# How was George Santos' resume not an election issue? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 27, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188 "2022-12-27T23:46:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/301 "2023-01-12T02:36:30Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I think once Mr. Santos is indicted by any one of the several agencies pursuing charges, McCarthy may have to get rid of him. When my congressperson, Chaka Fattah, was indicted in 2015, John Boehner didn’t “have to get rid of him.” But maybe times have changed. If so, it is in a bad way. The precedent would be set that if a Democrat was indicted, they would also have to be punished in advance of a coming trial. This goes against the apparently now-quaint presumption of innocence, Expulsion from Congress, unlike impeachment, does not involve a trial. It is long established that indicted members get to keep their seat unless and until they resign, or are expelled after conviction. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/302 "2023-01-12T02:41:53Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > When my congressperson, Chaka Fattah, was indicted in 2015, John Boehner didn’t “have to get rid of him.” But maybe times have changed. Or maybe because Fattah was a Democrat, and didn’t belong to Boeher’s caucus. You’re conveniently forgetting even Republicans who got pushed out for far less than even being charged with a crime. Steve King, for one. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/303 "2023-01-12T02:58:31Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Or maybe because Fattah was a Democrat, and didn’t belong to Boeher’s caucus.[/quote] > Not a maybe. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi didn’t push for his pre-trial expulsion either. She wouldn’t have because there were many precendents for what happens when a member is arrested, and she always followed them. > > You’re conveniently forgetting even Republicans who got pushed out for far less than even being charged with a crime. Steve King, for one. King was pushed out of his party, and what it could do for him (notably, assign to committees). He was not expelled. If he had been re-elected after that, he might still be in Congress. Expelling a member, who was under indictment, would be an extreme and unnecessary form of prejudicial pretrial publicity. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/304 "2023-01-12T03:00:28Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > Also, with all the current Republican infighting, Dwight Eisenhower’s memorable justification for keeping Nixon on the 1952 ticket is relevant: “I’d rather have him inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in”. The difference is that Nixon represented a substantial faction within the Republican party. Santos is an outsider within the party; sacrificing him won’t upset the base. And Santos has no outside base to fall back on and use as a platform to counter-attack from. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/305 "2023-01-12T03:00:52Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > It is long established that indicted members get to keep their seat unless and until they resign, or are expelled after conviction. Given they have a two-year term and the glacial pace of most court proceedings for this kind of stuff it is likely the rep could stay in office a long time before a conviction pushed them out (and I am unclear if even a conviction can force them out…I am pretty sure being in prison does not mean you can’t also be a member of congress). ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/306 "2023-01-12T03:01:44Z")
> Not a maybe. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi didn’t push for his pre-trial expulsion either. She wouldn’t have because there were many precendents for what happens when a member is arrested, and she always followed them. Could you fix your quote box, please? I did not say the above. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/307 "2023-01-12T03:15:32Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > > Not a maybe. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi didn’t push for his pre-trial expulsion either. She wouldn’t have because there were many precendents for what happens when a member is arrested, and she always followed them. > > Could you fix your quote box, please? I did not say the above. Agreed and apologies, but I am past the edit time limit. The first part of my post should have read: > [@Aspenglow](#): > > Or maybe because Fattah was a Democrat, and didn’t belong to Boeher’s caucus. Not a maybe. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi didn’t push for his pre-trial expulsion either. She wouldn’t have because there were many precendents for what happens when a member is arrested, and she always followed them. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/308 "2023-01-12T03:19:33Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > King was pushed out of his party, and what it could do for him (notably, assign to committees). He was not expelled. If he had been re-elected after that, he might still be in Congress. Please show me where I ever used the word, “expelled.” I said pushed out, and that’s what I meant. To say otherwise is setting up a straw man. No Speaker has the power to “fire” a member. It’s done by bringing pressure to bear until that member resigns. That’s how Republicans got rid of King. It’s how Nancy Pelosi got rid of Anthony Wiener. How come McCarthy can’t manage it? Other New York House members are calling for Santos to resign. His own Republican party leaders in New York are calling for him to resign. Looks like Kevin is ignoring those folks. Not a good look. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Expelling a member, who was under indictment, would be an extreme and unnecessary form of prejudicial pretrial publicity. It’s not a problem. Such people are tried in courts all the time, and impartial juries are selected to hear those cases. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/309 "2023-01-12T03:26:20Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > How come McCarthy can’t manage it? Even if McCarthy was willing to bring that pressure to bear I cannot see Santos caring in the slightest. What could they possibly do to Santos that would make him want to give up a $175,000/year job? He has no reason to believe there is a future in some promises from McCarthy. That some promise if he leaves means something better down the road. This is all he has. Santos will cling to his position and ride it as far as he can get. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/310 "2023-01-12T03:27:41Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > He has no reason to believe there is a future there. That some promise if he leaves means something better down the road. This is all he has. Santos will cling to it and ride it as far as he can get. You’re right about this, for sure. But if indictments fall, that will complicate his choice. