DLNews Politics:

George Santos, the New York Republican congressman whose tapestry of lies and schemes made him a figure of national ridicule and the subject of a 23-count federal indictment, was expelled from the House on Friday after a decisive bipartisan vote by his peers. The House voted 311 to 114, with 105 of the chamber's Republicans supporting his removal from office. It was the sixth time in the body's history that a member of Congress has been expelled. House Speaker Mike Johnson presided over the vote, and the chamber was quiet as the gavel announced the final tally. Santos, who has pleaded not guilty to the 23 charges that include stealing people's identities and credit card fraud, stood with his coat around his shoulders as the House voted and quickly left the chamber after the vote.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle quickly embraced a resolution to expel Santos after the House Ethics Committee released its damning report on him last week. The panel found he had misled voters by lying about his education, his job at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, his religion, his involvement in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, and his finances. It also alleged that Santos used campaign funds to pay personal rent, a Botox treatment, and luxury goods and inflated his reported receipts by making nonexistent loans to the campaign.

The committee recommended that he be expelled from the House after two of his campaign aides pleaded guilty to related crimes. The Justice Department expanded an existing indictment against Santos, charging him with identity theft and credit card fraud. Santos has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. The expulsion vote puts him in danger of being recalled by his constituents, but he has the right to a fair trial.

The expulsion means a special election will be held in the Long Island district within the next few months to determine who will represent the residents of the 3rd Congressional District. The community includes parts of Queens and Nassau County. The seat has swung back and forth between Democrats and Republicans over the years.

The search for candidates has already started.

The Democratic Party leaders are currently engaged in the selection process for prospective candidates to contest the upcoming special election to fill the vacant seat of Santos. As reported by CNBC, Jay Jacobs, the head of the state Democratic Party, in collaboration with Gregory Meeks, the Queens County Democratic Party Chair, and the Nassau County Party Chairman, are scheduled to hold meetings with potential candidates today. Those expected to attend the conference are former Congressman Tom Suozzi, previously occupying the seat, and former State Senator Anna Kaplan. Notably, Suozzi and Kaplan had launched their bids for the New York Third Congressional District seat in the 2024 election.

According to Fox 5 NY, Jacobs has confirmed that the Democratic Party will likely announce its candidate by Tuesday. However, Joe Cairo, the Nassau County Republican Party Chairman, has stated that their party may not have finalized their candidate by then.