ABC News reports:
Disgraced former Republican Rep. George Santos arrived in the House chamber on Thursday night about an hour before President Joe Biden’s speech was to begin and about three months after he became the first House member to be expelled in more than 20 years.
He was seen seated on the GOP side near the aisle — his normal position when he was a voting lawmaker. Santos later briefly left the chamber, entering the Republican cloak room. As a former member, Santos retains the privilege of accessing the House floor.
He would need to be convicted of one of his criminal charges to be banned from the floor. At about the same time, Santos appeared to be launching a new bid for Congress, per an announcement he’s made on “X” and a corresponding Federal Election Commission filing.
CNN reports:
Former GOP Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from the House last year and is facing federal charges, announced Thursday night that he’s running for Congress again — this time to challenge a Republican congressman in New York.
“Tonight, I want to announce that I will be returning to the arena of politics and challenging Nick for the battle over #NY1,” Santos wrote on X, referring to GOP Rep. Nick LaLota. “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.”
The former congressman, who had represented New York’s 3rd District, made his announcement during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday — during which he was spotted at the US Capitol.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) chat ahead of President Biden’s third State of the Union address.
Follow live: https://t.co/LvkOqQWs41 pic.twitter.com/qX9G5nWjFk
— The Hill (@thehill) March 8, 2024
Today’s GOP: the gift that keeps on giving. And giving. Santos was seen laughing on camera alongside fellow mistreats Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz. As a former congressman, he’s allowed to attend. https://t.co/XtDkLy3Jgm
— JoAnn Ross 🇺🇸🇺🇦🌻💙💛 Слава Україні! (@JoAnnRoss) March 8, 2024
You will have a lot of time to think about it in jail
🤣🤣🤣🤣— reds56 (@Reds56Art) March 8, 2024