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On Wednesday, Jan. 25, the freshman Republican lawmaker, who represents the state’s 3rd District on Long Island’s North Shore and parts of Queens, posted a video on his official Twitter account showing him bringing Chick-fil-A for reporters camped outside his House office.
“Guys, I brought you guys some lunch since you guys are staying out here all day,” Santos is heard telling them. “I just wanted to make sure you guys were taken care of.”
He then sets a large Chick-fil-A bag on a table right outside his congressional office, telling the (probably grateful) reporters to “Eat up, all you want.”
Santos did not, however, respond to questions.
Many related to his filing of new campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission. In the amended filing, he told the agency that a $500,000 loan he gave to his campaign did not come from his personal funds as he previously claimed in his initial filing in September 2022, Daily Beast reports.
While certainly a nice gesture, the chicken sandwich delivery is unlikely to quell other questions about Santos’ background.
He has faced repeated calls from both parties to resign after admitting that he lied about much of his resume in the lead-up to the 2022 midterm elections, including where he worked and went to school.
A recent Siena College poll found that among New York’s registered voters, nearly two-thirds of Democrats and 59 percent of independents think Santos should resign. A strong plurality of Republicans, 49 percent, also said he should step down. Just 17 percent of voters think he should remain in office.
Since being sworn into office on Saturday, Jan. 7, Santos has also seen House Democrats file a complaint against him with the House Ethics Committee demanding an investigation into his financial disclosure reports.
A nonprofit group has also filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), accusing Santos of illegally using campaign funds for personal expenses and hiding the sources of his campaign donations.
Santos is also facing investigations by the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office and the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The Republican lawmaker also made headlines once again after a disabled Navy veteran accused Santos of stealing thousands of dollars in charity money that was meant to pay for his dying service dog’s surgery. Santos has denied the allegation.
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