President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address turned into an opportunity for politicians from both sides of the aisle to show what they really think of Rep. George Santos.
Biden walked past Santos, R-N.Y., without acknowledging the serial liar before Tuesday night’s speech. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, had an exchange with the new lawmaker on the House floor. And Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., needled him on Twitter after it was done.
Romney started the fight with Santos when he told him “You don’t belong here” as he walked past.
Santos gave as good as he got by reminding Romney that he won election in his North Shore district with about 142,000 votes in the midterm elections.
“You’re an a--,” Romney shot back.
“You’re a bigger a------,” Santos said as the GOP elder statesman strode away.
When Biden walked into the chamber, the president moved swiftly passed Santos in an apparent effort to avoid shaking hands or exchanging words.
After the speech was done, Santos taunted Romney that former President Donald Trump has a better chance of becoming president than him.
“Just a reminder that you will NEVER be PRESIDENT!” Santos said.
Romney later explained that Santos should have enough self-respect to keep a low profile at such a serious event.
“He should be sitting in the back row and staying quiet instead of parading in front of the president and people coming into the room,” Romney told reporters.
Santos also drew fire for his behavior from fellow Long Island Republican Rep. Nick Lalota on Wednesday, who derided Santos as a “sociopath” and said he should step down for his own good.
“It’s become an embarrassment and a distraction to the Republicans in the House,” Lalota said on CNN.
Torres also resumed his weekslong feud with Santos, tweeting that “Gaslighting is a George Santos specialty.”
Santos hit back by accusing Torres of paying too much attention to him. Both men are openly gay.
“Stop obsessing over me,” Santos tweeted at Torres. “I’m married!”
Santos, 34, portrayed himself as a trailblazing conservative gay son of Brazilian immigrants when he won his election in an upset last year.
He later was forced to admit he lied about much of his life story, including false claims of working on Wall Street and going to college.
He falsely claimed his grandparents were Jews who fled the Holocaust and that his mother escaped the Sept. 11 terror attacks when she wasn’t even in the U.S. at the time.
State and federal authorities are also investigating Santos’ potentially illegal campaign finance disclosures. The House Ethics Committee is also probing him, although House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has stood by Santos for now.
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