(PatriotNewsDaily.com) – Former Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from the House of Representatives, was allowed to visit the Capitol to watch President Biden’s State of the Union address earlier this month.
Santos stated that during his visit to Congress, he had greeted New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul and her small security team at the Capitol’s basement.
Santos (R-NY) became the sixth person to ever be expelled from the House in December. It is not uncommon for a former lawmaker to return to the Capitol to hear the State of the Union speech. Former Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., was also present during the speech, still, it was surprising to see Santos allowed to return to the Capitol.
The Senate and House granted former members lifetime access to the Capitol building even after they left office. This access is not revoked regardless of how they quit office.
Santos, when asked about his return, pointed this out by arguing that he had “floor privileges.”
Previously, the House had only expelled six Representatives. Three of them were expelled in 1961 because they were Confederates. The fourth expulsion came in 1980 after Rep. Ozzie Myers (D-PA) was kicked out for having accepted bribes. Myers, 80, is still alive and recently ended up in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges connected to ballot staffing that he had pleaded guilty to. In 2002, Rep. Jim Traficant (D-OH) was also expelled following his conviction of racketeering, filing false tax returns, and taking bribes. Traficant passed away in 2013.
Finally, Santos was the latest addition to the exclusive club of people who have been expelled from the House. Despite their expulsion, these members are still considered former members of the House.
Santos is expected to take full advantage of being considered a former member, as is clear by the fact that he is the only expelled member to have tried making a return to the Capitol following his dismissal.
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