ASMA KHALID, HOST:
Republican George Santos of New York is just the sixth member of the House of Representatives to have ever been expelled in the nation's history. Desiree D'Iorio from member station WSHU visited the former congressman's district right after yesterday's House vote and has this report.
DESIREE D'IORIO, BYLINE: New York's 3rd congressional district spans from eastern Queens in New York City and further east into the suburbs of Long Island. It's one of the wealthiest districts in the country. On George Santos's last day in office, voters here, like Kurt Eggert, say they won't miss him.
KURT EGGERT: I'm a Republican like him, but he did some stuff which I don't agree with. So I believe firmly in what you sow, you're going to reap.
D'IORIO: Santos has pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud and money laundering. He's been accused of embellishing his resume and experience, but as of now, he hasn't been convicted of a crime. That doesn't matter to the Democrats and Republicans who voted him out of office or to Eggert.
EGGERT: He did too many things wrong. You got to wash your hands at a certain point and get clean. And there's so many other not just Republican - Democrats, too - who needs to be expelled.
D'IORIO: It's quiet at Santos' now-former office in Queens. District director Mark Woolley says it's business as usual for him and the staff here.
MARK WOOLLEY: And this is very important - that constituents of New York 3 are aware that we're open. We're open for business. Nothing changes.
D'IORIO: Woolley says maybe now the office can get more work done.
WOOLLEY: My hope now, though, is those levels of government that wouldn't work with Mr. Santos or our office will now work with us.
D'IORIO: New York Governor Kathy Hochul called Santos' short time in office abysmal.
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KATHY HOCHUL: And George Santos just took up space.
D'IORIO: State law says Hochul must set a date for a special election to be held within the next two to three months.
For NPR News, I'm Desiree D'Iorio in New York. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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