Rep. George Santos to Get Committee Assignments: Speaker McCarthy

Representative-elect George Santos (R-N.Y.) speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, on Nov. 19, 2022. Wade Vandervort/AFP via Getty Images

Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) will receive committee assignments despite concerns over lies he told during his campaign, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced.

McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced that Santos, the freshman congressman under fire for lying about his background during his campaign, will get committee assignments despite ethics concerns.

Asked about Santos by reporters, McCarthy replied, “We will be done with all committees today—he will get seated on committees.”

Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas), chairman of the House Small Business Committee, told CNN that Santos will serve on his panel.

“I don’t condone what he said, what he’s done,” Williams said. “I don’t think anybody does. But that’s not my role. He was elected. He represents a million people.”

Santos will also sit on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, CNN reported.

Following his election as one of New York’s newest congressional representatives, it came out that Santos had lied about crucial aspects of his background, education, and experience.

For instance, Santos apparently lied about his high school and college education.

On separate occasions, Santos indicated that he had graduated from Baruch College in 2010, and that he had done some learning at New York University. Later, Santos admitted that he had never attended any institution of higher learning.

GOP Lawmakers React

Republicans have given divergent reactions to the revelations about Santos’ misrepresentations.

During an appearance on ABC News “This Week,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) opined that he would resign if he were in a similar position, but left to the freshman lawmaker the decision on how to move forward.

“This is between him and his constituents largely,” Bacon said. “They’ve elected him in and he’s—they have to deal with him on that. I don’t think his reelection chances would be that promising, depending on how he handles this.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the GOP conference chair, told CNN that the ethics investigation “will play itself out.”

“He’s a duly elected member of Congress. There have been members of Congress on the Democrat side who have faced investigations before,” Stefanik said.

Though there have been some calls for Santos to resign, McCarthy has largely backed the New York Republican.

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) will also regain their committee assignments, which Democrats stripped from them during the last Congress.

Their reinstatement to various committees fulfills a promise by McCarthy, who said in November 2021 they would regain their committee posts for the 118th Congress if Republicans won the House in the midterm elections.

Both Greene and Gosar are now assigned to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, where Gosar had previously served.

Greene is also assigned to the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Gosar will hold a seat on the House Committee on Natural Resources, where he previously served.

Santos has indicated that he plans to finish out his term despite mounting calls for him to resign.

Mimi Nguyen contributed to this report.