The new Speaker of the House Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was completely ignored the question about the serial lying Republican Rep. George Santos, insisting instead that the real problem is “broken” Congress.
Santos has been appointed to two House committees, although the Long Island lawmaker blatantly lied about his heritage, family, education, resume – and apparently campaign financing. The Justice Department has signaled that it has launched a criminal investigation into the funding, The Washington Post reported last week.
McCarthy just bounced Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell of California from the House Intelligence Committee because he said it was level “genuine honesty” and “integrity” are unacceptable.
CBS News host Margaret Brennan asked McCarthy on Sunday’s “Face The Nation” about the wisdom of giving committee assignments to Santos given his history.
“You want to bring up Santos, and let’s talk about the institution itself, because I completely agree that Congress is broken,” McCarthy replied, referring to what Brennan had said about Congress.
“I asked you about George Santos,” Brennan said. “Because you can choose to try to drive him away…”
McCarthy turned back: “You asked a question. I appreciate that you let me answer … Congress is broken based on what has transpired in the last Congress,” he added in a total non sequitur. “What I want to do is open up the people’s house again for people to have their voice – so people have to take responsibility.”
An unflinching Brennan insisted: “If you get a third of your caucus to vote to expel him, you can do it.”
“I haven’t finished answering the question,” McCarthy replied. “What I’m trying to do is change some of these committees, just like the Intel Committee is different from other committees…”
“So you won’t answer the questions I have?” Brennan interrupted.
In the latest Santos investigation, Mother Jones magazine reported that it could not confirm that at least a dozen contributors listed in campaign finance records as contributing large sums of money to the final race in 2020.
Brennan also interrupted McCarthy’s calls for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) serves on a new subcommittee to investigate the origins of COVID-19, although she has pushed twisted COVID conspiracy theories and compared mask requirements to prevent the spread. deadly pandemic for Nazi treatment of Jews.
Watch Brennan hold McCarthy’s feet to the fire in “Face the Nation” below. McCarthy ducks all questions on Santos starting at 13:12.