Next week, Congress returns to Washington from summer recess. For most, particularly in competitive districts, it’s no vacation. Traditionally, August is packed with constituent meetings, press conferences, and multiple public events each day. But in New York’s Third Congressional district, which I once represented, the question has been “Where’s George?”
I’m talking about Rep. George Santos. Perhaps you’ve heard of him. The Justice Department certainly has, having charged him with a 13-count indictment. Since entering office (and political infamy), Santos has been largely absent from his district. He’s a ghost – never seen yet always vaguely present, as he’s hounded by reporters and referenced as a punch line on late night shows. He crops up occasionally to fan over President Trump to his 67,000 Twitter followers.
He’s the political equivalent of “Where’s Waldo,” invisible and gnawing at the same time.
Santos has announced he is running for reelection and is raising money for the effort. You’d think, given the uphill battle he faces in a slightly Democratic district, he would have used the August recess to meet and greet his constituents. Instead, he was nowhere to be seen.
During the recent passport crisis, I was besieged by desperate former constituents asking if I could facilitate appointments. I could not. These days, I’m happy to be a civilian. My suggestion that they contact Santos was received with smirks and rolled eyes. Even his Republican colleagues on Long Island have publicly stated that they’re receiving desperate calls from Santos’ constituents for help with casework.
Santos has, on occasion, been spotted at his district office in Douglaston. He recently met with a group of Planned Parenthood supporters there, who wanted to know why Santos voted for the anti-abortion amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act. One of the visitors, Assemblyman Charles Lavine, told me that Santos assured the group “that his position on abortion rights had evolved and that he had in fact voted against the NDAA and a related amendment that dramatically curtailed healthcare rights for the American military.” Confused, Lavine returned to home and researched the vote tally. As you may have already guessed, Santos was doing what he does best — lying. He voted for the amendment. In Lavine’s words, Santos “was enjoying his performance” as he lied to his constituents.
This district is without a congressman. We have one in title and name, but not the hard work of the job itself. He’s a political ghost who recedes to the background, appearing only when it’s time to cozy up to Trump, defend himself against his well-earned legal troubles, or, in the rare occasions when he faces his voters, lie. The people most hurt by this charade are not the millions across the country watching the cable news coverage of this reality show, but the people I used to represent — the constituents.
Next week, Santos will return to Capitol Hill. He’ll sit in his seat, in plain sight, disgraced and indicted. Many of his GOP colleagues will overlook his malfeasance, instead obsessing on a frivolous and politically motivated impeachment of President Biden.
Meanwhile, the House Ethics Committee deliberates Santos’ future, and the political speculation swirls. One theory is that Speaker Kevin McCarthy can’t afford to expel him due to the risks involved in holding a special election in a Democratic leaning district. Another suggests that Santos himself is positioning for a plea bargain and hopes to use his seat as a bargaining chip.
On Tuesday, federal prosecutors notified the court that the parties “have continued to discuss possible paths forward in this matter,” and would need “additional time to continue those discussions.” At 1:35 the same morning, Santos posted a message on Twitter: “My energy is Unbreakable because my will is strong. Many have tried to break me and failed, It won’t be the political establishment elites and corrupt bias media that will succeed.”
The message underlies the essential problem. In the wee hours of the morning, George Santos was not thinking about his constituents, his district, the economy, a solution to the migrant crisis, or traffic on the Long Island Expressway. George Santos was consumed with George Santos. Focused on his legal defense, he has little room for his constituents.
In the end, no one knows the future of our absent congressman. But the House can provide the clarity we deserve. It’s beyond time for McCarthy to stop stalling and have the House vote on censoring or removing Santos. In the meantime, an entire congressional district lacks any true representation. The voices of my old constituents are ignored, their problems swept under the rug as George Santos ducks his constituents and the oath of office he swore.
Israel represented New York in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2017.
Steve Israel
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