow Biden-district Republicans--including his five fellow freshman Republicans in New York who won seats last year--voted to expel Mr Santos.

Other freshmen who flipped seats such as Reps Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon’s 5th district, Jen Kiggans of Virginia’s 2nd also voted to boot the 35-year-old. Many of them know that Mr Santos is a drag on their brand and needed to kick him out. For instance, Rep John Duarte of California’s 13th district, who also voted to expel, only won his district by 564 votes.

In addition, other Republicans such as Reps Don Bacon of Nebraska and Brian Fitzpatrick, who are considered more moderate Republicans who voted to certify the 2020 presidential election results, also voted to kick him out.

At the same time, House Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson; House Majority Leader Steve Scalise; fellow New Yorker and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer all voted to keep him in Congress.

Similarly, many archconservative Republicans such as Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene, House Freedom Caucus Chair Scott Perry, and Tim Burchett of Tennessee voted to keep him in office.

Several other Republicans from swing districts voted to keep him in office. Rep Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who only won her re-election in Colorado’s 3rd district by 546 votes last year, voted against expulsion.

Rep Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who had called for his resignation, also voted against expulsion.

‘I am prepared to undertake the solemn responsibility of filling the vacancy in New York’s 3rd District'

Saturday 2 December 2023 07:00 , Gustaf Kilander

New York Governor Kathy Hochul wrote on X on Friday, “I am prepared to undertake the solemn responsibility of filling the vacancy in New York’s 3rd District”.

“The people of Long Island deserve nothing less,” she added.

The expulsion of scandal-ridden freshman Congressman George Santos has lit the fuse of a mad dash to replace him, with Democrats eager to reclaim the seat the infamous fabulist nabbed in the 2022 midterms.

Mr Santos was ousted on Friday after more than two-thirds of the House voted to remove him from the chamber. He was booted after a litany of scandals and criminal charges, with the unravelling of his political career beginning before he even took office in January of this year.

The last Republican to represent the area was Rep Rick Lazio, who left Congress after losing the New York Senate election in 2000 to then-First Lady and subsequent Secretary of State and Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

What happens now?

George Santos bitterly reacts to House expulsion: ‘To hell with this place’

Saturday 2 December 2023 06:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep George Santos reacted bitterly to his expulsion from the House of Representatives after saying before the vote that he would leave “graciously”.

“The House spoke, that’s their vote. They just set new dangerous precedent for themselves,” he said after the vote, according to CNN.

He was asked if he would remain and utilize his nonmember privileges since he’s not yet convicted of any crimes, he said: “Why would I want to stay here? To hell with this place.”

“I had no skin in the game,” he added when asked if he knew he was about to be removed.

“You know what? As unofficially no longer a member of Congress, I no longer have to answer your questions,” he told the press.

He appeared on Fox & Friends on Friday morning ahead of the vote to expel him saying that he would leave the chamber “graciously” if pushed out.

“If it is God’s will to keep me here I will stay and if it is God’s will for me to leave I will do so graciously,” he said.

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George Santos has been expelled from the House. What happens now?

Saturday 2 December 2023 05:00 , Gustaf.Kilander

The expulsion of scandal-ridden freshman Congressman George Santos has lit the fuse of a mad dash to replace him, with Democrats eager to reclaim the seat the infamous fabulist nabbed in the 2022 midterms.

Mr Santos was ousted on Friday after more than two-thirds of the House voted to remove him from the chamber. He was booted after a litany of scandals and criminal charges, with the unravelling of his political career beginning before he even took office in January of this year.

The last Republican to represent the area was Rep Rick Lazio, who left Congress after losing the New York Senate election in 2000 to then-First Lady and subsequent Secretary of State and Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

What happens now?

VOICES: George Santos may be gone - but there will be more of his kind

Saturday 2 December 2023 04:15 , Eric Garcia

George Santos got what he wanted.

I first realised this about the now-expelled New York Republican during the speaker’s race in October, when he started shouting at a pro-Palestinian activist who had questioned him earlier. I had caught him coming out of the meeting room in the Longworth House Office Building and asked him about Jim Jordan when he caught the activist and shouted “you are human scum.”

Immediately, all of the reporters moved from covering the GOP disarray and zeroed in on him, effectively turning it into a reality show. And that’s how he wanted it. He got all of the Washington press corps, the House Republican conference and even some Democrats to play along with his charade as he distracted from his legal troubles.

