Topline
A number of GOP lawmakers spoke out late Tuesday against Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) amid reports he’s been indicted by federal prosecutors on unspecified charges, with many calling for his resignation—but the lawmaker is still unlikely to be forced out of Congress, as House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he won’t act unless Santos is proved guilty.
Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) leaves a House GOP conference meeting on Capitol Hill, in Washington on ... [+]
Key Facts
Santos has been charged by federal authorities at the Eastern District of New York and may appear as soon as Wednesday, CNN first reported Tuesday, and the specific charges against him are still under seal.
A number of New York Republican lawmakers spoke out against his indictment, with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis becoming the latest GOP lawmaker to call for Santos to resign and others including Reps. Mike Lawler and Marc Molinaro re-upping their calls for him to step down.
“These charges bring us one step closer to never having to talk about this lying loser ever again,” Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) told Politico.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) also spoke out against Santos’ indictment, telling CNN, “He’ll be the reason that we lose that seat” and Republicans “should really hold our own accountable and recruit someone who's going to be better and can win that seat and keep it in Republican hands.”
“I’m surprised he made it as long as he did,” Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) told CNN, and Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) told the outlet that while he still wanted to see the charges, “I do believe that if a member of Congress is charged with a federal crime they should resign.”
McCarthy told reporters his “policy and principles” on the issue is that he will tell Santos to resign only if he’s found guilty, as he did with former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), who was found guilty of lying to the FBI last year.
Crucial Quote
“In America, we'll just follow the same pattern we always have, right?” McCarthy said Tuesday. “If a person is indicted, they're not on committees, they have the right to vote. But they have to go to trial.”
Contra
Other New York Republicans did not blast Santos in response to the reported charges or call on him to resign. Rep. Elise Stefanik told Axios “the legal process is going to play itself out” and Rep. Claudia Tenney said to CNN, “Next time a Democrat gets indicted and not convicted, let’s see what they do.”
What To Watch For
The charges against Santos will likely be unsealed when he appears in court, potentially as soon as Wednesday. While it’s still unclear what he’s been charged with, Santos has come under scrutiny for possible campaign finance violations, including allegations of illegally funneling money into his campaign and using campaign funds on personal expenses. Santos’ campaign also listed a person as his campaign treasurer on federal filings who then came out and said he actually wasn’t Santos’ treasurer, sparking warnings from the Federal Election Commission.
Chief Critic
Santos’ only public reaction so far to the reported charges against him is telling the Associated Press, “This is news to me.” “You’re the first to call me about this,” he told the AP after news of his reported indictment broke. The congressman has broadly denied campaign finance allegations against him prior to news of his reported indictment, and his attorney Joseph Murray previously told the New York Times that the allegations against Santos were “ludicrous.” “I am not a criminal,” Santos told the New York Post in December. “My sins here are embellishing my resume. I’m sorry.”
Key Background
Santos’ short tenure in Congress since being elected last year has been filled with controversy, as the congressman came under fire for telling a slew of lies about his background in addition to the alleged campaign finance issues. Along with his educational and work history, the congressman has also been shown to have fabricated stories about his mother dying in the September 11 attacks, his Jewish heritage and claiming he was a producer of the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, among other lies. In addition to the federal probe that’s led to his reported indictment, Santos has also been under investigation by state, local and international authorities, as law enforcement in Brazil reopened a probe into Santos allegedly spending $700 using a false checkbook and fake name in 2008. A number of Republican lawmakers had already called for him to resign even prior to Tuesday’s reports of his indictment, but Santos has refused to do so, and has already announced his reelection campaign for 2024.
Further Reading
Rep. George Santos Criminally Charged By Justice Department (Forbes)
Disgraced Rep. George Santos Announces 2024 Reelection Campaign (Forbes)
