Dem seeks to bar expelled members from House floor after Santos appearance

A House Democrat wants a rule change in the lower chamber that would revoke floor privileges from expelled lawmakers following a surprise appearance from ex-Rep. George Santos at the State of the Union Thursday. 

Rep. Ritchie Torres, New York Democrat, announced he will introduce GEORGE: getting expelled officially revokes guaranteed entry. The rule change would ensure that ousted lawmakers can’t enter the House floor. 

The lawmaker’s pitch comes after Mr. Santos, a Republican also of New York, who was expelled from the House in December, appeared at President Biden’s speech. 

“Name me any other example where you can get publicly fired from your job, leave in absolute disgrace, but maintain the right to come back to your old workplace as you please,” Mr. Torres said in a statement. “I view serving in Congress as the privilege of my lifetime — we cannot allow those who make a mockery of this institution to keep the perks of the job after they’ve been expelled.”

Mr. Santos came to the House floor through privileges he maintains as a former member of the chamber. 

The former lawmaker was booted from the House after racking up 23 federal charges related to allegations that he charged donors’ credit cards without permission and fraudulently received unemployment benefits, among other issues.  

Mr. Santos has maintained his innocence, but that stance didn’t stop his peers from making him the sixth member of Congress to be expelled. Notably, he was the first representative ousted from the chamber who had not been convicted of a crime or part of the Confederacy during the Civil War. 

He also plans to reenter the political arena this year and challenge Rep. Nick LaLota, New York Republican, in a primary race. 

“I want to announce that I will be returning to the arena of politics and challenging Nick for the battle over [New York’s 1st Congressional District],” Mr. Santos said on X. “I look forward to debating him on the issues and on his weak record as a Republican. The fight for our majority is imperative for the survival of the country.”

Mr. LaLota appeared to welcome the challenge. 

“To raise the standard in Congress and to hold a pathological liar who stole an election accountable, I led the charge to expel George Santos,” Mr. LaLota said on X. “If finishing the job requires beating him in a primary, count me in.”