In the latest political scrum facing Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., the offense came from fellow New Yorkers in Congress and the defense came from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The shouting match broke out Wednesday evening on the Capitol steps, with Democratic Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calling on Santos to resign after his recent indictment on federal charges for fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress.
Santos pleaded not guilty to the charges and vowed to “fight the witch hunt” and clear his name, but his fellow House representatives aren’t making that easy.
“Kick him out! He’s gotta go!” Bowman yelled as reporters tried to interview Santos outside the Capitol. He continued to shout over the media’s questions, urging Santos to resign and “have some dignity.”
“New Yorkers need better,” Bowman belted out above the mix of journalists pushing microphones and cellphones in front of Santos.
Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez was telling Santos, “You gotta go. You gotta give it up.”
Previous coverage:Rep. George Santos pleads not guilty to 13 counts including fraud, lying to Congress
“I can’t continue to address you guys because there’s a deranged member here, so I’m gonna walk,” he said.
Santos told reporters he couldn’t hear the questions because of his colleagues “screaming here.”
Greene − who has introduced articles of impeachment this week against U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves, FBI director Christopher Wray, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas − soon began chanting to “impeach Biden.”
Bowman told her the Republican Party is “hanging by a thread” and implored her to “save the party.”
“No more QAnon, no more MAGA, no more debt ceiling nonsense,” he said.
Bowman told her to do something about guns, and Greene told him to close the border.
Earlier this year, Bowman got into a shouting match inside the Capitol with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., about gun control after the Nashville shooting.
The Wednesday night fray followed a Democratic resolution to oust Santos from Congress being referred to the House Ethics Committee.
Santos stays:House refers resolution to expel embattled lawmaker to ethics committee
