The chorus of distinguished Republicans calling on freshman Rep. George Santos to resign keeps rising with former House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., joining the list.
“This is not an embellished candidacy. It is a fraudulent candidacy. He hoaxed his voters. So, after all he should step down,” Ryan told CNN’s Jake Tapper Thursday. “He doesn’t strike me as an honorable person, though.”
Ryan is the most recent Republican calling for Santos’ resignation, adding his name to an inventory which incorporates, U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy, who chairs the Latest York State Republican Committee, and a gaggle of Republican leaders from Nassau County which Santos partly represents.
Which House GOP members have called for Santos to step down?
- A minimum of seven other GOP House members besides Langworthy have also called for Santos to step down.
- They’re: Ohio Rep. Max Miller, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace and Latest York Reps. Marcus Molinaro, Nick LaLota, Rep. Michael Lawler, Brandon WIlliams and Anthony D’Esposito.
- Latest York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kasser also called for Santos to resign in an announcement released Wednesday, stating that the freshman’s lies “morally disqualifies” him from serving in office.
Santos adamant he’ll serve his term
Santos has faced mounting pressure to resign in recent weeks, following revelations uncovered by The Latest York Times in December that he lied about his background and resume while running for office. Nevertheless, the freshman has vowed to serve out his two-year term.
More:Rep. George Santos’ funds are raising questions. Here’s what public records show.
“I got here here to serve the people, not politicians and party leaders and I will just do that,” Santos told Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz Thursday on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast. Gaetz was filling in for Bannon, a former Trump White House strategist.
What’s Speaker Kevin McCarthy saying about Santos amid the rising pressure?
Despite the growing numbers of Republicans calling for the Latest York lawmaker to step down, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has remained unswayed as he still plans to permit Santos to serve on House committees.
“The voters have elected George Santos. If there’s a priority, he’ll undergo ethics (committee),” McCarthy said during a press conference Thursday. “If there’s something that’s found, he will probably be handled in that manner but they’ve a voice on this process.”
More:Defiant George Santos vows to serve out term; McCarthy declines to act amid GOP pressure
The removal of Santos might further erode the GOP’s razor-thin majority within the House as Democrats could flip the competitive Latest York district, which spans northeastern Queens and a part of Long Island’s North Shore in a special election.
Over the tumultuous House Speaker election spanning four-days earlier this month, Santos remained steadfast in his support for McCarthy. He voted for the California Republican on each of the 15 ballots, helping him win the speakership by a razor-thin margin.
