McCarthy admits he’s always had questions about George Santos’ credentials
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) recently admitted that he, too, has had questions about Rep. George Santos' (R-N.Y.) resume as the newly-elected lawmaker faces scrutiny for his checkered past.
On Monday, January 16, the top-ranking Republican lawmaker spoke with reporters on Capitol Hill where he mentioned his concerns about Santos' resume.
“I always had a few questions about it,” McCarthy said.
According to The Hill, McCarthy also "commented about a person working for Santos who allegedly impersonated McCarthy’s chief of staff to solicit campaign donations during his 2020 and 2022 campaigns."
“You know, I didn’t know about that. It happened, and I know they corrected it, but I was not notified about that until a later date,” McCarthy said.
He also revealed he'd discussed the impersonation incident with Santos but did not disclose if there was any resolution that came from their discussion.
McCarthy's remarks come as the House leader faces growing calls to demand Santos' resignation. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed concern about Santos' embellished resume amid questions regarding what else he could be hiding.
Despite growing concerns, the California lawmaker has made it clear that he won't push for resignation as he gives Santos time to establish trust within the chamber. Speaking to a group of reporters last week, McCarthy weighed in with a reference to the House Ethics Committee.
“I try to stick by the Constitution. The voters elected him to serve. If there is a concern, and he has to go through the Ethics, let him move through that,” McCarthy said.
“He is going to have to build the trust here, and he’s going to have the opportunity to try to do that,” McCarthy said.
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