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/311 "2023-01-12T04:02:13Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Please show me where I ever used the word, “expelled.” I said pushed out, and that’s what I meant. To say otherwise is setting up a straw man. Fair enough. Since I agee with Whack-a-Mole on how unpushable Santos is, I jumped in my mind – which of course is not yours – to expulsion as the most plausible way to get him out of there this year. > [@Aspenglow](#): > > How come McCarthy can’t manage it? Besides the Whack-a-Mole theory, if McCarthy was to start trying to push out members who have disgraced the GOP,. I don’t see Santos being at the top of the list. Consider: [The Normalization of Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://www.thebulwark.com/the-normalization-of-marjorie-taylor-greene/) As for what McCarthy should do, he should cross the aisle to become a moderate Democrat. If he did that sincerely, who knows, he might retain his speakship a bit longer than he will as a Republican. Then he should respect the voters and courts rather than trying to push unconvicted members out. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/312 "2023-01-12T04:49:32Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Even if McCarthy was willing to bring that pressure to bear… Seems McCarthy is as craven as I thought he would be: > **[Kevin McCarthy on George Santos: Well, Is There a Charge Against Him?](https://newrepublic.com/post/169972/kevin-mccarthy-george-santos-charge-against-him)** > > New York Representative George Santos does, in fact, have a charge against him. He’s also under three other criminal investigations. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/313 "2023-01-12T13:44:42Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > The State of New York has 10 days after he is gone to organize a special election to replace Santos. I’m pretty sure a Democrat would win after this embarrassing debacle. Are you saying that the special election happens ten days after a Representative resigns? That can’t be right. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/314 "2023-01-12T14:20:03Z")
The election doesn’t have to be within ten days, just the announcement. > governor shall, unless otherwise provided for by authorized > local law, resolution or ordinance, make proclamation of a special > election to fill such office within ten days of the occurrence of a > vacancy, specifying the district or county in which the election is to > be held, and the day thereof, which shall be: a. not less than seventy > nor more than eighty days from the date of the proclamation to fill a > vacancy in the office of a representative in congress ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/315 "2023-01-12T14:24:37Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I’m kind of surprised that it isn’t. I suffered under two supervisors who were pathological liars (hey, I worked in advertising…), and both told _so_ many lies that were easily checked and resulted in termination. I was too, but I guess it makes sense. Constant, uncontrollable lying is a **sign,**. evidence that something is wrong with a person. (A sign is something a doctor perceives; a symptom is something a patient perceives.) It’s not the thing that is wrong; calling it an illness would be like calling an unexplained new mole on your face an illness. You want the doctor to figure out WHY the mole appeared. I would presume uncontrollable mendacity could be a sign of many different illnesses. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/316 "2023-01-12T15:15:21Z")
The corruption revelations keep coming. > **[George Santos was paid for work at company accused of Ponzi scheme later than...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/01/11/george-santos-harbor-city-capital/?itid=hp-more-top-stories_p003_f002)** > > The New York congressman is said to have received payments from Florida-based Harbor City Capital as late as April 2021, income he has never disclosed. > [@](#): > > Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who has admitted to fabricating key details of his biography, received payments as recently as April 2021 from a financial services company accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission of a “classic Ponzi scheme,” according to a court-appointed lawyer reviewing the firm’s assets. > > Santos did not divulge any income from the company, Florida-based Harbor City Capital, on a financial disclosure form required of all federal candidates. The payments the lawyer described to The Washington Post, which have not been previously reported, indicate that Santos received money at least a month after he has said he left the firm — and mere weeks before registering a business called the Devolder Organization that he has claimed as the basis for his wealth. > > Delaney Marsco, senior legal counsel for ethics at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, said intentional failure to disclose could result in large fines or imprisonment for up to five years. “Voters have a right to know this information,” she said. “Congress has said as much.” This appears to be a completely separate bit of criminal financial activity from his campaign disclosure lies mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/317 "2023-01-12T15:38:45Z")
There is no end it seems… > **[GOP Chair Says George Santos Claimed He Was a Volleyball 'Star' at College He...](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/george-santos-resign-nassau-county-gop-1234659336/)** > > The scandal-ridden congressman’s local GOP called for his resignation on Wednesday, calling out his campaign of “deceit, lies, and fabrication” ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/318 "2023-01-12T16:00:53Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Seems McCarthy is as craven as I thought he would be Unsurprising, ain’t it? In the other prior cases of members “pushed out” there was a component of said members not wanting to go through the process of legislative discipline outside of the constraints placed upon a judiciary process, and/or of not wanting to have to bear the ignominy of being stripped of all appointments. But it means the person has to **care** about that. And this new breed doesn’t. We have already the precedent of MTG and her removal from committees actually letting her raise MORE money and increase her visibility. They just Don’t Care. All that counts is having that aye when the vote is called. ---
**Author:** ![StraightTalk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straighttalk/32/9982_2.png) [@StraightTalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StraightTalk)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/319 "2023-01-12T19:18:47Z")
McCarthy says “The voters elected him.” I’m thinking, no they didn’t. They elected the guy he said he was but most definitely was not. How is that not a reason for him to be forced out? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/320 "2023-01-12T19:22:20Z")
As scummy as he is, I disagree with this analysis. That’s not how identity works. If you shake my hand because I tell you I’m an astronaut, and then you find out I’m not, you didn’t shake someone else’s hand. You shook the hand of me, a liar. They thought they elected George Santos, who was a college grad. They didn’t. They elected George Santos, who isn’t a college grad. But they elected George Santos. If he leaves office, it ain’t gonna be because he’s a liar. It’s gonna be because he’s a criminal. And the evidence is coming in literally day by day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188.md?page=17)