Disgraced former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) – who was kicked out of the House last year after he, among other things, allegedly stole money from his Republican colleagues – has decided that he’s too good for the GOP and will run for reelection next year as an “Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting” independent.
“After today’s embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the Republican Party,” Santos wrote on X this past Friday. He was likely referring to Congress passing a spending bill to keep the federal government from shutting down. In order to pass the bill through both chambers of Congress and get it signed by President Joe Biden, many unrelated, conservative provisions were removed from the spending bill. Over 40 anti-LGBTQ+ provisions were removed.
Santos called his former colleagues “f**king idiots” in a group chat. They don’t seem that bothered.
“The Republican Party continues to lie and swindle its voter base,” Santos wrote. He is facing 33 federal criminal charges connected to various alleged schemes to enrich himself. “I in good conscience cannot affiliate myself with a party that stands for nothing and falls for everything.”
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“I am officially suspending my petitioning in [New York’s First Congressional District] to access the ballot as a Republican and will be filling to run as an independent… I will take my Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting values to the ballot in November as an Independent.”
Announcement
After today’s embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the Republican Party…
The Republican Party continues to lie and swindle its voter base. I in good conscience cannot affiliate myself with a party that…
The House voted to expel Santos last December, months after his entire life story was exposed as fake and he was linked to numerous alleged fraudulent schemes. A House Ethics Committee report also found strong evidence that he was stealing campaign money. And other GOP members of Congress accused him of literally stealing their money from their bank accounts with a credit card grift.
Earlier this month, he announced that he was running for reelection in New York’s First Congressional District, which sets him up to face Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) – a Republican who led the effort to expel Santos – in the GOP primary. He previously represented the state’s Third Congressional District.
Announcement