(NewsNation) — Former U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, has succeeded Rep. George Santos, the disgraced Republican who was expelled from Congress in December.
Reflecting on his tumultuous political journey, Santos joined NewsNation’s “Dan Abrams Live” on Tuesday and expressed a sense of closure as the election marked the end of a five-year cycle in his life.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what life brings … I have no hopes; I’m just being practical. Today, I can tell you that I look forward to tomorrow,” he said.
The House voted on a resolution to expel Santos after a litany of ethics complaints and indictments accusing him of lying about his resume and improperly using his campaign funds. Santos was expelled with 311 members voting to remove him from the body and 114 supporting his right to stay.
“They spent $20 million in a futile desire to oust me. And now, look, all that money could have solved the homelessness issue in New York City alone,” Santos said.
The expulsion marked the final congressional chapter in a spectacular fall from grace for Santos. Celebrated as an up-and-comer after he flipped a district from Democrats last year, Santos’ life story began to unravel before he was even sworn into office. Reports emerged that he had lied about having Jewish ancestry, a career at top Wall Street firms and a college degree, among other things.
Responding to speculation about his scandal affecting the Republican Party’s prospects in the special election, Santos dismissed any significant impact, citing past local elections where Republican incumbents in NY-3 were reelected and seats were flipped from blue to red.
“George Santos does not affect the bottom line of anyone in NY-3,” he said.
Earlier this year, Santos tweeted his serious consideration for a potential role in the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) under a hypothetical return of President Donald Trump to the White House in 2024.
“My new year resolution is that President Trump returns to the white house and in 2025 I can be appointed Director of ICE,” Santos wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Santos faces a host of charges that he defrauded donors to his campaign, lied to Congress about his wealth, received unemployment benefits while employed and used campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses such as designer clothing. He pleaded not guilty in October to additional charges that he made tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges on credit cards belonging to some of his campaign donors.
Despite facing legal challenges and uncertainty about his future, Santos remained resolute, emphasizing his determination to navigate the obstacles ahead with fortitude.
“Life has never been easy for me. So I’m just going to take it day by day, go through the motions and the processes and see what I do next,” he said.
In a candid moment, Santos addressed the recent cameo appearance of him trolling Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., who is also being investigated for alleged ethical violations. But he says he was not aware it was Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., who requested this particular video.
Santos — who dubs himself a “Former congressional ‘Icon’” on the platform “cameo” — is selling personal videos for $200 each. Customers can request holiday messages and birthday wishes from Santos, or they can ask him for gossip, a pep talk, a roast or advice.
Fetterman tweeted, “I thought my ethically-challenged colleague @BobMenendezNJ could use some encouragement given his substantial legal problems. So, I approached a seasoned expert on the matter to give ‘Bobby from Jersey’ some advice.”
Attached to Fetterman’s post was the purported cameo video from Santos.
“Trust me, if I knew it was for Bob Menendez, I’d have choice words for him. But I was reading the script. I didn’t know who it was for,” Santos said.
Responding to a supportive caller from Nebraska, Santos expressed gratitude for the encouragement and affirmed his commitment to remaining engaged in the political arena.
“What’s next for me is just getting over the 2024 hump and then we’ll see what 2025 holds. But definitely still involved in politics,” Santos responded.
NewsNation’s affiliate The Hill and The Associated Press contributed to this report.