Kevin McCarthy said Thursday that he will not urge George Santos to resign from Congress or refuse to place him on House committees – instead claiming that the freshman representative will face appropriate action if wrongdoing is found.
The House Speaker also said that the voters ‘have a say’ in the matter and they decided to elect him to represent New York’s third congressional district.
While voters do have the final say in many of these matters, there isn’t much that Santos’ constituents could do until 2024 when he is up for reelection, should he decide to run.
While some local and state-level officers do allow voters to recall their officials, it is against the Constitution for a state to attempt to recall a member of Congress.
![Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Thursday that he would not demand George Santos' resignation, claiming that 'voters' have a say in who represents them](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/12/20/66515053-11629123-image-a-26_1673555888903.jpg)
Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Thursday that he would not demand George Santos’ resignation, claiming that ‘voters’ have a say in who represents them
‘What I find is that the voters have elected George Santos,’ McCarthy said during his Thursday press conference.
‘If there is a concern, he will go through Ethics. If there is something that is found, he will be dealt with in that matter,’ he added. ‘But they have a voice in this process.’
McCarthy has said that he will still allow Santos to serve on House committees – even though Democrats have made it clear that they feel his lies and the current investigation into him preclude him from earning these assignments.
Media has been bombarding Santos any time he is spotted around Capitol Hill, questioning if he will resign and if he has a message for those who are calling for his resignation.
‘I will not resign, I will be continuing to hold my office elected by the people,’ he told reporters who crowded his House office door as he slipped on a newspaper.
Santos slammed coverage of his extensive lies about his background as ‘media nonsense’ and repeatedly insisted he would not resign from Congress.
![Representative Santos of New York has been swarmed by media wherever he goes on Capitol Hill, but continues to insist that he will not step down from office](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/12/20/66514879-11629123-image-a-18_1673555067894.jpg)
Representative Santos of New York has been swarmed by media wherever he goes on Capitol Hill, but continues to insist that he will not step down from office
‘I came here to serve the people, not politicians and party leaders, and I’m going to do just that,’ Santos told Representative Matt Gaetz, who was guest hosting Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast on Thursday.
At one point Gaetz brought up questions surrounding the $700,000 Santos lent his campaign and where the money came from given the New York Republican’s past financial struggles.
Santos refused to answer the far-right Florida congressman and instead deflected to an apparent attack on President Joe Biden’s son Hunter’s overseas business dealings.
‘Well, I’ll tell you where it didn’t come from. It didn’t come from China, Ukraine, or Burisma. How about that?’ he said.
‘Well, that is an answer,’ Gaetz responded.
‘I’ve worked my entire life, I’ve lived an honest life, I’ve never been accused, sued of any bad doings,’ Santos insisted.
Santos noted that more than 142,000 people had elected him and said he would be in office ‘until those same 142,000 people tell me they don’t want me.’
Gaetz and Santos became fast friends last week at the start of the new Congress. Santos at first sat alone on the House floor but as Speaker votes dragged on was frequently seen sitting near and chatting with Gaetz.
The Florida Republican defended Santos on the podcast, saying that ’embellishing’ a resume isn’t a ‘crime.’
He said that Santos should get committee assignments. ‘If we didn’t seat people on committees who embellish their resume running for Congress, we probably wouldn’t be able to make quorum in any of those committees.’
Santos said he would prove everyone wrong about him by working hard on any committee he was given.
‘Whatever committee I’m given, whether it’s, I don’t know, Science and Technology, or Education and Labor, or whatever committee is thrown my way, I will deliver 110% because that is what I know how to do. I am going to outwork any of the pundits and talking heads that are out there saying that I should resign, that I’m unfit for office. The reality is and the case and point here being is, I’m a work horse, I’ve worked my whole life, I’m the kid who came from a basement apartment.’
![Freshman GOP Rep. George Santos has been faced with growing calls to resign after he admitted to fabricating much of his backstory](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/12/13/66496865-11627415-image-m-20_1673530432657.jpg)
Freshman GOP Rep. George Santos has been faced with growing calls to resign after he admitted to fabricating much of his backstory
A growing number of Republicans have publicly called on freshman Rep. George Santos of New York to resign from Congress as of Wednesday night amid multiple investigations into the lies he’s told.
New York GOP Reps. Marc Molinaro and Mike Lawler joined at least four others in Congress who have publicly said Santos should resign.
It comes after his local Republican chapter, the Nassau County GOP, urged Santos to step down in a stunning press conference where he was called ‘compromised’ and that the depth of his ‘mistruths as a candidate morally disqualifies him from serving in public office.’
