Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., will be kicked out of Congress, according to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., if the House Ethics Committee determines the rookie congressman breached the law.
Contrary to other Republicans in his GOP caucus, McCarthy has mostly backed Santos, who has acknowledged fabricating his history and résumé in order to gain his position in the November elections.
“If for some way when we go through Ethics and he has broken the law, then we will remove him,” McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday.
Santos, 34, campaigned for office in the previously left-leaning third district, which encompasses Queens and Long Island, on a platform to preserve the “American dream” that his parents, who were immigrants from Brazil, first generation, had attained.
According to a New York Times investigation published last month, Santos’ background is mostly false, including the claims he made about his illustrious schooling, extensive Wall Street career, and big real estate holdings.
Santos released a few statements after the reports came out: “To the people of #NY03 I have my story to tell and it will be told next week. I want to assure everyone that I will address your questions and that I remain committed to deliver the results I campaigned on; Public safety, Inflation, Education & more,” the congressman said in a tweeted screenshot.
According to three members of the House Steering Committee, the freshman legislator was appointed to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology as well as the House Committee on Small Business.
However, the speaker Kevin McCarthy also said last week that he “always” doubted Santos’ résumé.
Santos boasted about his successful career throughout his campaign, saying it all started when he graduated from Baruch College and later attended New York University. Santos claimed to have worked at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs after graduating from college. Santos quickly admitted that he had lied on his résumé, that he had never graduated from any college, and that he hadn’t worked directly for either firm. The New York Times had originally revealed in December that none of these universities had records of Santos’ enrollment or employment.
Santos’ finances are being examined by local and federal prosecutors, who are looking for inconsistencies in his financial reports. Santos donated his campaign more than $700,000, which he said came from the Devolder Organization, a company owned by his family. The Times claims that he gave thousands of dollars to other campaigns over the last two years and disclosed a salary of $750,000 as well as more than $1 million in profits from the business. There is not much information accessible to the public about these inquiries.
Independent Writer. Marketing and communications strategist for politicians, artists, public figures & corporate brands for more than 10 years. Contact: @alejandrosbasso (Twitter)
Escritor independiente. Consultor en marketing y comunicaciones de políticos, artistas, figuras públicas y marcas por más de 10 años. Contacto: @alejandrosbasso (Twitter)