Rep. George Santos of New York was finally expelled from Congress on Friday. AdvertisementRep. George Santos of New York was finally expelled from Congress on Friday by a 311-114 vote, with 2 lawmakers voting present. But even as more than two-thirds of the chamber voted to kick Santos out, over 100 House Republicans voted against the measure, arguing that the vote set a bad precedent. "I rise not to defend George Santos, whoever he is," Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida said on the House floor on Thursday," but to defend the very precedent that my colleagues are willing to shatter." Gaetz: I rise not to defend George Santos, whoever he is… pic.twitter.com/pVi5rdeyj9 — Acyn (@Acyn) November 30, 2023Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana, meanwhile, argued that the ethics committee's investigation "appears weaponized to me," echoing conservative claims about the justice system writ large.

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Persons: George Santos, —, Santos, Matt Gaetz, Clay Higgins, Jim Traficant of, Ozzie Myers, Michael Guest of Organizations: Service, Republicans, Representatives, Democratic, Republican Locations: George Santos of New York, Florida, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Jim Traficant of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michael Guest of Mississippi