U.S. Rep. George Santos on Wednesday told reporters he has no intention of stepping down from public office after several Republican officials in his home state of New York demanded his resignation over his record of “deceit, lies, [and] fabrication,” as Nassau County Republican Committee chair Joseph G. Cairo, Jr. said.
“He’s disgraced the House of Representatives, and we do not consider him one of our congresspeople,” Cairo said at a press conference. “Today on behalf of the Nassau County Republican committee. I am calling for his immediate resignation.”
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who like Santos was elected last year to represent a district on Long Island, added that he “will not associate with him in Congress” and said he would “encourage other representatives in the House of Representatives to join me in rejecting him.”
When asked by reporters on Capitol Hill whether he would resign, Santos simply said, “I will not.”
“I was elected to serve the people of NY-3, not the party and politicians,” Santos added on social media. “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. I will NOT resign!”
The call from the Nassau County Republicans came as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told the press that he believes Santos should not be named as a member of any top congressional committee, and as several Democratic lawmakers said the New York Republican should not have access to classified national security information, considering he admitted last month to lying about numerous aspects of his personal and professional background during his campaign.
Santos has faced previous calls for his resignation from Democrats following the revelation that he did not work for Citigroup or Goldman Sachs or graduate from college as he had claimed and that he had lied about owning 13 properties.
The congressman is also the subject of numerous campaign finance complaints filed this week. End Citizens United argued in a complaint to the U.S. Department of Justice that Santos violated ethics laws by omitting information about assets he purports to hold and filing financial disclosures a year late, while the group’s complaint to the Federal Elections Commission is focusing on “a purported $700,000 personal loan that he made to his campaign.”
The money either came from a shell company or “was a prohibited corporate contribution,” according to End Citizens United.
Law enforcement authorities in Brazil are also reopening a criminal fraud investigation into Santos regarding allegations that he spent nearly $700 using a stolen checkbook and a false name, and then disappeared.
Although McCarthy suggested Santos will not be appointed to any top committees, Republican leaders have shown little concern about the implications of the serial liar serving in Congress.
“When will House Republicans decide it’s time for disgraced Congressman George Santos to go?” asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday.
