Scalise Dodges Over Santos Charge Of Unemployment Fraud After Sponsoring GOP Unemployment Fraud Bill

May 10, 2023 Republicans, Scandal

Top House Republicans, who control the chamber by a narrow 222-213 margin, said they would wait for the legal process to play out before taking further action on Santos, who is due to appear later Wednesday at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York.

Nine House Republicans have so far called on Santos to resign, including six from his home state of New York. But No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise said the caucus would withhold judgment on Santos.

“The charges just came out,” Scalise said at a press conference. “In America, there’s a presumption of innocence, but they’re serious charges. He’s going to have to go through the legal process.”

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Question: A bill you have on the floor this week is about pandemic unemployment benefit fraud. One of the indictments against Santos is for unemployment benefit fraud. Does that undermine the message you’re trying to send pic.twitter.com/iq1RHOSKHd

— Acyn (@Acyn) May 10, 2023

I can’t make this up.

Rep. George Santos R-NY is charged with unemployment benefits fraud.

The House is slated to vote this week on a bill to help states recover fraudulent COVID unemployment payments.

**Santos is a co-sponsor of that bill.** https://t.co/DMiTxnFsCW

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) May 10, 2023