Reps. from the Delaware Valley react to George Santos’ expulsion from Congress

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)