Incoming House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) on Sunday completely ignored questions about serial Republican liar Rep. George Santos, insisting instead that the real problem is a “broken” Congress. “.
Santos was named to two House committees, even though the Long Island legislator blatantly lied about his heritage, family, education, resume — and apparently campaign finance. The Justice Department reported that it had already launched a criminal investigation into his funding, The Washington Post reported last week.
McCarthy just fired Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell of California from the House Intelligence Committee because he said their level of “genuine honesty” and “integrity” were unacceptable.
CBS News host Margaret Brennan asked McCarthy on “Face The Nation” on Sunday for the wisdom of giving Santos committee assignments given his history.
“You want to bring up Santos, and let’s talk about the institution itself, because I totally agree that Congress is broken,” McCarthy replied, referring to nothing Brennan had said about Congress. .
“I’m asking you about George Santos,” Brennan clarified. “Because you might put it to a vote to try to oust it…”
McCarthy shot back, “You asked me a question. I would appreciate if you would let me answer…Congress is broken based on what happened in the last Congress,” he added in a total non sequitur. “What I’m trying to do is open up people’s homes so their voices are there – so people are held accountable.”
A stubborn Brennan insisted, “If you got a third of your caucus to vote to oust him, you could do it.”
“I wasn’t done answering the question,” McCarthy replied. “What I’m trying to do is change some of these committees, as the Intel committee is different from any other committee…”
“So you’re just not going to answer the question I asked?” Brennan cut him off.
He did not do it.
In Santos’ latest investigation, Mother Jones magazine reported that he was unable to confirm the existence of at least a dozen contributors listed in his campaign finance records as having given large sums to his last race in 2020.
Brennan also burned McCarthy’s call to put Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on a new subcommittee to investigate the origins of COVID-19, even as she pushed twisted COVID conspiracy theories and likened mask requirements to help prevent the spread of a deadly pandemic to the Nazi treatment of Jews.
Watch Brennan hold McCarthy’s feet against the flames in “Face the Nation” below. McCarthy dodges all questions about Santos starting at 1:12 p.m.