Politics- Rep. George Santos was expelled from Congress by a 311-114 vote on Friday.
- It marks the end of the scandal-plagued Republican's nearly 11 months on Capitol Hill.
In the end, the third time was the charm.
After two unsuccessful attempts to do so earlier this year, the House of Representatives on Friday voted 311-114 to expel Rep. George Santos from Congress.
The scandal-plagued New York Republican is now the sixth person in American history to be expelled from the House, and is the first to be expelled without facing a criminal conviction or being a member of the Confederacy.
Friday's vote marks the end of what had been a chaotic 11 months for Santos, whose myriad lies about his background first came to light last December.
He had since been ostracized by his colleagues, kept off of committees, indicted on 23 criminal charges by federal prosecutors, urged not to seek re-election, and suffered a series of embarrassing revelations from a House Ethics Committee investigation.
But through it all, Santos remained defiant, refusing to resign and declaring that he would wear his expulsion as a "badge of honor."
His expulsion means that his House seat is now vacant, which has significant implications for both his staff and his district.
Here's what to expect in the coming weeks.
No, his staff aren't kicked out with him
Even with Santos out of Congress, his office will remain until he's replaced — the same thing that happens when any member of Congress resigns or dies in office.
"The staff in his personal office would be retained as employees of the House of Representatives, where they continue to manage constituent-related services," said Daniel Schuman, director of governance at the Popvox Foundation and an expert on Congress.
The office won't be able to engage on policy matters, or propose legislation, and it will officially fall under the purview of the Clerk of the House.
Santos's staff could voluntarily quit, but they are otherwise likely to still have a job for the next few months.
Santos has lots of privileges as a former member of Congress
As Business Insider reported this week, former members of Congress like Santos get lots of perks and privileges.
For one, he will still be allowed to hang out on the House floor, just like other former members. However, he told reporters on Thursday that he won't be doing that.
"I have a sour relationship with a lot of people in the body," Santos said, according to the New York Times.
Departing lawmakers are typically invited to join the US Association of Former Members of Congress, but the organization told Business Insider this week that Santos is not welcome.
He also won't receive a congressional pension — he hasn't served long enough.
But if he wants to make an extra buck, there's one potential avenue: buying his official desk for $1,000 and then auctioning it off.
A February special election on Long Island — with Democrats likely favored to win
Under New York state law, Gov. Kathy Hochul will have 10 days to call a special election, which must take place between 70 and 80 days after that.
That means a special election will likely occur sometime in February 2024.
There are already 16 candidates running for the seat in 2024. If a special election takes place, nominees would be chosen by party committee members, rather than voters.
Given that President Joe Biden carried the district in 2020, that Democrats have been overperforming in special elections this year, and that the local GOP's brand may have been tainted by Santos' tenure, it's safe to say that Democrats would be favored to take the seat.