Santos, McCarthy and Karma

The GOP is devouring itself

George Santos

By Bob Gaydos

    Karma is a you know what.

    George Santos, the Long Island Republican who lied his way into getting elected to Congress, is undoubtedly expecting to raise his right hand, put his left hand on a Bible and be sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives some time after noon tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 3).

      This, despite investigations into his actions by the Nassau County district attorney and the attorney general of New York. Among other things, Santos lied about his college education, his military service, his religion, his work history, his income, his family history and which pronoun he identifies with. It’s also unclear where a lot of his campaign funding came from.

        But Santos, and other newly elected members of the House, may have to wait for their moment in the sun, ironically, thanks to the behavior of other members of his party who embrace the same say-anything-to-get-elected policy that Santos used.

        The first order of business for the House of Representatives is to elect a speaker. Until that is done, no business can be conducted. The Constitution says so. But Kevin McCarthy, Republican minority leader who is hoping to be elected speaker, can’t seem to round up enough votes even though Republicans hold a slim majority in the House thanks to the last election.

     Now, McCarthy is as slimy as Sen. Lindsey Graham when it comes to kissing the ring of Donald Trump even when he disagrees. McCarthy has no spine, no moral compass, no governing plan other than gaining power and using it to rebuff Democrats. He’s also not particularly smart.

        But even with those usually laudable credentials for the Republican base, a handful of House Republicans have publicly said they will not vote for McCarthy as speaker. The House has to keep voting until members elect a speaker. And it doesn’t even have to be a member of Congress.

     It turns out to be another one of those Constitutional teaching lessons, courtesy of the party that claims to defend it while doing everything it can to subvert it.

    Until the house elects a speaker and then moves on to business, no government funding legislation can be passed. That’s the House’s job. So, like Santos, we will have to wait and watch Kevin McCarthy sweat and try to think of something else he can promise Marjorie Taylor Greene.

     Meanwhile, as a couple of New York Times reporters who dug up the dirt on Santos have noted, the methodical corporate decimation of local newspapers eliminated the front line of defense against phonies like Santos puffing themselves up with fake resumes. The reporters would’ve smoked him out. More rigorous checking by Democrats on their opponent would’ve helped.

      So, Karma, as Kevin McCarthy’s world turns, some things to think about fixing in the new year. 

rjgaydos@gmail.com