Amid growing calls from Republicans for him to resign from Congress over the numerous lies he told about his biography, Rep. George Santos, RN.Y., said Thursday that he would resign if an oddly specific number of people asked him to. .
“If 142 people ask me to resign, I will resign,” Santos told reporters outside his office on Capitol Hill.
Santos later clarified that he was actually referring to the more than 142,000 people who voted to elect him in New York’s Third Congressional District in November.
In an interview with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. Santos, who was a guest host on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, said he would stay in Congress “until those same 142,000 people tell me they don’t want me.”
On Wednesday, a defiant Santos refused to resign after Republican officials in his Long Island home district held a news conference Wednesday to formally call for his removal.
“His campaign last year was a campaign of deceit, lies and fabrication,” Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph Cairo told reporters. “Her lies about him were not mere bullshit.
“He has disgraced the House of Representatives and we do not consider him one of our congressmen,” Cairo continued. “Today, on behalf of the Nassau County Republican Committee, I call for your immediate resignation.”
The New York Times published a report last month suggesting that Santos lied to voters about his college graduation, his criminal and employment history, his family business, his animal rescue charity and his relationship with four victims of the shooting in the 2016 Pulse nightclub in Orlando. , Fla. There are also questions about her loan of more than $700,000 to his campaign during the midterm elections, the Times said.
The Forward, a New York City-based Jewish publication, subsequently published a report suggesting he had misled voters about having Jewish ancestry.
“The lies that George Santos told are too numerous to count,” said Supervisor Jen DeSena of North Hempstead, New York. “He lied to me personally when he sought my endorsement, and while I am offended and disgusted by his deception, my real concern is for the residents of the Third Congressional District.
“He has betrayed the public’s trust and provided insincere, simplistic and insulting answers when asked legitimate questions about his finances and background,” DeSena continued. “By all accounts, he seems unable and unwilling to take full responsibility for his lies and fabrications.
“There is no way Mr. Santos can be an effective member of Congress and represent the people who elected him,” said Supervisor Jen DeSena of North Hempstead, NY. “The longer he stays in office, the more residents of the Third Congressional District will suffer.”
Since arriving on Capitol Hill last week, Santos faced repeated questions from congressional reporters about the scandal.
“I was elected to serve the people of #NY03, not the party or the politicians”, Santos tweeted on Wednesday afternoon. “I remain committed to doing that, and I’m sorry to hear that local officials refuse to work with my office to achieve results that keep our community safe and lower the cost of living. I will NOT resign!”
Earlier this week, Reps. Dan Goldman, DN.Y., and Ritchie Torres, DN.Y., filed a complaint with the House Ethics Committee against Santos, saying the disgraced freshman lawmaker had committed a crime and should be removed from Congress.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that House Republicans need to deal with Santos.
“George Santos’ show speaks for itself,” said Jeffries. “It is a complete and utter fraud.”
Jeffries pointed to the multiple criminal investigations Santos faces in the United States and Brazil, where he was charged and allegedly confessed to stealing the checkbook of a man his mother was babysitting.
“This is not a partisan issue,” Jeffries said. “But this is a problem for Republicans to handle. Clean your house.”
However, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., refuses to join members of his caucus who have called for Santos’ resignation.
“The voters have chosen George Santos,” McCarthy said. “If there is a concern, he will go through [the Ethics Committee]. If something is found, it will be treated that way. But they have a voice in this process.”
McCarthy said Santos would receive committee assignments despite the ongoing controversy over his mass productions.
“He has a long way to go to earn trust,” McCarthy added. “But the only thing I do know is: the Constitution applies equally to everyone.”