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The Post has learned that top House Republicans are remaining silent about the growing scandal involving Long Island and Queens Congressman-elect George Santos in the hopes that he will survive long enough to take his seat and help propel Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to the speakership next week.
“I know for a fact that the District of Columbia wants him sworn in and voting on leadership,” said a New York Republican with knowledge of the matter on Thursday. “Multiple chiefs [of staff] have verbalized that they are currently playing the waiting game. “I’m hoping nothing criminal will occur in the next four days.”
Santos indicated he will support McCarthy for the position of House speaker when the 118th Congress convenes on January 3. Soon after, on December 19, The New York Times reported that the 34-year-old had misled on the campaign trail about significant biographical information, including college graduation and leadership of a tax-exempt organization.
In an exclusive interview with The Post on Monday, Santos said that he had deceived the voters by claiming that he was “enhancing my resume.”
McCarthy will lead a conference of 222 Republicans and requires 218 votes from the entire House in order to become speaker. McCarthy can only afford four Republican defections, as he expects every Democrat to reject him.
McCarthy has not yet made a public statement regarding Santos, who is currently under investigation by Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly and the Brooklyn US Attorney’s Office, with the latter investigation purportedly focusing on his murky finances.
The source continued, “Republicans across the state are being questioned on Santos’ lies.” “As a matter of fact, many of these Republicans have never met the wealthy businessman Santos, the working-class Santos, or the con artist Santos. But it is now their weight to bear.”
While Santos has at least one supporter in Washington – the far-right Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Greene – he has grown increasingly toxic in his home constituency on Long Island.
Thursday, Nassau County GOP Chair Joseph Cairo told The Post, “I have no idea what party would endorse him as a candidate.”
In 2024, the Republican Committee will not endorse George Santos.
“It’s obvious that George Santos has emotional problems, and I believe he needs to discuss them with a mental health expert,” County Executive Bruce Blakeman told CNN on Wednesday.
Blakeman continued, “Because what he did was abnormal, and while I was extremely furious with him when he first revealed that they were lies, I feel sorry for him today, and I believe he needs assistance.” I believe he has to address his emotional issues since, as I previously stated, a normal person would not act in such a manner.
Nick LaLota, a soon-to-be-elected congressman from Long Island, has asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate Santos, creating an additional potential avenue for punishment
Santos has claimed he gained millions in recent years by selling used expensive goods, and he has even loaned his campaign $700,000 without disclosing any firm that could easily account for such money.
This loan, which Santos made while declaring an annual salary of $750,000 on financial disclosure forms, is expected to be scrutinized closely by prosecutors.
“The constituents of Nassau County and the rest of the Third Congressional District must have a representative in Congress who is trustworthy and accountable,” Donnelly stated. “No one is above the law, and we will punish any crime committed in this county.”
Santos did not reply to calls for comment on Thursday, but he has stated in recent days that he still intends to serve the full two-year term he won over Robert Zimmerman in November, which helped Republicans win a small majority in the House.
Thursday, Nassau Democrats held a demonstration to reiterate their demand for Santos to resign.
State Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-Nassau) stated that Democrats and the media had raised concerns about Santos prior to the election, but Republicans supported him in an effort to flip retiring Rep. Tom Suozzi’s district (D-Nassau).
“The subject of who George Santos is is not new, but local Republicans seeking to flip this congressional district at any cost have ignored and dismissed it,” she said. Our community has been victimized, and we demand justice.
There is no way to remove Santos from Congress unless he is proved to have violated Article I of the Constitution, which specifies that legislators must be at least 25 years old, a US citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state they represent.
Hank Sheinkopf, a political expert, told The Post on Thursday, “They’re trapped with him and are shrewdly backing away.” “Why? They wish to occupy the seat. Losing it would make Chairman Cairo appear weak and provoke a Democratic resurgence in Nassau County.”
»DC Republicans play a ‘waiting game’ while LI GOP retreats«