Former Representative George Santos said Friday that he is leaving the Republican Party.
His declaration comes after the House approved a hefty $1.2 trillion spending proposal to fund the government through September, ahead of a midnight deadline to avoid a partial shutdown.
The legislation passed 286 to 134, with the majority of Republicans voting against it. Following its passage, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia filed a “motion to vacate,” laying the groundwork for a subsequent vote to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“After today’s embarrassing showing in the house I have reflected and decided that I can no longer be part of the Republican Party… The Republican Party continues to lie and swindle its voter base. I in good conscience cannot affiliate myself with a party that stands for nothing and falls for everything. I am officially suspending my petitioning in #NY01 to access the ballot as a Republican and will be [filing] to run as an independent… I will take my Ultra MAGA/Trump supporting values to the ballot in November as an Independent,” Santos stated on X.
Santos earlier declared plans to run against Republican Rep. Nick LaLota in New York’s First Congressional District, which includes eastern Long Island.
LaLota responded with a statement that read, “To raise the standard in Congress and hold a pathological liar who stole an election accountable, I led the charge to expel George Santos.” If accomplishing the job means defeating him in a primary, count me in.
All of this comes as Santos faces 23 federal allegations, including suspected wire fraud, identity theft, campaign finance violations, and other offenses. His trial date is set for September.
