US House ousts George Santos over ethics violations

The United States House of Representatives voted on Friday to expel disgraced Republican George Santos over allegations of misspending campaign money.

The House voted 311-114 to remove the 35-year-old New York lawmaker, above the two-thirds majority required to oust a sitting member.

Santos is only the sixth member to be expelled in the chamber's history.

Why was Santos kicked out?

Santos has been plagued by controversy since his election in November 2022. He was initially celebrated as a rising star after helping the Republicans win a district from the Democrats and take control of the House. But then the scandals started.

He has admitted to fabricating much of his biography, including lying about having Jewish ancestry, a career at Wall Street firms and a college degree.

In March, the House Ethics Committee announced it was launching an investigation into his conduct.

Two months later, he was indicted on federal charges, including embezzling campaign funds and defrauding donors.

The indictment alleges Santos stole the identities of campaign donors and then used their credit cards to make tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized purchases. Santos has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The eight-month Ethics Committee investigation ultimately found "overwhelming evidence" of misconduct and accused Santos of seeking to "fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy."

What happens now?

New York state Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has 10 days to call a special election for Santos' seat, which includes parts of New York City and Long Island.

The election must take place 70 to 80 days from that proclamation.

Santos' trial is scheduled to begin on September 9, 2024, shortly before the November elections that will determine who controls the White House.

nm/lo (Reuters, AFP, AP)