Should Rep. George Santos be removed from Congress?
Image: Samuel Corum/Sipa
Late last week, a group of House Democrats announced a resolution to expel Rep. George Santos (R-NY) from the chamber, citing a growing list of fabrications told by Santos while he was running for office last year.
📅 Background: On the campaign trail, Santos said he graduated from Baruch College in Manhattan, then worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup before making a previous congressional run in 2020.
But as it turns out, these claims weren’t true. A NY Times report published in December found all three of those institutions have no record of Santos ever attending or working there.
And like the Energizer Bunny, the list keeps on going. Further reporting uncovered more falsehoods, including claims that:
- He’s Jewish (he’s not)
- His grandparents fled Europe to escape the Holocaust
- He founded and ran a tax-exempt animal charity
- Four of his employees died in the 2016 mass shooting at Pulse, a LGBTQ+ nightclub in Orlando
- He personally loaned his campaign $700,000
In response to the reports, Rep. Santos late last month said he would temporarily step down from the two House Committees to which he was assigned to “take time to properly clear my name.”
👀 Looking ahead… House Democrats’ resolution to expel Santos, which needs two-thirds support in the chamber, is unlikely to succeed due to lack of Republican support. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other GOP representatives have said they’re unwilling to upend the results of the 2022 election, unless the House Ethics Committee finds that Santos broke the law.
- The Ethics Committee is currently in the process of being organized, and will start investigating Santos in the coming weeks.
- If he ends up being removed and replaced, Republicans’ House majority would likely shrink from ten seats to eight, since Santos’ New York district is historically left-leaning.
📊 Flash poll: Do you think Rep. Santos should be expelled from the House?
See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that Santos needs to answer questions about where the $700,000 he “loaned” his campaign (which he later said was false) actually came from, since this person or group will have the most influence over his decisions in Congress.
- Others contend that Santos should obey the wishes of the district that got him elected – where more than 80% of residents want him expelled – and step down from Congress immediately.
- “The most important secret George Santos is keeping” –Frida Ghitis, CNN
- “Santos should listen to voters who want him gone” –Newsday Editorial Board
- “My new co-worker George Santos is a distraction and a danger to democracy” –Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY)
Sprinkles from the Right
- Others contend that the Santos situation should serve as a lesson to the American public about how difficult it is to remove an official once they’re elected – and how important it is to properly vet candidates.
- Some commentators argue that Santos should be removed from office since he’s a bad example to the young, an embarrassment to the old, and an insult to the institution and America.
- “The lesson from George Santos? Don’t elect such candidates in the first place.” –Chicago Tribune Editorial Board
- “George Santos Has Got to Go” –Peggy Noonan, WSJ
- “George Santos’ lies will end up hurting his voters the most” –NY Post Editorial Board
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