For the last two days, the House of Representatives has been a mess. The GOP now has control over the chamber, but only by a razor-thin margin. To make matters worse, a small but pivotal cadre of MAGA Republicans have sabotaged former House minority leader Kevin McCarthy’s wish for a promotion. There’s in-fighting. There’s in-fighting among the in-fighting. And then there’s one of the fresh fish: accused prolific fabulist George Santos, who appears to have lied about…well, everything. So when he repeatedly failed to recognize he was being called on for votes, that only made people even more suspicious.
For a second, it seemed like Santos forgot his name pic.twitter.com/HCxvQRYuUU
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 4, 2023
It was Day Two of the House’s failed attempts to name a new Speaker of the House, which, as of this writing, has yielded six separate votes. So far McCarthy has accrued fewer ballots than even Democratic nominee Hakeem Jeffries. It’s a chaotic scene, which may explain why Santos — who arrived on Capitol Hill on Tuesday and spent most of his first day alone, avoided by everyone — may have repeatedly missed his own name being called to vote.
How do you not recognize the sound of your own name over a loud mic right away? https://t.co/OQfYtuqhaA
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) January 4, 2023
In video of him missing his name, Santos appears to be looking down at something. Maybe he’s playing around on his phone. It happens. But many hatched the same theory: that either Santos isn’t the serial fibber’s real name or he has so many aliases that he’s forgotten the real deal.
Maybe Santos isn’t really his name… https://t.co/sZ7GNVwesp
— George Hahn (@georgehahn) January 4, 2023
I’m telling you that ain’t that man’s real name https://t.co/i42LWCIfnm
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) January 4, 2023
Maybe it’s not his real name. https://t.co/5UGDz4mZYP
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) January 4, 2023
https://twitter.com/SpiroAgnewGhost/status/1610720955940376578
George Santos has so many names depending on the day and country he is in that it’s no wonder why he might not respond immediately.
As I have been saying for many months, he’s a deeply weird individual. #NY03 https://t.co/ii0xo0FvDi
— Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) January 4, 2023
"Anthony Devolder" forgot that he goes by George Santos now https://t.co/xgg1FinagT
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) January 4, 2023
The Dick Whitman of the House of Representatives. https://t.co/2ZxEdCc1ny
— Brian Drew (@bdrew73) January 4, 2023
remember, kids: always choose a fake name that has personal meaning to you, so you remember to respond when it is called at the deli counter or when trying to cast a vote in congress https://t.co/attHDlEj5k
— Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) January 4, 2023
He forgot who he was pretending to be at the moment. https://t.co/PmK8Bnueu3
— Kelly AuCoin (@KellyAuCoin77) January 4, 2023
If Santos is indeed his real name https://t.co/3dk4dnPX3g
— Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) January 4, 2023
There were also plenty of jokes.
“Oh… sorry… yes, it’s Santos, but I pronounce it ‘Shar-day’…” https://t.co/sZ7GNVwesp
— George Hahn (@georgehahn) January 4, 2023
https://t.co/6QW08sDr7Z pic.twitter.com/rppYt18Tov
— Centrism Fan Acct 🔹 (@Wilson__Valdez) January 4, 2023
https://t.co/8TDoOPSlgr pic.twitter.com/BIwaWeNGBq
— Tim Hooks (@LincolnWatchman) January 4, 2023
Again, it could be an innocent mistake. Lots of people miss their own names being called out at take-out joints, restaurants, in classrooms, etc. But given the sheer range of Santos’ alleged fabrications, it was inevitable that people smelled something fishy.