Commentary

OPINION: Once Again, Barbara Lee Shows the Way in Vote to Expel Rep. George Santos

“George Santos lied about everything—from 9/11 and the Holocaust to his own name,” Lee tweeted. “He defrauded voters, stole money, and faces criminal charges in two countries. I voted to expel him from Congress today.” Lee, who is running for the Senate seat vacated by the death of Dianne Feinstein, noted how her opponents in the Senate race chose to give Santos a pass. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) did. And Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) didn’t even vote. Travel delay, Schiff said later.

Published

2 years ago

December 10, 2023

Emil Guillermo

George Santos. Official portraits.

By Emil Guillermo

Disgraced former New York Representative George Santos didn’t last a term in office before he made history as the sixth person ever to be expelled from Congress recently.

You want to know how to make history?

Just look at Barbara Lee, a member of Congress since 1998, who, in 2001, was the only member of the House to vote against giving a blank check to attack any country involved in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Voting against Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF) took guts and courage. She was the only one to take that stand.

To this day, whenever I mention Lee’s name to someone outside of her Alameda County district, people never fail to mention how they recall how she was the lone person in Congress to stand for her principles and values on that key vote.

Compare that to Santos, who has 23 federal indictments for lying and fraud related to campaign finance laws. He’s never once refuted the charges despite given opportunities by reporters.

And then there’s the House Ethics Committee investigation that found Santos’ conduct brought such “severe disrepute to the House” that it jeopardized public trust.

But it surely must have made you appreciate being represented by Barbara Lee even more.

That Santos could even be in the same legislative body as Lee insults our democracy.

Lee knew the right action was to vote for Santos’ expulsion the first time they tried on Nov. 2

She joined other Republicans who were ready to throw out Santos then, but the vote failed because most Democrats chose to play politics. Some said it would set a dangerous precedent since Santos hadn’t been convicted yet.

But Lee knew the violations to the institution were serious enough already. She voted Santos out. In doing so, she again cast a vote that set her apart from your average self-serving politico.

Lee, who is running for the Senate seat vacated by the death of Dianne Feinstein, noted how her opponents in the Senate race chose to give Santos a pass. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) did. And Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) didn’t even vote. Travel delay, Schiff said later.

That’s not a good excuse when the people depend on your vote to whittle away at a slim GOP majority in the House.

Then came the vote last week, a month later. On Dec. 1, when the House voted again on Santos’ expulsion, Porter and Schiff joined Lee.

Who’s the leader, and who are the followers? Regarding the integrity of Congress, it would have to be Barbara Lee, Alameda County’s member of the House.

That’s why the nation needs someone like Barbara Lee representing California in the Senate. And yet, who is trailing in campaign donations at this stage in the process? Schiff, the impeachment chair, and Porter have raised millions of dollars. Lee is far behind.

Lee’s a pol with integrity who can use all the help she can get. You can trust her to do the right thing.

She helped put Santos where he belongs: Making cameo videos to his Gawker groupies online while he waits for a call from “Dancing with the Stars.”

Lee, on the other hand, deserves to be where she belongs— as the fourth Black woman in the U.S. Senate.

She should have been the third. But Gov. Gavin Newsom played politics and picked Laphonza Butler to fill the vacancy caused by Feinstein’s passing.

Butler has said she will not run once the term is done, but people can change their minds.

In the meantime, Lee’s ready to do the hard work. She deserves broad support throughout the state for what she’s accomplished in the House.

As of this week, she’s officially on the ballot for Feinstein’s spot next March. Tell your friends throughout the state that Lee doesn’t play politics.

She just does the right thing. And isn’t that what you’d want from a House stalwart seeking to take the next step up to the U.S. Senate?

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a micro-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1

Emil Guillermo

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a micro-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1

Posts by Emil Guillermo

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Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a micro-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC