Lawmakers in New York are expressing their obvious desire for Rep. George Santos to step down right away.
Their responses followed the publication of the House Ethics Committee’s damning report on Santos, which concluded that there was “substantial evidence” of his malfeasance.
Santos responded to the report on social media, saying he will not seek reelection. Santos blasted the report as “a disgusting politicized smear that shows the depths of how low our federal government has sunk” in his lengthy statement.
If there was a single ounce of ETHICS in the “Ethics committee”, they would have not released this biased report. The Committee went to extraordinary lengths to smear myself and my legal team about me not being forthcoming (My legal bills suggest otherwise).
It is a disgusting…
— George Santos (@MrSantosNY) November 16, 2023
“As the governor of the state who actually needs members of Congress who are focused on doing their jobs and delivering for New York, I’m calling on him to resign,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
“George Santos should end this farce and resign immediately. If he refuses, he must be removed from Congress,” Rep. Mike Lawler said. “His conduct is not only unbecoming and embarrassing, it is criminal. He is unfit to serve and should resign today.”
George Santos should end this farce and resign immediately. If he refuses, he must be removed from Congress. His conduct is not only unbecoming and embarrassing, it is criminal. He is unfit to serve and if he had any dignity, he would resign today. https://t.co/fzsgxjYfXF
— Mike Lawler (@lawler4ny) November 16, 2023
“The bipartisan Ethics Committee confirmed what most New Yorkers knew months ago: George Santos is a total fraud who stole an election to get to Congress. The House must use our Constitutional expulsion powers. This will let the Third District participate in a valid election,” Rep. Nick LaLota wrote on X.
The bipartisan Ethics Committee confirmed what most New Yorkers knew months ago: George Santos is a total fraud who stole an election to get to Congress.
The House must use our Constitutional expulsion powers.
This will let the Third District participate in a valid election.
— Congressman Nick LaLota (@RepLaLota) November 16, 2023
“As expected, this report confirms what we knew: George Santos is a fraud, committed fraud & should not serve in the House of Representatives. This is why I called for his resignation, voted for his expulsion & believe he needs to be removed from Congress,” Rep. Marc Molinaro wrote on X.
“I believe this is long overdue. Santos should resign, or they should remove him from Congress. Also, if he was smart, I think he would enter a plea of guilty and work out the best deal he can with the Justice Department. He does not belong in Congress. I’ve never seen anyone with such a disgraceful record, both before, during and after he was in Congress. So no, to me, it’s important that, based on the findings of the Ethics Committee report, that to me is sufficient basis to expel him from the Congress,” former Rep. Peter King said.
King said he thinks that Santos either resigned or was expelled now, he feels it would not have a major issue by the 2024 election.
“The average voter will see the Republicans did what they had to do, Congress did what it had to do, and we can have a real, honest election,” King said. “I think, again, for his own good, he should resign and work out an agreement with the Justice Department, and be gone. Because right now, he is dead man walking.”
