Who is Steve Womack's son? George Santos apologizes for cruel post shaming Arkansas Rep's family
WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS: In a shocking turn of events on Capitol Hill, Congressman George Santos from New York found himself issuing a public apology for a venomous social media post directed at fellow Republican Representative Steve Womack's son, James Phillip Womack.
Santos, who is currently facing a daunting legal battle with 23 charges, including wire fraud and identity theft, let his anger get the best of him when Rep. Womack mocked him following his survival of an expulsion resolution.
George Santos' political banter takes a dark turn
On Thursday, November 2, Womack humorously tweeted, "Last night, the House saw its shadow. Unfortunately, this means there will be two more weeks of Santos."
Last night, the House saw its shadow. Unfortunately, this means there will be two more weeks of Santos.
— Rep. Steve Womack (@rep_stevewomack) November 2, 2023
While such jibes are not uncommon in the world of politics, Santos responded with an unfounded and damaging accusation against Womack's family.
The now-deleted tweet read, "Your son is a felon. He has been in and out of the prison system for years. He is a drug dealer, poisoning people on the streets with meth and unlawful possession of a gun."
Santos added, “Instead of being home, taking care of your son, you’re sitting pretty in the swamp.”
He further attached a month-old news article about a federal drug case against James that included a heartbreaking comment from his father, as per Daily Mail.
Womack at the time had said, “There’s not a more helpless feeling than to see your adult children struggle with addiction and its horrific consequences. This is our cross to bear,” the Arkansas congressman said.
“We will never give up on a solution. We love him unconditionally and believe in our hearts he will redeem himself. We regret he is at the mercy of the criminal justice system and will respect the judgment.”
Why was James Womack arrested?
James' legal troubles began on January 23 when he was arrested after a reckless attempt to evade the authorities. Court documents revealed that the charges against him included fleeing, criminal mischief, and drug paraphernalia possession.
According to the Tontitown Police Department incident report, the young Womack was reportedly spotted with an expired license plate at a gas station. After a failed attempt at a traffic stop, a high-speed pursuit ensued, reaching speeds of over 90 mph.
During the chase, James allegedly committed multiple traffic violations, including driving on the wrong side of the road. The pursuit ultimately ended when his vehicle got stuck in some grass, and he tried to escape on foot, attempting to jump over a barbed wire fence.
Police reportedly ordered him to surrender, but he continued to flee. Eventually, he was found hiding in a row of bushes near a residence, where he was apprehended and searched, leading to the discovery of a container of marijuana.
A subsequent search of James' vehicle yielded various drug paraphernalia items and a box of handgun ammunition, as per Daily Mail.
He reportedly claimed he didn't have a weapon and had purchased the ammunition for a friend, though he could not provide the friend's name.
This arrest followed a prior arrest in Rogers on July 6, 2022, and a nine-year prison sentence for gun and drug charges in 2019.
George Santos apologizes for his cruel remark
Only hours after Santos' mean-spirited attack on Womack's family, he offered an apology, acknowledging his misstep, saying, "I've always held the standard that our families are off limits, and I crossed that line, and for that, I am embarrassed and deeply sorry for doing so."
He extended his apology to Rep. Womack, emphasizing his prayers for the family during these challenging times, as per the outlet.