Members Who Have Been Expelled From the House of Representatives
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:
3 years ago The U.S. House of Representatives voted to expel Representative George Santos who was facing a slew of federal criminal charges related to fraudulent financial schemes, after fellow Republicans from his home state of New York pushed a resolution to oust him. He is only the sixth member of the House to be expelled in the body’s history. Who was the last House member to be expelled before George Santos?
Article I, section 5 of the United States Constitution provides that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member." According to the visual below* how many Senators have been expelled?
What has been the main reason for expulsions from Congress?
If a member of the U.S. House of Representatives is expelled, state laws and the U.S. Constitution require a special election to fill the empty seat. The state’s governor calls the election, which usually takes a couple of months to organize (for example, in New York, the governor has 10 days to set a special election date after a vacancy occurs). How does this illustrate the concept of federalism?
Based upon your knowledge of the structure and terms of members of the U.S. Congress, why do you think so many more Senators have been expelled than House members?
Representative Santos, 35, was first indicted in May, 2023 on 13 counts covering wire fraud, unlawful monetary transactions, stealing public funds and lying on financial disclosures. Last month, federal prosecutors added 10 new charges, accusing Mr. Santos of reporting a fraudulent $500,000 personal loan to his campaign and stealing the identities and credit card information of campaign donors. Would you have voted to expel George Santos from the U.S. House of Representatives?
The sternest form of punishment that the House has imposed on its Members is expulsion. The Constitution specifically empowers the House to expel a sitting Member who engages in “disorderly Behaviour,” requiring a two-thirds vote of those present and voting. Neither the House nor the Senate requires the concurrence of the other chamber to expel one of its own Members. For a bill to become a law, both chambers must pass it. Why do you think the Framers do NOT allow the chambers to rule on expulsion of members of the other chamber?
George Santos pleaded guilty in August 2024 to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft after inflating campaign funds, stealing donor identities, and committing unemployment benefits fraud. In April 2025, he was sentenced to 87 months (7 years and 3 months) in federal prison by a U.S. District Court in New York. He reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, New Jersey on July 25, 2025. On October 17, 2025, President Donald Trump commuted Santos's prison sentence. He was released from custody after serving less than three months. How does this presidential commutation illustrate the concept of checks and balances?
Because the Constitution does not mention criminal records, a person indicted or convicted of a felony would not be barred from serving in the role so long as he or she meets the other requirements. In many states a convicted felon cannot vote, but in all states they can run for office. Since his expulsion from Congress and prison sentence, George Santos has been a naughty boy. In February 2026, Santos publicly teased on social media that he would attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, driving up "yes" odds on Kalshi. He then skipped the event while allegedly holding bets that he would not show up, netting a profit of roughly $17,839. Kalshi froze his account and referred the suspicious trading activity to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and federal regulators. On August 31, 2026, Kalshi permanently banned Santos for life after its compliance department concluded he likely engaged in insider trading. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) opened investigations into former U.S. Representative George Santos regarding alleged insider trading on the prediction market platform Kalshi. Make a claim about whether there should be more restrictions on politicians running for office.
Given today’s high level of political polarization explain whether congressional expulsion will become more common in the future.
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
Call the capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak with your House Representative. Ask them how to vote to expel themself from Congress. Share their response with your classmates.
Get Creative
The U.S. Constitution does not ban individuals with felony convictions or those expelled from Congress from running for or holding a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. George Santos has said publicly that he is "all politicked out" he is eligible to run again for Congress. Make a mock up of a yard sign, bumper sticker, or billboard for a Santos campaign.
Learning Extension
America is voting in our 2026 Midterm Elections! Can you predict which party will win control of Congress?
The winner of our classroom contest will win a $50 Amazon gift card for themselves and a $50 Amazon gift card for their teacher! To enter, complete your predictions in our online contest before midnight on November 3, 2026.
Members Who Have Faced a vote on Expulsion From the Senate
Distribute this worksheet to your students prior to the election for them to complete as results are reported. Afterwards, review and discuss the findings together during class. Teacher Key is available here.
