# 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:** 20
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/381 "2023-01-17T19:10:11Z")
An interesting article on [Mr. Santos’ fashion sense and what it may say about him](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/17/style/george-santos-style.html). ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/382 "2023-01-18T02:35:19Z")
It seems Santos stole $3000.00 meant for a veteran’s dying dog. Really. > **[Disabled Veteran: George Santos Took $3K From Dying Dog's GoFundMe](https://patch.com/new-york/oysterbay/disabled-veteran-george-santos-took-3k-dying-dogs-gofundme)** > > Two New Jersey veterans say George Santos promised to raise funds for a lifesaving surgery for a service dog — then disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/383 "2023-01-18T02:56:37Z")
If this story is true, Santos does not need to be just expelled from Congress. He needs to be horsewhipped through the streets. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/384 "2023-01-18T04:18:43Z")
[https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/17/politics/george-santos-committee-assignments/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/17/politics/george-santos-committee-assignments/index.html) Two assignments, but what interests me is the following quote: > Santos had privately lobbied GOP leaders to serve on two more high-profile committees, one overseeing the financial sector and another on foreign policy, but top Republicans rejected that pitch as some chairmen balked at adding him to their panels. Those two… hmmm, as fresh rep… No sir, don’t see anything that looks mighty suspicious and leads me to believe he was bought. Nope. /s Now, admittedly, he could just be asking for the sky and hoping to get a nice counter offer. _OR_ could have been setting himself up for the usual post political life grift on think tanks or a well-paid VP sinecure in the finance world. But in light of everything else, I feel comfortable assuming the worst. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/385 "2023-01-18T11:19:10Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > the usual post political life grift on think tanks or a well-paid VP sinecure in the finance world How does this work? “Hey, think-tank (or financial world) I have valuable connections to offer you: in the two years I served as a notorious liar and fake in Congress, I got to say hello to a number of GOP reps, none of whom respected me for a second, and I’m sure if I called them up to chat about [your issues], one or two might take my call”? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/386 "2023-01-18T12:15:18Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > It seems Santos stole $3000.00 meant for a veteran’s dying dog. Really. Wow. This is getting into “performance art” territory. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/387 "2023-01-18T12:47:40Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > How does this work? “Hey, think-tank (or financial world) I have valuable connections to offer you: in the two years I served as a notorious liar and fake in Congress, I got to say hello to a number of GOP reps, none of whom respected me for a second, and I’m sure if I called them up to chat about [your issues], one or two might take my call”? I always wondered if it was less about what the ex-congressman can do for me now, and more about what a current congressman can do for me — you know, in hopes of me later doing something for him, the way I’m currently doing for the ex-congressman. So, say Santos votes in a solidly Republican manner for the next two years, and that someone in the wink-and-nod network then hands him a sinecure when he leaves office — and so the next congressman, when preparing to cast a vote, can in effect get indirectly offered a bribe: _look at how we repay Santos, now that he’s done the job we wanted him to do; does something like that await you, if you do the job we want you to do? We of course won’t come out and say it, but, c’mon: look at Santos, and look at us, and then look at Santos, and then look at us; and then keep looking at us, as we maintain eye contact with you as we hand money to He Who Was Once As You Are; and, like, connect the dot, y’know?_ ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/388 "2023-01-18T14:14:01Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > How does this work? “Hey, think-tank (or financial world) I have valuable connections to offer you: in the two years I served as a notorious liar and fake in Congress, I got to say hello to a number of GOP reps, none of whom respected me for a second, and I’m sure if I called them up to chat about [your issues], one or two might take my call”? I agree with this. A one-term Congressman is of little value already to the lobbying or corporate world. A one-term Congressman who was treated as radioactive by his colleagues and is guaranteed to draw negative attention to a potential employer is of even less value. I think people predicting that he’ll land in some cozy conservative media or think tank sinecure are underestimating both the oversupply of conservative politicians seeking these jobs and how cutthroat the conservative sphere can be when you’re no longer relevant. He’ll be utterly forgotten within a month of leaving office (whether by resignation, expulsion or defeat at the polls). ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/389 "2023-01-18T14:55:57Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > How does this work? “Hey, think-tank (or financial world) I have valuable connections to offer you: Santos seems to have believed (and may still, or could just be lying) that everything will just blow over, and/or no one would look deeply. I mean the whole thread is about _how_ could all this dirt not have come up _before_, no? And also, internationally, the degree of corruption in this guy (as shown to date) is the norm in many nations, they aren’t going to be concerned with that. Yes, he is going to be compromised in terms of efficacy, but there _will_ be people who listen to him, especially if they think they can also secure off-the-books funding during their political or post-political life. Granted, he wouldn’t be worth _as much_ as a presumed white-hat, but I don’t think the thread gives us any reason to assume he won’t (corrects line for excessive PITness) compromise on his asking price. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/390 "2023-01-18T16:14:38Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > I think people predicting that he’ll land in some cozy conservative media or think tank sinecure are underestimating both the oversupply of conservative politicians seeking these jobs and how cutthroat the conservative sphere can be when you’re no longer relevant. This, and he doesn’t seem to come across as a strong or interesting speaker, nor has he (as far as I can tell) been strongly championing any far-right causes. ---
