Report: Rep. George Santos Withdrawing from House Committees
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Santos Steps Down From House Committees Assignments
Last updated Jan 31, 2023
Image credit: Politico/AP [via CNN]Facts
- A spokesperson for US Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) confirmed on Tuesday that he has decided to step down from his House committee assignments to prevent from being a "distraction" amid investigations into his finances and other issues.[1]
- Santos, who was set to serve on the Small Business and Science Committees, reportedly expressed his choice at a closed-door GOP gathering on Tuesday and privately to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) a day earlier.[2]
- This comes as federal authorities and the House Ethics Committee are probing the origins of $700K the congressman loaned from his consulting company to his 2022 campaign, along with several expenditures that were a penny below the itemization threshold.[3]
- McCarthy told reporters following Tuesday's meeting that this "was the appropriate decision," elucidating that the now-vacant seats could be temporarily filled until Santos is able to reclaim the spots if and when he answers all questions and is cleared.[4]
- Bipartisan calls for Santos to resign have emerged due to reports accusing him of connections to an alleged Ponzi scheme, embezzling animal charity funds, and lying about his background – including ancestry, education, and work history.[5]
- A poll by Newsday and Siena College on Tuesday found that some 78% of voters in his district believe Santos should resign, including 71% of Republicans, while 63% of those who voted for Santos say they regret having done so.[6]
Spin
Republican narrative
Even though casting Santos aside could have made it easier to punish Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell, and Ilhan Omar, Speaker McCarthy remained professional in his neutral stance on the Santos saga. But now that the New York representative has decided to step down, the GOP has the moral high ground to hold the three Democrat representatives accountable and strip their assignments.
Democratic narrative
This was likely part of a compromise among House Republicans to persuade those resisting to boot Ilhan Omar from her assignment on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Though the GOP may successfully limit its exposure to claims of hypocrisy, there is still a chance that this indicates another damaging story about Santos is about to break.
Nerd narrative
There's a 71% chance that Republicans will win control of the US House of Representatives in 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
