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They’ve had enough.

Top Republicans in Nassau County demanded Wednesday that Rep. George Santos resign from Congress, calling him a “fraud” who lied about his background, work experience, and ancestry — while opening himself up to criminal investigations and House ethics complaints.

Nassau County Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo said Santos had “disgraced the House of Representatives” and waged a campaign of “deceits, lies and fabrications” in order to win the vote of New York’s Third Congressional District.

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito became the first of Santos’ House GOP colleagues to explicitly call for him to step down, saying in a statement: “It has become clear that Congressman George Santos’ many hurtful lies and mistruths surrounding his history have irreparably broken the trust of the residents he is sworn to serve. For his betrayal of the public’s trust, I call on Congressman George Santos to resign.”

On Capitol Hill, Santos twice told reporters “I will not” when asked if he would give up his seat.

The lawmaker later tweeted: “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.

“I will NOT resign!” Santos added. 

The 34-year-old admitted to The Post Dec. 26 that he had lied about working at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, being Jewish and attending and graduating from Baruch College — with Cairo claiming Wednesday that Santos had once told him he was a star on the school’s volleyball team.


  Top Republicans in Nassau County, Long Island called for Rep. George Santos to resign. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky Top Republicans in Nassau County, Long Island called for Rep. George Santos to resign. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

“Shame on me for believing people,” said Cairo, who vowed to tighten up the party’s vetting process while claiming that Santos was recommended by Queens GOP officials.

Keeping track of all NY Rep. George Santos lies

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said he was most incensed by Santos’ claim in his campaign biography that his grandparents had fled Nazi persecution of Jews in Europe — when genealogical records indicated they actually lived in Brazil.

“So many people here in Nassau County are survivors of the Holocaust. There are children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” said Blakeman, a Jew who said his grandparents fought the Nazis.

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Santos entering a car to leave the Capitol on January 11, 2023 amid calls for him to resign.
Santos entering a car to leave the Capitol on January 11, 2023 amid calls for him to resign.AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
Fellow Long Island GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito called on Santos to step down.
Fellow Long Island GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito called on Santos to step down.AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
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Santos told reporters on Capitol Hill that he will not resign.
Santos told reporters on Capitol Hill that he will not resign.AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
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“There are people whose family was decimated, in many cases wiped out. We’re talking about people, families who were shot to death, gassed to death and starved to death.

“For him to make up a story that his parents were Holocaust survivors is beyond the pale. It’s simply tragic, outrageous and disgusting.”

The chorus of denunciations extended to Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin, who called Santos a “national joke” who “must go,” and Glen Cove Mayor Pam Panzenbeck, who said Santos had “told so many lies, he doesn’t know what to believe.”


  Nassau County Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo said Santos had “disgraced the House of Representatives.” Stephen Yang Nassau County Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo said Santos had “disgraced the House of Representatives.” Stephen Yang

  Nassau County Republican Party Chairman Joseph Cairo and members of the Nassau County Republican Committee hold a news conference regarding the future of Rep. Santos. Dennis A. Clark Nassau County Republican Party Chairman Joseph Cairo and members of the Nassau County Republican Committee hold a news conference regarding the future of Rep. Santos. Dennis A. Clark

  North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena joined other Republicans in demanding that Santos resign. Dennis A. Clark North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena joined other Republicans in demanding that Santos resign. Dennis A. Clark

Former US Senator Al D’Amato, still a powerbroker in the Nassau GOP, also joined the calls for Santos’ resignation, implying he’d been involved in financial crimes.

“George Santos is a disgrace! He should resign immediately,” the 85-year-old D’Amato said. “Everything about him has been fabricated and I am certain that his financial disclosures are clearly fraudulent. He must not continue to serve in Congress.”

The spectacle of a local political party turning its back on one of its main officeholders comes as Santos’ growing scandals have become a weight Nassau Republicans can no longer ignore. 

“Cairo and the local GOP care about their reputation,” a Long Island Republican source told The Post.

“Bad reputation leads to losing — look at the Mangano scandals over past cycles,” the source added, referring to how Republicans lost six out of nine state Senate seats on the island in 2018 after former Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano was busted for bribery.

“They’re trying to take out Santos so he doesn’t take out all their candidates over the next couple years.”

While Santos has been mocked nationwide for his many falsehoods, he faces serious legal jeopardy over a $700,000 loan he gave his campaign — despite reporting an annual salary of $55,000 as recently as 2020.

The funny money is being investigated by federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York and has been the subject of complaints to the Federal Election Commission and the House Ethics Committee. State AG Letitia James and Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly are also investigating to determine whether any crimes were committed.

Back on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) refused to join the calls for Santos to give up his office. 

“It’s the voters who made that decision,” the speaker told reporters. “He has to answer to the voters, and the voters get to make another decision in two years.”

When reminded of Santos fabricating his life story, McCarthy responded: “So did a lot of people here, in the Senate, and others” — an apparent reference to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who lied about serving in Vietnam more than a decade ago.

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