Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who has gained a national profile for lies about his background, told Republican colleagues that he will step down from committee assignments until ethics issues are resolved.
Santos informed fellow lawmakers that he would temporarily step down from the Small Business and Science, Space and Technology committees. His announcement came after a meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday. He later told reporters that “no one tells me to do anything. I made a decision on my own that I thought best represented the interests of the voters.”
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Santos is perhaps the most widely known House freshman, the source of national news attention, congressional reporter stakeouts and late night comedy skits and humor ever since revelations emerged after his election that he wildly embellished his resume. Santos admitted that he lied about his college education and job experience, but has refused to resign.
“My sins here are embellishing my resume. I’m sorry,” he told the New York Post in December.
But since then, there have been a spate of new revelations about his background, along with questions about the source of funds to his campaign. Democrats have filed an ethics complaint.
Meanwhile, a new poll from Newsday/Sienna College showed that 78% of voters in his district want him to resign. That includes 89% of Democrats, 72% of independents and others and 71% of Republicans, according to the poll.
Although other New York Republicans have called on Santos to resign, McCarthy has not. He dodged questions on Face the Nation on Sunday. House Republicans can afford to lose only four votes in the current Congress, split 222-213.