Scandal-plagued New York Representative George Santos was mocked by New Yorkers as he appeared in the city to attend a rally in support of former President Donald Trump on the day of his arraignment.
Mr Santos was hounded by reporters as he arrived, with BuzzFeed reporter David Mack calling it “utter chaos”.
“George, you should have shown up in drag!” one person yelled, the reporter tweeted.
When asked why he was at the rally, Mr Santos said, “Because I can be here”.
He said no president was above the law, according to footage shared by Elizabeth Landers of Vice News. Mr Santos then said: “Where’s Hunter Biden’s indictment? Two years of a laptop, a treasure trove of crime.”
When asked if Mr Trump should be held accountable if he has committed a crime, Mr Santos said: “This is not that crime, though”.
“This is old news,” he added.
Mr Santos left the area where the rally was set to take place before it had even begun, saying that he felt threatened and that it was too chaotic, according to Kadia Goba of Semafor.
Jordan Klepper of The Daily Show shouted questions at Mr Santos, according to footage posted by Jacob Shamsian of Insider.
“George, speak up, we want to hear the legitimacy you bring to this process,” Mr Klepper said. “George, are you worried that this is becoming a circus? George, talk about your time running a circus! George, thank you for your service!”
“George, did you get a law degree in the last two weeks that we don’t know about?” someone else shouted.
Mr Santos has been frequently mocked for his lies since much of his resume was revealed to be untrue following his election to Congress in November’s midterms.
Tuesday’s protest was organised by Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene. Scott MacFarlane of CBS News noted that “the protest across the street from Manhattan courthouse appears to be more than 75 per cent media”.
“I’m here in NY to protest with my voice against the weaponization of the justice system on innocent President Trump, but the counter protestors are coming to commit assault that can cause audible damage to everyone’s ears including NYPD,” Ms Greene tweeted on Tuesday morning.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned Ms Greene and other protesters during a press conference on Monday.
“People like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known to spread misinformation and hate speech, while you’re in town, be on your best behaviour,” he said.
Ms Greene responded on Tuesday, saying: “But Mayor Adams warns me by name! If counter-protestors are violating freedom of speech and committing assault, they should be arrested.”
Mr Santos is facing several investigations regarding his claims about his past and possible campaign finance issues. He wasn’t scheduled to speak at the rally.
Ms Greene urged Americans to “take a stand” during her brief speech, large parts of which were drowned out by the sounds of counter-protesters.
She claimed that the government has been “weaponized” against Americans: “I’m here to protest and use my voice and take a stand. Every American should take a stand.”
“This is what happens in communist countries – not the United States of America,” she added. “We have to take a stand against the injustice, the corruption, and the communist Democrats. They’re taking our legal code, twisting it, manipulating it, and perverting it into something it was never meant to be. Donald J Trump is innocent, this is election interference. DA Alvin Bragg is nothing but a George Soros-funded tool. He is a tool for the Democrats to try to hijack the 2024 presidential election. This is a travesty!”
