Fraudster Santos escapes Rep. Kevin Kiley’s ethical eye. But what’s another GOP lie? | Opinion

Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Selective Memoryville, recently received correspondence from a constituent named Bobby Eisenberg, of Cool, Calif. Eisenberg asked Kiley this question:

“Do you personally believe that this con artist (Rep. George Santos), who is undeniably doing harm to our democracy, with all the facts that have already been substantiated beyond a shadow of doubt belongs in the United States House of Representative alongside honorable men, such as yourself?”

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Kiley responded thusly:

“George Santos is currently the subject of an investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee — this is in addition to any other investigation(s) which are being conducted by prosecutors in the state of New York. The Ethics Committee is a bipartisan group of House members with equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats which will review the facts, take evidence and make a recommendation to the full House on what punishment may be appropriate. Punishments can range from a reprimand all the way up to expulsion from the House.”

Oooooh! Kiley invokes bipartisanship! That’s rare.

Let’s break Kiley’s response down into its (constituent) parts.

Kiley offers not a whisper of actual opinion about a member of Congress who is, for example, being excoriated, by name, by many members of the New York GOP house delegation. They didn’t wait around for the House Ethics Committee.

For example, The Hill published an article with this lead: “A coalition of New York Republicans on Tuesday introduced legislation that would ban Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from profiting off his fabrications if he is convicted of certain crimes, revving up their attack against the embattled congressman.

“The legislation does not mention Santos by name, but lawmakers who introduced the two related measures made clear they are directed toward the New York Republican, who has been the target of scrutiny for fabricating parts of his resume and submitting questionable financial disclosure reports.”

That ain’t exactly punting back to the House Ethics Committee.

Again, from The Hill: “It’s very simple,” Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., the lead sponsor of the legislation, said at a press conference Tuesday. “If you are defrauding the American people, if you are making a mockery out of the People’s House, or violating campaign finance law, you should not be able to turn it into a payday.”

Oh, and this from D’Esposito: “No one should be able to profit off lying to the American people and swindling their way into the People’s House.”

New York magazine notes this: “Three other New York Republican representatives who have also called for Santos’s resignation are planning to co-sponsor the bill, according to Axios: Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro, and Nick LaLota.”

That’s four Republicans from New York, right there. The Nassau County GOP also had a fun news conference where they blasted Santos as well.

The Nassau County GOP leader, Joseph G. Cairo, did not mince words: “Today, on behalf of the Nassau County Republican Committee, I’m calling for his immediate resignation.”

Oh, Cairo also threw in that the Santos campaign engaged in a series “of deceit, lies and fabrication.”

(New York translation: “This &%$@!!! guy! Fuggeddaboutit. Schmuck.”)

Now, let’s just say, oh, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-CA, had faked his name, education, work history, had said his grandparents were survivors of the Holocaust and taken money from a guy who was trying to help his sick dog.

What would Kiley’s letter read like in that case? Probably more like the lingo he slings around about Gov. Gavin Newsom and his latest hobby horse, Julie Su, the California State Labor Commissioner nominated for U.S. Secretary of Labor.

We note here that Kiley has been utterly silent about Donald Trump’s personal qualities, which, at this writing, would include being a twice-impeached indicted coup plotter and classified document hoarder. That’s not even counting his social life and 33,000 (give or take) lies.

Don’t ask Kiley what color the sky is. He may see red instead of blue.