MEAWW.COM / NEWS / POLITICS

'Who is he kidding?': George Santos trolled for taking 'higher moral ground' during heated exchange with Ohio Rep Max Miller

The verbal clash occurred just ahead of a crucial vote expected to seal the fate of Goerge Santos, who some have called Congress' most infamous liar

WASHINGTON, DC: New York Representative George Santos was excoriated on social media after he took to the House floor and branded Ohio Representative Max Miller a "woman beater" in a heated exchange. The verbal clash occurred just ahead of a crucial vote expected to seal the fate of Santos, who some have called Congress' most infamous liar.

Miller accused Santos of fraudulent use of public donations and detailed the financial strain he endured in defending himself against an ethics complaint from the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Heated verbal confrontation

A fiery exchange unfolded, with Miller directly calling Santos a "crook" before correcting himself. "You are a crook!" he said, before redirecting his comments to the chair, stating, "I know I should direct my comments to the chair. I yield back."

Santos, given the opportunity to respond, sought to strike Miller's words from the record, claiming them inappropriate.

The chair ruled against Santos, pointing out the need for timely requests and urging members to address remarks to the chair. Undeterred, Santos continued, highlighting the perceived hypocrisy of the situation.

“My colleague wants to come up here, call me a crook,” Santos said. “The same colleague who’s accused of being a woman beater. Are we really going to ignore the facts that we all have pasts, and we all have the media coming out against us on a daily basis?” he added.

"I can go and read about all my colleagues. I'm not going to stand here to smear them. I'm not going to stand here and use the time I have to say ill things about my colleagues. I refuse to stoop to that level," he added.

Santos was referencing allegations made by Miller's ex-girlfriend Stephanie Grisham, who accused Miller of physical violence during their relationship, including an incident where he allegedly slapped her. 

Social media reactions

Despite the serious allegations, social media erupted in criticism against Santos, accusing him of taking a "moral high ground" on the House floor.

"Who is he kidding with the 'higher moral ground' schtick???" one posted on X (formerly Twitter).

"Holds up a sheet of paper as a threat and says, 'I'm not going to smear my colleagues.' LOL," another wrote.

"LOL. George Santos the crook thinks he has some moral high ground to stand on and is trying to throw out receipts. He's not going down alone," someone else chimed in.

"Let’s say this…Mr George doesn’t really live by the truth. He lives by his own acceptance of his wrongdoings without understanding. He represents this nation as a member of congress. He’s mispresented his constituents as well as his nation. He really needs some kind of help," another offered.

Defiant stance amid calls for resignation

In a defiant stance, Santos resisted calls for resignation ahead of an impending expulsion vote, stating, "If I leave, they win." The freshman member dismissed the expulsion proceedings as political theater, arguing that real work was being neglected.

However, a recent Ethics Committee report has further complicated Santos' position.

The report alleges a misuse of campaign funds for personal expenses, fraud, filing false election reports, and "willful" ethics violations. The charges mark the fifth attempt to expel a member of Congress and could lead to Santos' removal without a conviction related to support for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Santos, already facing 23 federal charges, including identity theft and submitting false campaign reports, maintains his innocence. The report details transactions, including a $20,000 transfer to Santos' company Devolder, with subsequent use for personal expenditures, according to Radar Online.

Santos recently announced on social media that he would not seek re-election but intends to remain in Congress until the end of his term.

"My family deserves better than to be under the gun from the press all the time," he posted on X, acknowledging the intense scrutiny surrounding his actions.

Santos is not expected to face trial until next September.