(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) As Democrats continued a blitzkrieg attack on embattled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., the feisty freshman lawmaker fought back, potentially endearing himself to diffident Republicans who remained wary of him amid allegations that he faked much of his résumé to get elected.
Most notably, Santos took a Twitter dig Wednesday at ex-Illinois congressman Adam Kinzinger, who recently accepted a job as a CNN correspondent after retiring last year in the face of certain defeat ahead of the 2022 primary election.
Go on @CNN and cry about it https://t.co/2FNmnc0W6n pic.twitter.com/ppMghdn0ao
— George Santos (@Santos4Congress) January 11, 2023
Santos—who became one of the few openly gay GOP lawmakers when he succeeded in flipping a historically blue New York district—has acknowledged that he misrepresented aspects of his background.
In one such case, he defended himself by denying that he had claimed to be Jewish, but rather that he said he was Jew-ish, the New York Post reported.
He explained that although he was raised Catholic, he had Jewish relatives on his mother’s side.
Kinzinger, the weepy-eyed RINO who served alongside ex-Rep. Liz Cheney as the two non-Democrats on the House’s sham Jan. 6 committee, had previously called on Santos to resign.
He slapped back at Santos with his own barb, telling him “Cries are better than lies, FRAUD.”
Cries are better than lies, FRAUD. https://t.co/1EFdWU6IRQ
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) January 11, 2023
But given Kinzinger’s own history of lying, the retort seemed a bit insincere.
Not only did Kinzinger misrepresent himself as a Republican, but he also became notorious for spreading disinformation related to both the Jan. 6 hearings and Ukraine’s war with Russia.
Most notoriously, as part of the pro-Ukraine propaganda effort, he tweeted a picture from 2016 and misleadingly implied that it was more recent by failing to provide the proper context.
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) February 26, 2022
Kinzinger also was suspected of faking a death threat and suggesting it was from disgruntled Republicans.
Here is the letter. Addressed to my wife, sent to my home, threatening the life of my family. The Darkness is spreading courtesy of cowardly leaders fearful of truth. Is the what you want @GOP? Pastors?
https://t.co/YimZJcFp4W pic.twitter.com/BBgZ6Teur3
— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) June 19, 2022
He will be right at home on CNN, which was caught openly acknowledging its role as an anti-Trump propaganda outlet under the stewardship of ex-network president Jeff Zucker and cost itself precious credibility by failing to report accurately on what proved to be a long series of hoaxes.
Santos, meanwhile, has continued to push back against his critics and issued a statement Wednesday that he had no intention of resigning.
I was elected to serve the people of #NY03 not the party & politicians, I remain committed to doing that and regret to hear that local officials refuse to work with my office to deliver results to keep our community safe and lower the cost of living.
I will NOT resign!
— George Santos (@Santos4Congress) January 11, 2023
Newly elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., stood by him for now, rebuffing an MSNBC reporter’s effort to trap the GOP leader with a gotcha question.
Kevin McCarthy defends George Santos:
“What are the charges against him? Is there a charge against him? In America today, you're innocent until proven guilty"pic.twitter.com/OpKDTBpNsM
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) January 11, 2023
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., likewise brushed off a question while assuring concerned media that it was “being handled internally.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise sidesteps question as to whether Rep. George Santos (R-NY) should be a member of Congress after lying about his background:
“This is something that’s being handled internally.” pic.twitter.com/qpywZk4hPW
— The Recount (@therecount) January 10, 2023
Many have parried back against Democrats’ cries of foul play by noting a litany of leftist lawmakers who also have shamelessly lied about aspects of their past, including President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
Ben Sellers is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/realbensellers.
