Democrats call out Santos’s felony charges at DC crime hearing

House Democrats called out Rep. George Santos’s (R-N.Y.) recent felony charges, as the House Oversight and Reform Committee questioned Washington, D.C., officials about crime in the nation’s capital Tuesday.

“We’re here talking about crime while one of our colleagues from across the aisle, who’s been indicted on 13 criminal counts, is not only at large after being bailed out of a New York jail, he is walking around this Capitol voting,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) said at Tuesday’s hearing.

“And the people of D.C. do not have representation in these halls,” she added. “It’s outrageous. It is absolutely outrageous.”

Santos was indicted last week on 13 criminal charges for misleading donors and misrepresenting his finances to the public and government agencies. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $500,000 bond.

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More George Santos coverage from The Hill:

• California Democrat moves to force vote on Santos expulsion
• George Santos owns up to theft charges in Brazil, signs deal to avoid prosecution
• Santos votes for bill cracking down on COVID unemployment fraud as he faces charges
• Five things to know about George Santos’s indictment
• McCarthy won’t back Rep. Santos for reelection after indictment

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) also criticized House Republicans for failing to take any action against Santos.

“My Republican colleagues want to talk about keeping D.C. streets crime free. They can’t even keep the halls of Congress crime free,” Crockett said.

“My freshman colleague has just been indicted on 13 counts — 13 felony counts — but have they exhibited any courage to say, ‘You know what, we will disallow this in our body, we will make sure that we expel this individual.’ They have not,” she continued.

“So, what I don’t want to hear is that they care about crime, because if they did, they would start by cleaning up our own House and mind our own business, instead of coming after D.C.,” she added.