South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace joined three members of New York’s Congressional delegation in demanding Santos leave Congress during an appearance on CNN Wednesday night.
‘I do, actually,’ Mace responded when asked if she thinks Santos should resign.
‘This is an individual that fabricated their entire life story, their entire résumé, to get elected,’ Mace said.
The latest calls for him to step down follow the New York Times unearthing is resume, where he touted having a ‘3.89 GPA’ in college’ and claimed he ‘doubled revenue’ at Goldman Sachs.
The Nassau County GOP also said he lied about being a college volleyball ‘star’.
![South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace became the latest GOP lawmakers to join calls for Santos to step down](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/12/13/66496855-11627415-image-a-14_1673530337282.jpg)
South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace became the latest GOP lawmakers to join calls for Santos to step down
‘If you want to talk about election fraud, then we could look no further than New York’s 3rd Congressional District right now.’
The 34-year-old new lawmaker has admitted to fabricating details about where he went to college, his career, and even his family heritage.
He was savagely mocked on Wednesday after it emerged he once claimed to have led the Baruch College volleyball team to a championship win. The school has no record of his attendance.
Both state and federal authorities are looking into whether the vast network of misrepresentations broke any laws.
Meanwhile on the New York side, three of Santos’ fellow freshmen are leading the criticism from his home state.
Empire State Rep. Brandon Williams released a statement on Wednesday evening declaring that he ‘concur[s]’ with Nassau County Republicans’ assessment.
‘The constituents in NY-3 elected Representative Santos in part due to his biographical exaggerations and apparent deceptions,’ Williams said. ‘He must resign.’
![New York Reps. Nick LaLota (pictured) and Anthony D'Esposito have also criticized Santos over the lies he's told](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/12/13/66496849-11627415-image-a-24_1673530551415.jpg)
![Rep. Anthony D'Esposito](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/12/13/66496851-11627415-image-m-23_1673530534962.jpg)
New York Reps. Nick LaLota (left) and Anthony D’Esposito (right) have also criticized Santos over the lies he’s told
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, a former NYPD detective whose district, was the first of Santos’ hometown trio to call for his resignation.
He made his position clear when he called into the Nassau County GOP meeting via teleconference, and released a concurring statement accusing Santos of having ‘irreparably broken the trust’ of his constituents.
![New York Rep. Brandon Williams said Santos was elected 'in part due to his biographical exaggerations and apparent deceptions'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/01/12/13/66496893-11627415-image-a-19_1673530392083.jpg)
New York Rep. Brandon Williams said Santos was elected ‘in part due to his biographical exaggerations and apparent deceptions’
‘When public servants deceive and mislead those they are tasked with serving, they are no longer fit to work for the people,’ D’Esposito said. ‘For his betrayal of the public’s trust, I call on Congressman George Santos to resign.’
Rep. Nick LaLota, another Long Island congressman, told Axios, ‘What he’s done is disgraceful, dishonorable and unworthy of the office. I think he should resign.’
‘I hear a lot of feedback from my fellow Long Islanders about us wanting to raise the standard or at least keep some standard among elected officials,’ LaLota told the outlet.
He added that Santos ‘has fallen far below that standard.’
But other New Yorkers on Capitol Hill were more hesitant to comment.
GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik ignored a question from DailyMail.com on Santos as she hurried into the House chamber for votes on Wednesday afternoon.
And he may be getting shielded by another member of House leadership – Speaker Kevin McCarthy himself.
McCarthy has largely avoided commenting on Santos ever since his lies first emerged late last year.
But he told reporters on Wednesday that the New York Republican would be getting House committee assignments, which could be seen as a vote of confidence in Santos’ future.
New York State senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick told CNN’s morning show on Thursday that McCarthy has an ‘obligation’ to call on Santos to resign, ‘to make sure the 3rd Congressional District is represented by an honest person.’
For his own part, Santos has been defiant even as the pressure grows around him.
Largely dodging reporters stationed outside of his office for much of the day, Santos was briefly caught on cameras saying he would not step aside.
He later also released a fuller statement on Twitter, writing: ‘I was elected to serve the people of #NY03 not the party & politicians, I remain committed to doing that and regret to hear that local officials refuse to work with my office to deliver results to keep our community safe and lower the cost of living.’
He added, ‘I will NOT resign!’
Santos also hit back at at former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger’s demand that he step down.
‘Go on @CNN and cry about it,’ Santos shot back on Twitter, referencing the former anti-Trump lawmaker’s new job.