Democrat Robert Zimmerman challenges George Santos to resign and run again in special election
Cami Mondeaux
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Democratic House candidate Robert Zimmerman challenged Republican George Santos to resign from Congress and run in a new election just one day after the New York congressman-elect admitted to lying about his education and employment history while campaigning during the midterm elections.
Santos was elected to Congress in November after defeating Zimmerman to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District, and he is set to be sworn into office next week. However, the New York Republican has been under scrutiny since his win due to inconsistencies on his resume — prompting Zimmerman to challenge Santos to a rematch.
DEMOCRATS CALL ON REP.-ELECT GEORGE SANTOS TO RESIGN AMID REPORTS HE FABRICATED RESUME DETAILS
“George, if that’s even your real name, if you’re so convinced that #NY3 voters still trust you – resign & run against me again in a special election,” Zimmerman wrote in a tweet. “Face the voters with your real past & answer questions about your criminal history. Let the voters decide.”
Santos helped Republicans secure the House majority by flipping New York’s 3rd District, previously represented by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D), who opted not to run for reelection and instead launched a bid for governor. However, Santos’s victory was soon overshadowed by reports that he lied about several details of his past — with criticisms intensifying Monday night after he admitted to the New York Post that he fabricated details of his professional life.
Santos admitted to lying on his campaign website while running for office earlier this year, including his alleged employment history with Wall Street firms such as Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Instead, the congressman-elect later told the New York Post he worked for a company called Link Bridge that did business with the two financial firms, conceding he “never worked directly” for them and chalking it up to a “poor choice of words.”
Santos also came under fire for lying about his educational history after he initially claimed he earned degrees in finance and economics from New York University and Baruch College. However, the congressman-elect later confirmed he never graduated from any college.
Several Democrats responded by calling on Santos to resign his newly won House seat, warning of the precedent his presence would set by possibly encouraging others to run for office while touting false background details.
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“GOP Congressman-elect George Santos, who has now admitted his whopping lies, should resign,” said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), the incoming vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, in a statement. “If he does not, then [House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy] should call for a vote to expel [Santos].”
It’s unclear whether Santos would successfully be removed through expulsion as the process requires a vote from two-thirds of House members, and it is unlikely that enough Republicans would join Democrats to reach the necessary threshold. It’s also unclear whether GOP leaders are planning to investigate Santos’s conduct, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy declining to answer questions about the revelations last week.