Utah reps vote to expel George Santos as his time as a congressman comes to an end

The U.S. House voted to expel Republican Rep. George Santos on Friday. The resolution passed 311-114, with 105 Republicans voting in favor Santos’ removal, including all four Republican Utah representatives — Rep. John Curtis, Rep. Celeste Maloy, Rep. Blake Moore and Rep. Burgess Owens.

Curtis in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, explained his reasons behind voting for the expulsion.

“First, the Constitution not only gives us the power to police our own, I believe it is expected. Second, the evidence and the nature of violations of George Santos exceed, by any measure, conduct that should be tolerated,” the 3rd District representative said, pointing to the Ethics Committee report. It was released on Nov. 15 and influenced the third attempt to remove Santos.

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The report said Santos spent campaign funds on Botox treatments and extravagant trips with his husband, among other things, and exploited “every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.”

Owens, who represents the 4th District, said in a statement on X that he reviewed the report, which indicated that the New York representative “egregiously violated the standards of integrity and ethics expected of a member of Congress.”

“Santos’ actions damaged trust in our democratic institutions,” he said, “and it’s shameful to have allowed him to distract from the important work Americans entrusted to our House Republican majority.”

Moore, who represents the 1st District, said he supported the Ethics Committee chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., in introducing the resolution to remove Santos and praised the committee’s findings.

“The Ethics Committee conducted a thorough and independent investigation, and I trust the integrity of the report,” he said. “I appreciate Chairman Guest’s commitment to following the necessary procedures.”

Maloy, who represents the 2nd District, also said she supports the House Ethics Committee’s investigation into Santos.

“I have spoken repeatedly about the needs to restore the faith of the American people in our institutions. Today’s vote shows that I mean it,” she said in a statement sent to Deseret News.

Santos left the chamber before House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed his gavel to announce the final result.

Sharon Eliza Nichols, communications director for Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat from Washington, D.C., in a post on X said, “And just like that, without even a goodbye twirl, George Santos hopped in her carriage and departed.”

Once outside, Santos told a CNN reporter, “it’s over.”

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

He is the sixth House lawmaker to face expulsion in U.S. history. His expulsion will lead to a special election in New York, which will fall under New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s purview.

“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,” Hochul said in a post.

Santos also faces 23 federal counts related to fraud. He pleaded not guilty on Oct. 27. At the time, he said he wouldn’t be clearing out his office or resigning and that he was “entitled to a due process,” in a post on X, as the Deseret News reported.

His former campaign fundraiser, Sam Miele, has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and his ex-treasurer, Nancy Marks, has also pleaded guilty to a fraud conspiracy charge.

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