Pregame

First quarter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) –The historic expulsion of Republican Rep. George Santos from Congress has brought an end to the short-lived congressman’s tumultuous tenure in the House. Representatives from the Delaware Valley all voted to oust him and are sharing their thoughts in the aftermath.

In their third attempt to expel him since May, House members voted 311 to 114 in favor of expelling the New York lawmaker, including 105 Republicans who voted for it. Two Democrats voted against ousting Santos. Two members voted present, and eight members did not vote. The resolution required a two-thirds majority to pass. Santos left the House chamber during the vote. 

Who voted to expel George Santos? Here’s the count on the House expulsion resolution

Embroiled in scandals from the start, Santos faced wide-reaching criticism. Critics claimed he embellished his biography to win his seat in Congress last year and federal charges related to alleged fraud and illegal use of campaign funds.

Dozens of Santos’ colleagues were apparently swayed by a damning report from the House Ethics Committee released two weeks ago that found there was “substantial evidence” that Santos repeatedly broke the law.

In fact, Santos’ trail of alleged offenses can be traced to the Keystone State.

In 2017, Santos was charged with criminal theft in Pennsylvania for bad checks apparently used to buy puppies from dog breeders, according to a lawyer who worked with Santos on the case. However, the case was ultimately dismissed after Santos said the nine checks, totaling more than $15,000, were from a checkbook that had been stolen from him, according to information provided to The Associated Press.

The charges date to a time when Santos claimed to be leading a group, Friends of Pets United, that benefited sick, abandoned or neglected animals.

The bipartisan vote to expel Santos makes him just the sixth House member in U.S. history to be expelled and the first in more than 20 years.

When looking at the list of members who were expelled from Congress that Santos has now joined, one of them represented the Philadelphia area.

Former Democratic Rep. Michael J. “Ozzie” Myers represented Pennsylvania’s 1st district encompassing all of Bucks County and a sliver of Montgomery County — which has been represented by Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick since 2019.

Myers was expelled from Congress in 1980 after being caught taking bribes in the Abscam sting investigation and served more than a year in prison.

More recently, Myers was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in 2022 after pleading guilty to violations of election law, conspiracy, bribery and obstruction for his work on behalf of Democratic candidates from 2014 and 2018.

Here’s what representatives in the Delaware Valley are saying in the wake of Santos’ expulsion:

Pennsylvania 

Rep. Dwight Evans (D)

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R)

Rep. Madeleine Dean (D)

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D)

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D)

Rep. Susan Wild (D)

Delaware

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)

100 Years Ago, 1923: There is gloom and sadness in the confines of “moonshine valley,” near Essington, over the fact that the prohibition enforcement officers have taken the initial step to wipe out the illicit distilling of poisonous concoction in that section of Delaware County. During the past week, notices were served on all those suspected being engaged in distilling “moonshine” to retire from the business, or be subject to arrest at any moment.

75 Years Ago, 1948: A straight 10-cent fare and elimination of the 7 1/2-cent commutation ticket has been asked of the Public Utility Commission by the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company, popularly known as the Red Arrow Line. The proposed rate boost – which would bring $232,607 in additional revenue to the company – will affect residents of the Chester, Media, Sharon Hill and Darby areas, and those living in the Ardmore section which is within the boundaries of Delaware County.

50 Years Ago, 1973: Delaware Countians expecting to be driving on Sunday were filling up their gasoline tanks Saturday, but it was costing them more to do so at many service stations. Most dealers contacted by the Daily Times said they had been closed on Sundays for at least several weeks but one – Thomas Wizda, proprietor of an Exxon station at the Industrial Highway and Sellers Avenue, Ridley Township – said he’d shut down on a Sunday for the first time tomorrow. Wizda had a sobering thought to add. “Nobody’ll be driving Christmas. The way they’re buying gas now all the stations in the county will have used up their allotments come the 25th.”

25 Years Ago, 1998: That collective sigh of relief heard in district court yesterday came from 68 teens charged with jaywalking. Those charged, all Upper Darby High School students, were facing fines and costs of $75 for citations issued at the beginning of the school year as part of a crackdown to promote safety along Lansdowne Avenue. District Justice Michael Cullen offered the teens a deal they couldn’t refuse — two hours of community service at the high school.

10 Years Ago, 2013: An employee of Upper Darby School District is facing theft charges for allegedly stealing computers from the high school. According to police Superintendent Michael Chitwood, 42 MacBook computers and chargers, valued at $42,000, were reportedly stolen over the summer from the school’s Arts and Technology building. The 30-year-old Philadelphia man “was a full-time employee for more than a year as an information technician,” Chitwood said. “We have been working with school security officers since the thefts were reported in September.”

— COLIN AINSWORTH