**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 18, 2023, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/391 "2023-01-18T16:44:26Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Santos seems to have believed (and may still, or could just be lying) that everything will just blow over, and/or no one would look deeply. I mean the whole thread is about _how_ could all this dirt not have come up _before_, no? And also, internationally, the degree of corruption in this guy (as shown to date) is the norm in many nations, they aren’t going to be concerned with that. Yes, he is going to be compromised in terms of efficacy, but there _will_ be people who listen to him, especially if they think they can also secure off-the-books funding during their political or post-political life. In a solid red district this might work. But this is a purple district where voters have elected Republicans and Democrats. The Republican party can’t sit back and assume that Santos’ flaws will be overlooked. As for post-Congressional payoffs, what would they be for? What has Santos done for the conservative cause other than getting elected one time? And that one time win is balanced by the fact that he’s made it easier for the Democrats to take the district back in 2024. The right wing doesn’t owe him very much. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/392 "2023-01-18T16:56:51Z")
In that article: > Rep. Roger Williams, a Texas Republican and the chairman of the House Small Business Committee for the 118th Congress, defended the decision to name Santos to his committee. > > “I don’t condone what he said, what he’s done. I don’t think anybody does. But that’s not my role. He was elected,” Williams told CNN. So his model of a democracy is that if you are elected _by lying to the voters_ we nevertheless have to respect the fact that he was elected… ? _The Simpsons_ predicted President Trump, I’m now starting to wonder if [Kang vs Kodos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuYsZUMuj0M) was a parody or a prediction. Anyway, don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/393 "2023-01-18T17:02:36Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Santos seems to have believed… It seems highly likely from what we’ve seen that Santos is a psychopath. Intelligent, but not the kind of exceptional intelligence that makes some psychopaths into successful CEOs. I think that accounts for everything we see. He doesn’t have some great plan, he’s just a pathological grifter and liar improvising. Reckless behavior is typical for a psychopath, and a common outcome is to crash and burn. ---
**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 18, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/394 "2023-01-18T17:53:41Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > _The Simpsons_ predicted President Trump, I’m now starting to wonder if [Kang vs Kodos](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuYsZUMuj0M) was a parody or a prediction. No, we are not living in a Kang vs Kodos world. Conservatives just want you to believe the two parties are equivalent. But the reality is that ninety percent of the crimes and lies in American politics involve Republicans. The Republicans are Kang but the Democrats are not Kodos. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/395 "2023-01-18T17:59:23Z")
Yeah, sorry if it came across that way - that aspect wasn’t what I meant at all. It was a comment on Santos being revealed as having lied outrageously to the electorate, yet a Republican saying we should still respect the fact that he was elected. The parallel was with the candidates in that Simpsons episode being revealed to be slobbering alien monsters, not the “both sides the same” part. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/396 "2023-01-18T18:15:15Z")
Also, Kodos is a AINO. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/397 "2023-01-18T20:37:12Z")
One has to wonder whether this fraud could be grounds for prosecution. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_famous_burrito/32/3954_2.png) [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Famous_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/398 "2023-01-18T21:03:38Z")
> [@slicedalone](#): > > I haven’t read this entire thread (just most of it) but has there been any speculation on the source of the implausible $700,000 he supposedly lent to his campaign? My pet hypothesis is that there never _was_ any $700,000 loan. Here’s how it would work: 1. **Claim** to loan your campaign $700k. 2. [There is no step two. Do not actually loan your campaign a damn thing.] 3. After the election, “repay” yourself with real dollars raised from campaign donors. Amateur crooked politicians abuse campaign cash by using it to (inappropriately) pay for personal expenses like vacations, mortgages, spousal spending sprees, etc. Professional grifters could use the above cycle to directly cash out campaign funds. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/399 "2023-01-18T21:19:30Z")
I’m starting to think he was aiming for the campaign version of “The Producers.” Raise money from questionable sources and assume nobody will look too deeply into them when his campaign flops. But then he unexpectedly has a hit on his hands, and has to account for all his chicanery. ---
**Author:** ![slicedalone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slicedalone/32/12515_2.png) [@slicedalone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slicedalone)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188/400 "2023-01-18T21:55:15Z")
Not to malign the man unduly (?!?) but I was intrigued by Lawrence O’Donnell’s suggestion the other night that $700,000 was funneled his way by Russian oligarchs who wanted to buy their own tame congressperson. Has there been any followup on this angle? Seems both plausible and explanatory to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-was-george-santos-resume-not-an-election-issue/977188.md?page=21)