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11 months ago
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Serial liar former Rep. George Santos joins a short list of just five lawmakers who committed treason against the Union or tried to steal from constituents or taxpayers and got kicked out of the House.
The House has rarely used its power to expel members from its ranks. It has now happened just six times since 1789. Santos is the latest, after just 100 Republicans joined Democrats on a 311 to 114 vote to throw him out of the body.
That came after Santos complained about being lumped in with 'three Confederate turncoats' and two more recent lawmakers, one now dead, who were expelled following their criminal convictions.
The Confederates were Reps. John B. Clark and John W. Reid of Missouri and Henry Burnett of Kentucky. The other two were Rep. Michael 'Ozzie' Myers of Pennsylvania and Rep. James C. Traficant of Ohio.
Clark was a slaveowner elected as a Whig who then joined the Democrats. He served in both the House and the Confederate Congress and led a secessionist guard force in his home state, then took up arms against the U.S.
Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) was expelled from Congress on a 311 to 114 vote. He complained shortly before the vote about being lumped in with 'turncoats who were expelled for treason'
Reid was a slaveholder who led raiders to attack the Kansas town of Osawatomie and battled forces of John Brown during the run-up to the Civil War – something he did before he was elected to the House.
Burnett was a slaveowner and secessionist who also took up arms against the United States. He served as a colonel in the Confederate Army and served as a senator in the Confederate Congress.
Traficant, the last member to be expelled, was convicted on bribery, fraud, and obstruction charges after representing himself at trial. He died in farm accident after serving his sentence.
He was a colorful lawmaker who made use of C-SPAN's broadcast of proceedings, known for yelling 'Beam Me Up!' during speeches and sporting an infamous toupee. He was removed on a 420 to 1 vote.
Beam me up! Former Rep. James Traficant, D-Ohio, was convicted on fraud charges and expelled after the Ethics Committee found him guilty on 9 counts. He was expelled after being convicted of 10 counts in court on a 420-1 vote in 2002
John W. Reid led forces attacking the town in the Battle of Osawatomie in 1956, then got elected to Congress. He was kicked out after serving in the Confederate Congress
John B. Clark, Representative from Missouri, led a secessionist guard force in his home state and joined the Confederate Congress
Hon. Henry Cornelius Burnett of KY, between 1855 and 1865. He was a colonel in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War
Rep. Michael Myers, D-Pa., was convicted in the Abscam scandal, then went back to jail last year after pleading guilty to election fraud charges
Myers was served time in prison after his conviction in the Abscam scandal after taking bribes from undercover FBI agents, serving more than a year in prison. Last year he reported back to prison last year at the age of 79 after pleading guilty to election fraud charges.
Santos is accused of diverting campaign funds and using them to fund Botox treatments, Hermes bags, OnlyFans payments, and cash withdrawals at a casino. He blasted colleagues for forcing him into the expulsion club in advance of his trial, set for September.
He said it was unfair to do so before a conviction, even while admitting there are things he would have done differently.
'I want people to vote their conscience and I don't want to make anybody feel uncomfortable,' he told Fox News hours before his expulsion.
'So if it's your choice to change precedent and loop me in with three Confederate turncoats who were expelled for treason, and two convicted members who were convicted in a court of law, so I'll be the first person to get expelled from Congress without a conviction or without committing treason. And it sets a dangerous new precedent for the future ... to the the demise of this body eventually,' he said.
He also said in that interview he would be 'gracious' if his colleagues voted to remove him. Then after the vote he said 'to hell with this place' before wading through a media phalanx to get into a black car.
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