GOP Rep. George Santos Assigned 2 House Committee Seats Amid Calls to Resign

Then-Rep.-elect George Santos (R-N.Y.) in Washington on Jan. 5, 2023. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) was assigned to two separate committees on Jan. 17 despite coming under scrutiny from fellow lawmakers after revealing he fabricated parts of his past, including his education and employment history.

The House GOP Steering Committee, a panel of around 30 House leadership members, is responsible for recommending members to serve on the various committees. Their recommendations must first be fully approved by the House Republican Conference.

Santos on Tuesday got a seat on the House Committee on Small Business, a committee spokesperson confirmed to Axios, and a seat on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters.

McCarthy, who leads the GOP Steering Committee, confirmed to CNN earlier on Tuesday that Santos would get a spot on committees.

The assignments come as pressure continues to mount for Santos to step down after being sworn into office on Jan. 7, following his defeat of Democrat Robert Zimmerman in the November elections.

It later emerged that Santos had fabricated large parts of his resume and personal biography, which was posted on the National Republican Congressional Committee website.

Santos Admits He Fabricated Background

The biography stated that Santos, the son of Brazilian immigrants, had degrees in “finance and economics” at Baruch College and New York University, and was an experienced businessman and investor, as well as a seasoned Wall Street financier who had worked for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

The New York lawmaker had also previously said he was “a proud American Jew,” whose Jewish grandparents had fled Europe during World War II.

When asked in November which committees he would like to work on, Santos told Axios, “Naturally, with my background, Financial Services.”

However, a New York Times review of public documents and court filings from both the United States and Brazil found that some of the claims he had made about himself were false, including that he had never worked at Goldman Sachs or Citigroup.

Santos later admitted to the New York Post in December that he lied about his education and previous employment history while stating that he had “never claimed to be Jewish.”

Santos Refuses to Step Down

Despite calls for him to step down, Santos had remained defiant, writing on Twitter on Jan. 11: “I was elected to serve the people of #NY03 not the party and politicians, I remain committed to doing that and regret to hear that local officials refuse to work with my office to deliver results to keep our community safe and lower the cost of living. I will NOT resign!”

After Santos was assigned a seat on the Small Business Committee, its Chairman, Roger Williams (R-Texas), told NBC News: “I don’t agree with what [Santos] said, did, and all. I don’t agree with any of that, OK? It’s wrong. But at the same time, he’s on the committee. We’re gonna have rules to follow. He does represent about a million people in New York and a lot of Main Street issues.”

Williams added that Santos will only serve as a distraction to his committee for “those who want to distract.”

“We’re going to have a lot of work to do, and we’re going to do some good stuff, and he‘ll be a part of it. And if there’s questions, we’ll answer the questions. ... If they think [Santos’s controversy] is going to be the main thing that comes out of the committee, they’re going to really miss the boat,” he said.

Federal and local prosecutors are currently investigating Santos over potential violations of federal campaign finance laws and his lies about his background and work history during his campaign. He has not been charged with any crime.