# Representative George Santos: Indictment and Prosecution (Expelled from Congress on Dec 1, 2023) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 10, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850 "2023-05-10T14:28:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/241 "2023-10-27T01:55:03Z")
New York GOP reps, not eager to face a barrage of attack ads revolving around Santos, move to expel the serial liar from the House. A similar proposal by the Dems failed to pass in May. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) leads the charge, calling the measure to the floor as a privileged resolution, forcing majority leadership, such as it is, to act on the legislation within 2 days. House session reopens next Wednesday. [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4278512-new-york-republicans-move-to-force-a-vote-on-santos-expulsion/](https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4278512-new-york-republicans-move-to-force-a-vote-on-santos-expulsion/) Others pushing this measure forward include New York Republicans Nick LaLota, Marc Molinaro, and Mike Lawler. They are defending districts won by Joe Biden. No official word from the House ethics committee yet. In other news, Santos shares his family travails with a NYT reporter: apparently his niece may have been briefly kidnapped by Chinese Communists, according to George Santos: > **[Did Chinese Communists Kidnap George Santos’s 5-Year-Old Niece? Probably Not!](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/10/chinese-communists-kidnap-george-santos-niece.html)** > > Hide your kids, hide your wife, ’cause the Long Island congressman is (allegedly) lying about everybody out here. The NYPD apparently was called about this ordeal but found no evidence of secret agents, surveillance camera footage, kidnapping, or nanoparticles of veracity in Santos’ account. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/242 "2023-10-27T13:07:44Z")
If they are successful and Santos is expelled, how is he replaced? Does the governor, currently a Democrat, appoint a replacement? If so, does it have to be a Republican? Or is the seat left vacant until the next election, whenever that may be? Although it’s just one seat, with the balance of power as tight as it is in the House, every seat counts. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/243 "2023-10-27T13:12:48Z")
Special election per the Constitution ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/244 "2023-10-27T13:26:41Z")
As @hajario says, vacancies in the House may only be filled via election. Depending on the timing of the vacancy, it may either be filled by a special election or (if the term is almost over already) left vacant until the next regular election. Generally, Governors have some discretion over when they schedule the special election and will often time it to coincide with any other elections (e.g. local elections, ballot initiatives, etc.) that are already scheduled. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/245 "2023-10-27T13:48:16Z")
Thanks. Will be interesting to see the effect Santos’ duplicity has on the voters in his district. If he somehow managed to flip it to blue out of disgust with his duplicity - the Dems might have to send him a thank-you card. A girl can dream… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/246 "2023-10-27T13:53:36Z")
That District can easily flip Blue. For President it has voted Blue far more often. Even HRC over Trump. Prior to Santos were 2 Dems, though the awful **[Peter T. King](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_T._King)** was Congressman for 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/247 "2023-10-27T13:55:08Z")
The whole reason why Santos had a competitive district to run in was that the New York Supreme Court rejected the Democratic legislature’s map and drew up their own map for the 2022 election. Whether the Legislature can redraw the maps for the 2024 election is currently being fought over in court. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/248 "2023-10-27T13:58:40Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > Although it’s just one seat, with the balance of power as tight as it is in the House, every seat counts. The Republicans appear to have reached the point where they feel Santos is doing more harm to other Republicans as a fellow Republican than a Democrat would do. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/249 "2023-10-27T13:59:00Z")
Ehh… I guess I just can’t really be _for_ gerrymandering when it suits _me_. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/250 "2023-10-27T14:16:28Z")
Sure you can! In New York, the state added to the constitution an ill-considered “independent, bipartisan” redistricting process. When that fell apart, the state legislature tried to pass its own maps, but the courts found that they did not adhere to the necessary steps. But the bigger problem is that it’s largely blue states that are adopting “independent, bipartisan” redistricting commissions. Meanwhile, Republican-controlled states are gerrymandering with glee to carve out as many R seats as possible. North Carolina Republicans just passed an egregious gerrymander that will flip 3-4 Democratic seats Republican next year. Gerrymanders in Florida and Texas assure Republican dominance in those states through the rest of the decade. I’m not a fan of gerrymandering, but it’s moronic for Democrats to unilaterally disarm. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/251 "2023-10-27T14:33:55Z")
Just a thought … would Santos himself be able to run in a special election for the seat he was just removed from? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/252 "2023-10-27T14:44:42Z")
Nothing in the Constitution says he can’t, so he can. Jim Traficant ran in the special election resulting from his expulsion and got 15% of the vote. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/253 "2023-10-27T14:57:12Z")
Yeah, if he was pushed out for a ridiculous reason I’d hope he’d be able to run in the special election. I’d rather vote for that Anthony DeVolder fellow. He seems like a swell guy. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/254 "2023-10-28T03:17:33Z")
If Republicans are gerrymandering to gain an advantage, Democrats would be damn fools not to. There is no inconsistency in exploiting existing law while trying to change it. To do otherwise is to bring a knife to a gunfight. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/255 "2023-10-30T20:57:24Z")
Man, this rabbit hole gets curiouser and curiouser. Now even the lawyers are being lied to! > **[Lawyer for Former George Santos Treasurer Says He Was Also Duped](https://www.thedailybeast.com/lawyer-for-former-george-santos-treasurer-says-he-was-also-duped)** > > A lawyer representing one of George Santos' former treasurers says he was also lied to—and the false information he provided to the media wasn't his fault. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/256 "2023-10-30T21:56:33Z")
This is actually something that is in my province’s Law Society Code of Conduct (I assume in other jurisdictions as well.) Lawyers are to be alert to the possibility that a client is dishonest and wants to use their lawyer as a form of cover. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/257 "2023-10-31T00:02:55Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > the possibility that a client is dishonest Say it ain’t so, Joe. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/258 "2023-10-31T01:16:12Z")
Breaking News: Major George has just beamed down a statement from the Space Station where he is currently working on scientific experiments related to his doctorate. In part: _ **“I have never met these lawyers, treasurers, or reporters. It’s all just a misunderstanding. I have the receipts and loan agreements between myself, Warren Buffet, and OceanGate. I’m currently hard at work on my re-election campaign and dog breeding business.”** _ ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/259 "2023-11-01T21:15:50Z")
BTW House debating today the proposal from his fellow NY Republicans to just boot him out already. > **[Vote to expel embattled Rep. George Santos from Congress expected Wednesday](https://abc7ny.com/george-santos-house-vote-expel/13998918/)** > > The House of Representatives has scheduled a Wednesday night vote on a GOP-led resolution to expel embattled Rep. George Santos. (Later there will also be motions to table the respective censure resolutions against Taylor-Greene and Tlaib, so it will be basically a night of testing caucus discipline over producing material to shame one another over.) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/260 "2023-11-01T23:27:46Z")
This guy is such a liar, I’ve come close to questioning whether he really exists. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850.md?page=14)