‘Uh…’: McCarthy Backtracks On Menendez Resignation After Being Reminded George Santos Is Also Under Indictment

Michael LucianoSep 26th, 2023, 9:59 pm

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., pauses during an event with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2023. McCarthy is wrapping up work in the House as Congress leaves for the annual August recess.

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) may have given CNN’s Manu Raju whiplash while seemingly doing a 180 on his position that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) should resign after being indicted on federal corruption charges.

Menendez was indicted last week, a year and a half after federal agents found nearly $500,000 at his home, including gold bars. The feds allege the senator accepted bribes to advance the interests of the Egyptian government and associates of his. Those associates, along with his wife, have also been indicted.

Over the weekend, McCarthy was asked if Menendez should resign.

“Yeah, very much so,” the speaker said.

On Tuesday, Raju asked about Rep. George Santos (R-NY), a member of McCarthy’s razor-thin House majority. Santos was indicted on 13 counts by a federal grand jury in May for “wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making false statements to the U.S. House of Representatives.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, when asked if he thinks Rep. George Santos (R-NY) should resign, after he said this weekend that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) should step down:

“No, I think George could have his day in court and I think Menendez could have his day in court.” pic.twitter.com/qTAvTZWcbd

— The Recount (@therecount) September 26, 2023

Here is Raju’s exchange with McCarthy:

RAJU: You called on Bob Menendez to resign–

MCCARTHY: Did I call on him–

RAJU: You did.

MCCARTHY: –or did you ask me a question?

RAJU: You did over the weekend. You said he should resign. Do you think that George Santos, who’s been indicted on federal criminal charges should also resign?

MCCARTHY: Uh, no. I think George can have his day in court and I think Menendez can have his day in court.

RAJU: Why do you think he needs to resign then?

MCCARTHY: Uh, it can be his choice, what he wants to do.

Not to be forgotten, former President Donald Trump is also under indictment, in four jurisdictions – two of which are federal. Like Santos and Menendez, Trump is currently running for office again in 2024.