▶ Watch Video: Constituents head to D.C. to call on George Santos to resign
New York Rep. George Santos’ own constituents are trying to turn up the heat on the embattled congressman, delivering petitions to House leaders on Tuesday seeking his expulsion from Congress after he admitted to fabricating parts of his life.
Santos told CBS News that he was not deterred by the protests and insisted he was going to meet with the group.
“That’s their freedom of speech right and I’ll entertain a conversation with them every single day,” he said when asked whether the protests were a distraction from his work. “I represent them all equally.”
But when his constituents arrived outside his office late Tuesday afternoon, they were not allowed in.
One month into his term, Santos’ troubles are mounting, including an FBI review of allegations he stole money raised for medical treatment for a veteran’s sick service dog, a complaint to the Federal Election Commission about suspicious campaign expenditures and a mysterious $700,000 loan to his campaign.
Last week, a man who briefly worked in his Capitol Hill office sent a letter to the House Ethics committee accusing Santos of sexual harassment. Santos denies the allegations.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that Santos could face disciplinary action if found guilty of ethics violations. Though a spokesperson for McCarthy said the ethics committee has yet to open its investigation.
The constituents Santos has angered don’t believe he can still function as a House member with the allegations piling up.
“Who in Congress would touch him?” said Ben Marzouk, a constituent. “Who would want to stand next to him? Who would want to be part of his circle?”
