George Santos won't serve on House committees, he tells GOP colleagues - CBS News

Santos stepping down from House committees

Rep. George Santos says he's stepping down from House committees 02:00

Washington — Embattled Republican Rep. George Santos of New York volition recuse himself from serving connected House committees, helium told his GOP colleagues successful a closed-door gathering connected Tuesday, amid ongoing scrutiny astir his inheritance and questions astir his aboriginal successful Congress.

Santos was assigned to the House Small Business Committee and Science, Space and Technology Committee earlier this period by House Republican leaders. In a statement, the New York Republican said "ongoing attention" surrounding investigations into his idiosyncratic and run finances prompted his petition to beryllium temporarily recused from the panels.

"This was a determination that I instrumentality precise seriously. The concern of the 118th Congress indispensable proceed without media fanfare," Santos said. "It is important that I chiefly absorption connected serving the constituents of New York's Third Congressional District and providing national level practice without distraction."

Santos told CBS News that helium was "confident" helium would beryllium cleared successful the probe due to the fact that helium has "nothing to hide." 

His determination to forgo his seats connected the 2 panels comes a time aft Santos met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy connected Capitol Hill, during which Santos asked the talker if helium could recuse himself from committees, according to McCarthy.

"I deliberation it was the due determination that until helium could wide everything up, he's disconnected committees close now," McCarthy told reporters aft the House GOP gathering.

The talker said that if the now-vacant seats connected the Small Business and Science Committees are filled, it volition beryllium connected a impermanent basis, and Santos would beryllium capable to reclaim the spots if and erstwhile helium answers each questions and is "cleared."

"The voters person elected him and he'll person a dependable present successful Congress, and until helium answers each those questions, past astatine that time, he'll beryllium capable to beryllium seated connected committees," McCarthy said. 

In the gathering of the House Republican conference, Santos apologized to his colleagues for being a distraction, 2 sources successful the country told CBS News. GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the seat of the Republican league and a protagonist of Santos during his legislature campaign, told reporters pursuing the gathering that helium "voluntarily removed himself" from House committees.

Texas Rep. Roger Williams, the seat of the Small Business Committee, indicated that Santos' recusal could beryllium temporary, and helium would beryllium capable to instrumentality to the sheet eventually.

"If that's what helium wants to do, that's what helium wants to do, if helium feels similar it's a sideshow from what we are trying to do,"  Williams told reporters of Santos' determination to springiness up his assignments. "I deliberation that helium astir apt made the close determination and erstwhile helium comes back, we'll person a spot. "

The Republican lawmaker, who represents New York's 3rd Congressional District and has admitted to fabricating cardinal parts of his biography, is nether scrutiny by authorities and national prosecutors. He's besides the people of complaints to the Federal Election Commission implicit his run spending and the House Ethics Committee regarding the filing of his fiscal disclosure reports.

Santos is facing calls to resign, including from chap Republicans successful the New York legislature delegation, but has rebuffed calls to measurement down. McCarthy has besides declined to instrumentality immoderate enactment against Santos, alternatively saying his aboriginal successful Congress volition beryllium determined by the voters of his district.

Most of Santos's constituents judge helium should resign his legislature seat, according to a caller Newsday/Siena College poll. Of the 653 registered voters successful Santos's territory who were polled, 78% said helium should measurement aside, including 71% of Republicans. An overwhelming bulk of his constituents, 83%, presumption him unfavorably, including 78% of GOP voters. The canvass had a borderline of mistake of positive oregon minus 4.4 percent points.

The talker was asked astir the determination to spot Santos connected 2 House sheet successful an interview with "Face the Nation" connected Sunday, and said Santos, on with each different lawmakers elected to the House, "have a close to serve," including connected a committee.

McCarthy, though, has blocked 2 House Democrats, Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell, from sitting connected the House Intelligence Committee, which helium has the powerfulness to bash unilaterally. He has besides pledged to clasp a ballot to support Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, from serving connected the House Foreign Affairs Committee, though astatine slightest 3 GOP lawmakers oppose the move.

Amid the questions astir inheritance and run finances, a brace of New York Democrats called connected McCarthy to artifact Santos from having entree to classified information, saying they person "serious concerns" astir the GOP lawmaker.

"The galore concerning allegations astir his behaviour implicit decades enactment his quality into question, and suggest helium cannot beryllium trusted with confidential and classified accusation that could endanger the United States' nationalist security," Reps. Gregory Meeks and Joe Morelle wrote successful a letter.

Caitlin Huey-Burns contributed to this report.