George Santos tells House Republicans he wants off of his committees until issues are resolved - CNN

CNN  — 

Rep. George Santos told the House GOP league connected Tuesday down closed doors helium wants disconnected of his 2 committees until his issues are resolved, 3 members told CNN.

The New York Republican who has faced calls for his resignation for mendacious statements – including regarding his nonrecreational experience, acquisition past and individuality – is a subordinate of the Committee connected Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee connected Small Business. Federal prosecutors are also investigating Santos’ finances, and helium continues to look a myriad of questions astir his idiosyncratic finances.

See Santos' tense speech with CNN newsman implicit run funds

01:55 - Source: CNN

He was archetypal elected past fall.

Santos aboriginal told reporters the prime to measurement backmost from his committee posts was his.

“Nobody tells maine to bash anything,” Santos said. “I made that determination connected my ain that I thought champion represented successful the involvement of the voters.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters that Santos volition “have a dependable present successful Congress, and until helium answers each those questions, past astatine that clip he’ll beryllium capable to beryllium seated connected committees.”

“I met with George Santos yesterday and I deliberation it was an due determination that, until helium tin wide everything up, he’s disconnected the committee’s close now,” McCarthy told reporters.

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia told CNN that it was Santos’ determination that helium made connected his ain to “abstain” from the committees. She said helium told the league helium would measurement speech from the committees arsenic the GOP is trying to oust Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Democrats person cited the mounting mendacious statements and scrutiny facing Santos arsenic an illustration of hypocrisy for Republicans booting Omar and 2 different House Democrats – California Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell – disconnected committee assignments. While Schiff and Swalwell were capable to beryllium ejected from the House Intelligence Committee unilaterally by McCarthy, Omar’s presumption connected House Foreign Affairs volition request a ballot connected the House floor, 1 that Republican leaders person yet to force.

“He conscionable felt similar determination was truthful overmuch play truly implicit the situation, and particularly what we’re doing to enactment to region Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee,” Greene told CNN.

She added: “But Mr. Santos’ connection successful determination was conscionable saying that helium spoke with Speaker McCarthy and made this determination connected his own.”

Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams, a Republican from Texas, said that helium thinks Santos “probably made the close decision” to measurement down from his committee assignments until the questions astir his past and his fiscal irregularities are resolved.

Leaving his bureau precocious past week connected Capitol Hill, Santos told a newsman that helium would enactment unneurotic a quality league “soon” to “address everything.”

“We’ll springiness you each the answers to everything you’re asking for,” helium said.

In caller days, Santos has faced a bid of questions regarding his run finances, including inquiries astir donors arsenic good arsenic run disbursements, including dozens of expenses his run has reported astatine precisely $199.99, 1 cent beneath the threshold supra which the run is required to clasp receipts.

The Campaign Legal Center filed a ailment with the FEC that describes his disbursements arsenic “odd and seemingly impossible.” It notes that 1 of the $199.99 expenses was purported to beryllium for a “hotel stay” astatine the luxury W Hotel South Beach successful Florida successful October 2021, wherever the lowest-price country typically would person outgo much than $700.

Last week, Santos besides filed a slew of amended reports with the FEC that lone added to the disorder astir the root of loans helium has said helium made to his campaign.

In immoderate filings, the run did not cheque boxes denoting that 2 six-figure loans came from the candidate’s idiosyncratic funds.