Disgraced former Republican Rep. George Santos arrived in the House chamber on Thursday night about an hour before President Joe andBiden’s speech was to begin 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.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., left, and former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., talk before the State of the Union address at the Capitol, March 7, 2024, in Washington.
Shawn Thew/Pool via AP
He had told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott he would do so.
Scott reported that for several minutes, Santos was seated where he could brush shoulders with Biden if he were to stay there while the president arrived and walked down the aisle.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., talk before the State of the Union at the U.S. Capitol, Thursday March 7, 2024, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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.
He has pleaded not guilty.
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ABC News National Correspondent Steven Portnoy, using binoculars from the press gallery above the House floor, could see Santos is wearing some kind of studded necklace.
At one point, Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida joined in a conversation with Santos, along with chat with GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who rocked her head back in laughter.
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