‘Long Way to Go to Earn Trust’: McCarthy Shoots Down Notion That George Santos Will Have a Security Clearance

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy wouldn’t urge for George Santos’ (R-NY) resignation, but he seemed to acknowledge that the congressman’s lies have made him untrustworthy.

McCarthy held his first press conference as House Speaker on Thursday, where he was asked — once again — if Santos ought to resign, now that he’s being investigated after fabricating his life’s story. McCarthy answered by doubling down on his position that Santos can stay in Congress, even as New York Republican lawmakers are calling for Santos’ resignation.

“The voters have elected George Santos,” McCarthy said. “If there is a concern, he will go through ethics. If there is something that is found, he will be dealt with in that manner. But they have a voice in this process.”

As the scrum continued, CNN’s Manu Raju outlined the scrutiny Santos is currently under in order to ask McCarthy if he can be trusted with sensitive information.

“Do you trust someone who has admitted to lying about major aspects of his past, could be facing fraud charges from Brazil, to have access to top secret information?” Raju asked.

McCarthy answered by suggesting Santos won’t be given security clearance.

I don’t see any way that he’s going to have top secret [information] — if you’re referring to George Santos. He’s got a long way to go to earn trust.

But the one thing I do know is you apply the Constitution equally to all Americans. The voters of his district have elected him. He is seated. He is part of the Republican conference. There are concerns with him, so he will go before ethics. If anything is found to have been wrong, he will be held accountable exactly as anybody else in this body would be.

Watch above via CNN.