Democrats urge Home Speaker McCarthy to disclaim GOP Rep. George Santos entry to categorized data

Two congressional Democrats requested Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday to limit Republican Rep. George Santos’ entry to categorized data, arguing the scandal-plagued freshman lawmaker “can’t be trusted” with confidential supplies.

“It’s clear that Congressman George Santos has violated the general public’s belief on numerous events,” Reps. Joseph Morelle and Gregory Meeks, each from Santos’ personal state of New York, mentioned in a letter to McCarthy.

“His unfettered entry to our nation’s secrets and techniques presents a big danger to the nationwide safety of this nation,” the Democrats wrote. “We urge you to behave swiftly to stop George Santos from abusing his place and endangering our nation.”

Santos’ workplace didn’t instantly reply to CNBC’s request for touch upon the letter.

Simply weeks after successful his congressional race within the November midterms, Santos admitted to mendacity about key particulars of his private life {and professional} historical past. He has apologized for having “embellished” his resume however denies committing any crimes.

However as Meeks and Morelle observe of their letter, Santos is embroiled in native, state, federal and worldwide investigations. In addition they flagged latest reporting about Santos’ alleged ties to figures associated to a sanctioned Russian oligarch, amongst different points.

“The quite a few regarding allegations about his habits over a long time put his character into query, and counsel he can’t be trusted with confidential and categorized data that would threaten the USA’ nationwide safety,” the Democrats wrote.

Prime GOP officers in New York have denounced Santos as a liar and a fraud, and a handful of his fellow Republicans in Congress even have urged him to resign. For his half, Santos has vowed to serve out his full two-year time period, arguing his district’s voters needs to be those to resolve his political destiny.

McCarthy, who leads a slim Home majority that Santos’ departure may shrink much more, has echoed that line and refused to affix in his celebration’s blaring criticism of the freshman congressman.

” why I am standing by him? As a result of his constituents voted for him,” McCarthy instructed reporters Tuesday. The Republican chief mentioned Santos would solely be faraway from the Home if its ethics committee decided that he broke the regulation.

A spokesman for McCarthy didn’t instantly touch upon the Democrats’ letter.

The McCarthy-led GOP Steering Committee final week awarded Santos spots on the Science, Area and Know-how Committee and the Small Enterprise Committee.

Wednesday’s letter from Morelle and Meeks requested McCarthy to restrict Santos’ capacity to entry categorized supplies, “together with stopping him from attending any categorized briefings and limiting his entry to such data by his committee assignments.”

The Democrats appeared to acknowledge that Santos was assigned to lower-profile committees, however they famous that he may nonetheless doubtlessly achieve entry to swaths of delicate data.

“Because it at present stands, Members should not mandated to have safety clearances nor signal a nondisclosure settlement, nevertheless, that doesn’t entitle them to limitless entry to categorized data,” they wrote.

“Congressman George Santos was assigned to committees whose jurisdiction might pertain to solely a portion of our nation’s nationwide safety and overseas coverage agenda, but this doesn’t cease or inhibit him from requesting a safe briefing or categorized paperwork relating to a breadth of matters at any time,” they mentioned.

Santos’ “untrustworthiness may warrant the Intelligence Group to decelerate or restrict sure categorized data it shares with Congress,” they instructed McCarthy within the letter.

They argued: “This might have profound implications for the Legislative Department’s capacity to carry out its legislative, oversight, and investigative duties over the Government Companies’ categorized applications.”

The Democrats’ letter comes amid an increasing controversy over the removing of categorized paperwork from safe areas by high-profile politicians.

A lawyer for Mike Pence revealed Tuesday that categorized paperwork have been found on the former vp’s Indiana residence. That information was seen as a reduction for President Joe Biden, who has come underneath intense scrutiny after categorized paperwork have been discovered at his residence and workplace, prompting the appointment of a particular counsel to research.

Final summer season, the FBI raided former President Donald Trump’s Florida residence and eliminated hundreds of pages of information, together with quite a few units of categorized paperwork, after the Division of Justice mentioned it discovered proof of obstruction of an investigation.

Trump has introduced he’s operating for president once more in 2024, whereas Pence and Biden are each broadly alleged to be gearing as much as launch their very own campaigns.

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