WASHINGTON — Calls from House Republicans for Rep. George Santos to resign are mounting after state Republican leaders in New York said he should step aside over a series of lies and fabrications in his published biography. in the 2022 midterm elections.
Rep. Mike Lawler, RN.Y., also starting his first term, dropped his previous coverage and said unequivocally Thursday that Santos should resign.
“It is clear that George Santos has lost the trust and support of his party, his constituents and his colleagues. With the scope and seriousness of the allegations against him, his inability to take full responsibility for his conduct, and the numerous ongoing investigations, I believe he is unable to carry out his duties and should resign.» Lawler said in a statement.
Republican Rep. Max Miller of Ohio cited Santos’ comments about being Jewish when asking him to resign. Santos presented himself as Jewish during his congressional campaign, but recently told The New York Post: «I never claimed to be Jewish.»
“It is not right to make up or lie for political gain. This is especially true when the lie seeks to profit from the murder of millions of Jews,» Miller, who is Jewish, said in a declaration Thursday night. «I don’t think George Santos can serve effectively and should resign.»
Rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C., said earlier Thursday that Santos «should resign,» a day after she referred him to the Ethics Committee for investigation in a process she said could take weeks or months.
“It’s a problem for us in Congress because the American people don’t trust anyone. They think all politicians lie and there are good ones among us who are trying to do the right thing,» Mace said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. . «He should quit, but obviously he won’t.»
Santos insisted on Thursday that he would not resign «until those same 142,000 people» in New York who elected him «tell me they don’t want me.» (The New York Board of Elections shows that 145,824 voters supported him in November).
And Chairman Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is not asking him to resign.
“He has a long way to go to earn trust, but all I know is that the Constitution applies equally to all Americans,” McCarthy told reporters on Thursday. “The voters in your district have elected you. He is sitting. He is part of the Republican Conference. There are concerns with him, so he will go before Ethics. If something is found to be wrong, he will be held accountable exactly as anyone else in this body would be.»
Santos presents a political dilemma for Republicans. National news about his various hoaxes have tarnished his image and created embarrassment for a party that does not want to be defined by him. In New York, the Republican Party exceeded expectations in the midterm elections and won four seats in the House. But McCarthy is overseeing a slim majority, with no more than four votes to lose before he needs Democratic votes to pass legislation, and Santos has so far proven to be a reliable vote for him.
Santos flipped a Democratic-held seat on Long Island. If he resigns, he could be up for grabs again in a special election.
Republican Rep. Brandon Williams, who represents a swing district in upstate New York, said Wednesday that he agrees with calls by Nassau Republicans for Santos to step aside.
«He must resign,» Williams said in a declarationciting «biographical exaggerations and apparent hoaxes».
Some Republicans are reaching out to Santos, expressing concern for him but not going so far as to ask him to resign.
That includes first-term Rep. Marc Molinaro of New York.
“I don’t think there’s any way you can fulfill your duty. But the man has to be honest with himself and with his constituents and it is clear to me that he cannot do his job,” Molinaro told reporters on Thursday.
And on Wednesday, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., co-chairman of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, said Santos deserved the due process of an investigation before being forced to resign, though he argued that the congressman’s «conduct was outrageous. «
“I don’t think he should be here, that’s for sure. But there is a process that should be applied equally to all members of both parties in both houses,» Fitzpatrick said on MSNBC. «We should have an expedited review.»
Garrett Haake, haley talbot, Liz Brown-Kaiser, kate santaliz, zoe richards Y Henry J. Gomez contributed.