House Democrats are launching their latest attacks against vulnerable Republicans in New York, seeking to tie a group of freshman lawmakers to one of the party’s greatest perceived liabilities: Rep. George Santos (R-NY).
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee aired a new video on Thursday targeting five freshman lawmakers they accuse of protecting Santos earlier this year by voting against his expulsion in the House. The ad specifically calls out Reps. Mike Lawler, Anthony D’Esposito, Brandon Williams, Marc Molinaro, and Nick LaLota.
DEMOCRAT LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN IN VIRGINIA FOR VULNERABLE REPUBLICAN'S HOUSE SEAT
The ad includes quotes from each of the congressmen calling on Santos to resign or be removed from office after it was discovered he had lied about his background while running for Congress. The video then criticizes the five lawmakers for failing to help expel Santos earlier this year when House Democrats brought forth a resolution to do so. They instead agreed to refer the expulsion resolution to the Ethics Committee, a move House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) framed as a matter of "due process."
“Remember: New York’s extreme MAGA Republicans protected George Santos,” the ad reads.
The DCCC released the ad on Thursday, coinciding with the original date Santos was scheduled to appear in court after being federally indicted on 13 criminal charges, including fraud and lying to Congress. The Department of Justice asked to delay that hearing until the end of October as the parties continue to discuss “possible paths forward,” raising speculation about a plea deal.
The 3rd Congressional District seat held by Santos is one of the Democrats' top targets for the 2024 cycle. The seat is expected to lean Democratic, putting Santos at a disadvantage should he advance out of the GOP primary to the general election.
Since being sworn into office at the beginning of this year, Santos has attracted controversy for embellishing several elements of his life story while on the campaign trail. Among the statements that have come under scrutiny are Santos's claims of Jewish heritage and that his mother was at the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Santos also finds himself in possible legal trouble, having been indicted by the Justice Department on counts of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and lying to Congress. Santos has pleaded not guilty to the charges and dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.
House Democrats sought to oust Santos from office through an expulsion vote in mid-May, but that effort failed after House Republicans put forward a motion to refer the matter to the Ethics Committee, which needed only a simple majority to pass. No Republicans voted against the motion, allowing the measure to advance.
McCarthy said the matter would be referred to the Ethics Committee for a 60-day review, which expired before Congress adjourned for its annual August recess. The status of that review remains unclear, and a spokesperson for the committee declined to comment when asked by the Washington Examiner last month.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Santos has repeatedly denounced efforts to remove him from office, accusing Democrats of shifting their focus from must-pass legislation making its way through Congress.
"Democrats on the other side of the aisle have completely lost focus on the work they should be doing," Santos said in a statement last month. "My record proves that my office is hard at work, serving constituents and crafting keen legislation."