Pathological liar George Santos told his co-dependent GOP colleagues today in a closed-door meeting that he is stepping down from his committee assignments. Although he said he wanted to remove himself because he's "a distraction," his decision comes while the New York congressman — who also goes by Anthony Devolder, Anthony Zabrovsky, and Kitara Ravache, among, perhaps, other undercover aliases — faces a "parallel criminal probe," including a federal investigation into his campaign finances and another local investigation into his resume "embellishments."
However, the 34-year-old alleged fraudster, who Speaker Kevin McCarthy shamelessly defends, said his recusal from both the House Small Business Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee would be "temporary" until "things get settled," according to The Hill.
From The Hill:
Santos's move comes after he met with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Monday.
"I met with George Santos yesterday and I think it was an appropriate decision that until he could clear everything up he's off of committees right now," McCarthy told reporters following the closed-door conference hearing.
"We had a discussion, he asked me if he could do that. So I think it was the appropriate decision," McCarthy said.
The Speaker said the spots initially set aside for Santos could be filled "on a temporary basis," adding that Santos will "be able to get committees back" once he is cleared.
And from The Washington Post:
The 34-year-old freshman Republican has faced increased scrutiny, including a federal probe into his campaign finances and local investigation into his resume fabrications, since the revelation of his misrepresentations of his experience, personal life and education. …
The announcement comes the same day polling in his district showed the vast majority of voters believe he should resign. More than three-quarters of registered voters in New York's 3rd Congressional District said he should leave his job, the Newsday-Siena College poll found.
Santos has given no indication that he plans to voluntarily give up his seat.
Republicans in his Long Island-based district and several members of the House GOP have called for Santos to resign. However, McCarthy, who has a razor-thin GOP majority, has rebuffed those calls.
