Progressives from New York heckled Rep. George Santos on the U.S. Capitol steps Wednesday as he tried to speak to the media about his legal troubles and political future.
Clips circulating online show Mr. Santos, a Republican facing numerous fraud charges in New York, speaking in a scrum of reporters before Rep. Jamaal Bowman starts yelling at him from nearby.
“Resign! Get him out! He gotta go,” Mr. Bowman said. “Save yourself, have some dignity.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined him in some of the heckling, though Mr. Bowman was the loudest voice.
Mr. Santos was distracted by the commotion, saying it was difficult to hear reporters “over my colleague screaming here.”
“I can’t continue to address you guys because there’s a deranged member here, so I’m gonna walk,” Mr. Santos said.
SEE ALSO: Democrats’ bid to expel Rep. George Santos kicked to Ethics Committee
The confrontation underscored the fraying decorum on Capitol Hill and the awkward position Mr. Santos is in after a 13-count federal indictment alleged he used political donations for personal expenses, applied for COVID-19 unemployment relief despite making $120,000 per year at a Florida investment firm and misstated income amounts on House disclosure forms.
Mr. Santos said he looks forward to clearing his name, but fellow lawmakers have pushed him to resign and some have called for his expulsion.
After Mr. Santos left the Capitol steps, Mr. Bowman got into an argument with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican.
“Your party is hanging by a thread,” the Democrat said. “You gotta save the party, No more Q-Anon … no more debt ceiling nonsense. Save the party, save America, save the children.”
Ms. Greene said President Biden must leave to save the country and his administration has lost track of migrant children.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, a fellow Democrat, pulled Mr. Bowman away, saying: “She ain’t worth it.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.