Original Article

Rep. George Santos announced to House Republicans on Tuesday that he will temporarily step down from his committee assignments due to ongoing investigations into his campaign finances and biographical information. He was a member of the House Small Business Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee. Santos cited being a “distraction” as the reason for stepping down.

The Chairman of the House Small Business Committee, Roger Williams, stated that the withdrawal is temporary. Rep. Michael Lawler, who previously called for Santos to resign, also commented that the resignation was made while the ethics investigation is still underway. A poll showed that over 75% of voters in Santos’ district believe he should resign. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has not called for Santos to resign, while Democratic leaders have repeatedly called for Santos to resign and questioned the Republican reaction. Rep. Elise Stefanik said voters will ultimately make the decision. This move by Santos comes as House Speaker McCarthy is facing difficulty securing GOP votes to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.