Rep. George Santos is resigning from committees because of lies spread about his life story.
Rep. George Santos is resigning from committees because of lies spread about his life story. Embattled House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy announced Tuesday that Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) would temporarily stand aside from his committee assignments as several investigations into his campaign funds continue.
Since his election in November, Santos has admitted to fabricating details about his education, employment, religion, and heritage. In a closed-door meeting of House Republicans, he announced that he would be stepping down from his positions on the House Small Business Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
After weeks of refusing to accept responsibility for his lies, Santos has finally made a significant compromise by stepping down from committees temporarily.
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A Republican legislator who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the discussion said that Santos announced his resignation because “he’s a distraction.” One day after Santos visited House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, they had this chat (R-Calif.).
Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business Roger Williams (R-Texas) said he had been informed that Santos’ retirement was temporary while the investigations were still ongoing. Since the exposure of the Republican newcomer’s misrepresentations of experience, personal life, and education, he has been the subject of heightened scrutiny, including a federal review of his campaign funding and a local investigation into his resume fabrications.
I was caught off guard, but I think it was the right choice,” Williams added.
Rep. Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.), who had previously called for Santos’ resignation, said, “Without the ethics inquiry being complete, I think it’s the proper decision.”
After the meeting, Santos said, “I think you should talk to leadership if you want details relevant to committees.” He then rejected further comments.
The declaration was made on the same day polling in his area revealed a majority of residents there think he should step down from office. According to a Newsday and Siena College poll, 75%+ of people in New York’s 3rd Congressional District believe he should resign.
Santos has not indicated any willingness to vacate his position willingly.
Santos has been pressured to step down by Republicans in his Long Island constituency and many members of the Republican majority in the House. McCarthy, whose Republican majority is exceptionally slim, has rejected these requests. The Republican leadership has been silent on Santos’ behavior, and some have stopped short of calling for his resignation.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) was asked if she regretted voting for Santos after hearing that he resigned from committees. She responded that people had decided to elect him.
On Tuesday, the third-highest Republican in the House remarked, “This process is going to play itself out.” However, “in the end, voters will decide.”
Democratic leaders have demanded Santos’ resignation on multiple occasions, and they are puzzled by the Republican response to his most recent forfeiture.
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) remarked, “The turmoil, disarray, dysfunction of the Republican conference simply strike me.” They just supported placing him on committees, and now they’re saying he won’t serve on any of them. So, please explain the day’s play to me because I have no idea.
Santos’s action comes as McCarthy fights to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from the House Foreign Affairs Committee but is having trouble winning over Republican committee members to his side. After Democrats pulled Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) and Paul A. Gosar (R-Ariz.) from committees for supporting political violence against Democrats on social media, the speaker is determined to keep a promise he made years ago.
She explained, “I was in no way equating terrorist organizations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems.” However, McCarthy wanted to eliminate Omar from the committee because of her “repeated antisemitic and anti-American statements.”
Representatives Victoria Spartz (Ind. ), Ken Buck (Colo.), and Nancy Mace (R) have all spoken out against McCarthy (S.C.). The Republican majority is very narrow; they need only lose four votes to pass legislation. Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) is home recovering from an injury sustained in a fall, narrowing the gap to three.
