Former U.S. Congressman George Santos has once again made headlines, this time by announcing his bid for Congress shortly after being expelled from the House in December.
Santos, who faced a litany of scandals and legal troubles, including federal charges and a scathing Ethics Committee report, declared his intention to run for Congress during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
In a characteristic move, Santos not only announced his candidacy but also claimed that his previous expulsion was “arbitrary,” despite the serious nature of the allegations against him. Furthermore, he revealed plans to switch districts, now aiming to challenge his former Republican colleague Nick LaLota.
George Santos (Credits: NPR)
Santos’ legal woes began in May 2023 when he was arrested and charged with 13 federal criminal counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds.
By October, the total number of charges had increased to 23, with accusations ranging from making false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to stealing donors’ credit card information.
Despite these legal challenges, Santos has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to all charges. His criminal trial is scheduled for September 2024, raising questions about the timing of his congressional campaign.
Santos’ expulsion from Congress came after the House Ethics Committee found substantial evidence of his wrongdoing, including filing false FEC reports and misusing campaign funds. Despite dismissing the report as a “politicized smear,” Santos was ousted from Congress in a vote of 311 to 114.
George Santos (Credits: Courthouse News Service)
The former congressman’s reputation was further tarnished by a history of falsehoods, including fabricating his educational and professional background.
Despite these controversies, Santos is eligible to run for re-election, as the U.S. Constitution sets minimal requirements for serving as a House Representative.
While Santos is not the first lawmaker to face expulsion from the House, history shows that past offenders have attempted to make political comebacks with varying degrees of success. Whether Santos can overcome his legal troubles and regain public trust remains to be seen.
