EXCLUSIVE — A Republican congressman and former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee is “not supportive” of Rep.-elect George Santos (R-NY) — who admitted to lying about his background — being in the House GOP conference, which he’d like to see investigate Santos.
“So I will just tell you, I am not supportive of him being in our conference at all from what I know,” Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), who sits on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, told the Washington Examiner. “You cannot come into our conference as a known liar. The way I read it, he admitted he fabricated it.”
DEMOCRATS CALL ON REP.-ELECT GEORGE SANTOS TO RESIGN AMID REPORTS HE FABRICATED RESUME DETAILS
“So, you can’t tell me, ‘Oh, sure, I won, so I can come be in the conference.’ No, it’s not going to work that way,” said Sessions, noting that it’s up to the conference to look into the matter and possibly weigh striking a deal with Santos on him not running for reelection or to examine his potential committee assignments. “It’s not up to me. I have an opinion about what ought to happen.”
The remarks from Sessions, who was the NRCC’s chairman between 2009 and 2013, come amid several Democrats calling on Santos to resign. Santos, who in November defeated Democratic House candidate Robert Zimmerman in New York’s 3rd Congressional District, has come under scrutiny for resume inconsistencies.
The congressman-elect admitted to the New York Post on Monday that he fabricated his prior education and work experience. Santos falsely claimed he attended Baruch College and worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup — two major investment banks.
The New York Times published a report on Dec. 19 that called into question a variety of aspects pertaining to the candidate’s past. Santos has claimed to be Jewish but has now backpedaled. The Republican Jewish Coalition says the candidate “deceived” them.
“So I mean, I don’t know this man at all,” said Sessions. “I do know that he should be treated no differently than a member who is in trouble in the conference. And it does not mean he’s expelled. He just got elected. It means that his placement within any committee structure, his placement within our party, and his reelection should be evaluated.”
Rep.-elect Nick LaLota (R-NY), whose district borders Santos’s, has called on the House Ethics Committee to investigate Santos, who the New York Times reported appears to have financial disclosure discrepancies in connection to his 2020 House bid. The forms lack clarity about his wealth, alleged “family firm,” and alleged business clients, the outlet reported.
“If he has not filled out his paperwork incorrectly that was given to Congress, I see no jurisdiction for the ethics committee,” Sessions said.
“Did he deceive the conference or did the NRCC know?” asked Sessions later in the interview. “Did he fill out financial disclosure things that were incorrect? If he did, that’s an ethics violation. They’ll get him ethically, but either way, our conference, meaning our leadership, needs to approach him and understand the circumstances.”
Santos, who lost his congressional race by a wide margin in 2020 to Tom Suozzi (D-NY), beat Zimmerman by 8 points. Sessions told the Washington Examiner that he is “not for” Santos staying in the House GOP conference, claiming “that there may be a decision” occurring eventually.
“He’s duly elected,” said Sessions. “Elections are expensive. Just wait till next time and we’ll get somebody that runs against him. And he’ll know it. I mean, there’s no such thing as just expulsion.”
Another GOP congressman, speaking to the Washington Examiner on the condition of anonymity, thinks the Santos debacle demonstrates how Democrats and Republicans have been lying “for too long.”
“You can say it’s bad, but it’s probably not as bad as Elizabeth Warren claiming to be an Indian or Richard Blumenthal claiming to fight in Vietnam,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The Santos campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
