Heave-ho!
New York state Republican Party chairman Ed Cox led the charge Wednesday in calling on the serial liar from Long Island, GOP Rep. George Santos, to resign following a bombshell criminal indictment of the congressman.
“Santos should resign. He should have been gone a long time ago,” Cox told The Post minutes after Breon Peace, US attorney for the Eastern District, accused Santos of massive financial fraud.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy wasn’t as quick to punish the first-term Republican from New York.
“I’ll look at the charges,” McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday ahead of the unsealing of the federal indictment. “If a person is indicted, they’re not on committees. They have the right to vote, but they have to go to trial.”
The California Republican acknowledged that he may reconsider Santos’ role if the congressman is convicted of any of the 13 charges including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and lying to Congress.
Santos confessed many of his fibs to The Post.
If the congressman refuses to resign and runs for re-election before his case is resolved next year, the Republican Party will nominate someone else in the 3rd Congressional District covering Nassau County and eastern Queens and defeat him in the primary, Cox said.
New York state Republican Party chairman Ed Cox called on Rep. George Santos to resign following a bombshell criminal indictment. Robert Miller“I have no doubt Santos will be replaced in due course with a good Republican candidate. One way or the other, he will be out of office,” the chairman said.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, said Santos was a disgrace and stain on the GOP before the indictment.
The charges against George Santos include that he embezzled $50,000 in campaign money to buy designer clothing and pay personal expenses. AFP via Getty ImagesHis exit now is inevitable.
“It is clear that George Santos cannot continue to represent the residents of the Third Congressional District, as he has been thoroughly untruthful about his biography and has fabricated stories that are blatantly untrue. He needs to go,” Blakeman said.
Other local Republicans don’t want to be on the ballot with an alleged fraudster in a presidential election year like 2024, when more voters show up at the polls in swing districts like on Long Island.
Santos is also accused of cheating his way to COVID unemployment benefits and lying to Congress about his income. AP
Protesters with banners call for the resignation of Santos at the US Capitol. REUTERSOne congressman issued his verdict: Santos is a crook.
“As a retired NYPD detective, I am confident the justice system will fully reveal Congressman Santos’ long history of deceit and I once again call on this serial fraudster to resign from office,” said Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, a first-term Republican representing the 4th Congressional District covering Nassau County neighborhoods that border Santos’ district.
But upstate Rep. Elise Stefanik, the House Republican Conference chairwoman, wouldn’t rush to judgment. The GOP has a razor-thin majority and may need his vote on some legislation.
“Santos should resign. He should have been gone a long time ago,” Cox told The Post. AP
Cox said if Santos refuses to resign and runs again before his case is resolved, the Republican Party will nominate someone else. Natan Dvir“This legal process is going to play itself out,” Stefanik told reporters at a press conference.
Three Democrats have emerged to run for Santos’ seat: Nassau County legislator Josh Lafazan, St. John University law professor William Murphy and former state Sen. Anna Kaplan.
A Republican candidate has not yet emerged to take on the wounded Santos.
Santos filed paperwork in March to seek re-election.
An indicted Congress member running for re-election — and even winning — is not without precedent.
Former Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm easily won re-election in 2014 despite facing tax fraud charges. But just weeks after the re-election, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion and forfeited the seat.