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Moment George Santos expelled from US House in landslide vote

Saturday 2 December 2023 03:30 , Oliver Browning

George Santos has been expelled from the US House of Representatives after more than a hundred Republicans joined almost all Democrats in voting to remove him from the chamber.

Mr Santos has been ousted from his role following a damning 56-page report from the House Ethics Committee which outlined “substantial evidence” that he violated federal law.

The report claims Mr Santos used campaign money on Botox, OnlyFans, designer fashion and personal purchases.

A two-thirds majority was needed to expel the New York representative – 311 members backed his ouster while 114 voted against it and two members voted present.

Mr Santos is due to stand trial on 23 federal charges in September 2024.

The incredible rise and dramatic fall of George Santos

Saturday 2 December 2023 02:45 , Bevan Hurley

Congressman George Santos’ shortlived tenure has been anything but dull — his rise to power and fall from grace have been equally mired in controversy.

After less than two years in Congress, his list of lies and scandals finally caught up with him, as he was ousted from Congress following the release of a damning House Ethics Committee report.

On 1 December, Mr Santos became only the sixth lawmaker ever to be expelled from the House, with a vote of 311 to 114.

Though the entire GOP leadership opposed his removal, 105 Republicans joined with Democrats in pushing him out.

The committee report appeared to be the final nail in the coffin, finding “substantial evidence” that Mr Santos had broken federal laws after finding “additional uncharged and unlawful conduct,” which included using campaign funds to make purchases at Hermes, Sephora and OnlyFans.

In 2022, Mr Santos was elected as the Republican Party’s first openly gay, non-incumbent member of Congress, and touted himself as a living embodiment of the American dream.

But he has since been exposed as a serial fabricator, and now an accused criminal.

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Bribes, treason and hay bales: The chaotic history of expulsions from Congress

Saturday 2 December 2023 02:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Scandal-plagued New York Rep George Santos has now joined an exclusive group of people he never wanted to be part of: lawmakers who have been expelled from Congress.

On 1 December, Mr Santos became only the sixth lawmaker to lose an expulsion vote and be ousted from the House in American history – and only the third since 1861.

After two years of controversy, topped off with a damning House Ethics Committee report, House lawmakers voted 311 to 114 for his removal.

Though the entire GOP leadership opposed the expulsion, 105 Republicans joined with Democrats in pushing him out.

Mr Santos, 35, appeared to accept his fate in a broadcast on the X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, days earlier.

In the X Space event hosted by Monica Matthews, a rightwing personality, Mr Santos said: “I know I’m going to get expelled when this expulsion resolution goes to the floor.

“I have done the math over and over and it doesn’t look really good,” he said, claiming that he would wear his expulsion “like a badge of honour”.

The latest blow of many to Mr Santos’s short yet tumultuous political career came in the form of a 56-page report from the House Ethics Committee released in early November which outlined “substantial evidence” that Mr Santos violated federal law.

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From a resume of lies to an OnlyFans scandal: George Santos’s many, many controversies

Saturday 2 December 2023 01:15 , John Bowden

Facing a mountain of scandals and lies, George Santos was finally kicked out of Congress on 1 December.

Over 100 Republicans joined Democrats to vote overwhelmingly in favour of expelling the serial fabulist and accused fraudster from the House.

The move came in the wake of a damning report by the House Ethics Committee, which found that the embattled New York Republican engaged in “uncharged and unlawful conduct.”

Mr Santos has in fact been charged, too. In May, he was arrested and charged with 13 federal criminal counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds. A superseding indictment was later handed down in October, increasing the federal charges against Mr Santos to 23.

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Botox, OnlyFans and a stay in the Hamptons: Key revelations from George Santos ethics report

Saturday 2 December 2023 00:30 , John Bowden

The long-awaited House Ethics Committee investigation into George Santos landed hard – becoming the final nail in the coffin of the New York representative’s scandalous time on Capitol Hill.

The lengthy report from the committee published in early November stated that there was credible evidence to indicate that the Republican misused campaign funds for a wide range of personal expenses, committed fraud, and misled the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

It was a damning end to a months-long investigation which had, until then, been Mr Santos’s golden ticket to survive the repeated efforts by his fellow lawmakers — including Republicans from his own state — to kick him out of Congress.

His days were numbered and, on 1 December, Mr Santos was expelled from Congress in a historic vote.

House lawmakers voted 311 to 114 for his removal, with 105 Republicans joining with Democrats for his expulsion.

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