Embattled Republican congressman George Santos (N.Y) told his GOP colleagues at a conference meeting on Tuesday that he is stepping down from his two committee assignments.
Santos, who is facing calls to resign for lying about his professional experience and education history while running for office, and is also facing questions about his personal and campaign finances, was assigned to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Small Business.
The move comes after Santos met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Monday night.
“I met with George Santos yesterday and I think it was an appropriate decision that until he could clear everything up he’s off of committees right now,” McCarthy told reporters, according to The Hill. “We had a discussion, he asked me if he could do that. So I think it was the appropriate decision.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) told reporters that Santos made the decision to step down as Republicans are trying to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“He just felt like there was so much drama really over the situation, and especially what we’re doing to work to remove Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee,” Greene said. “But Mr. Santos’ statement in there was just saying that he spoke with Speaker McCarthy and made this decision on his own.”
