Congressman Tom Kean Jr. voted to protect serial liar Rep. George Santos
atomtabloid
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (front right) speaks to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (front left) in the House Chamber as Rep. Tom Kean Jr sits in the row behind them
In response to the unexpected terrorist attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, the Defense Department has mobilized additional resources, including an aircraft carrier strike group, air defenses, fighter jets, and hundreds of troops to the Middle East. The goal is to prevent the conflict from escalating into a regional war. However, a major roadblock has emerged: Congressional dysfunction has left the Pentagon without the necessary funds to cover the substantial troop buildup.
The military, like other federal agencies, is currently operating under a temporary funding measure that freezes spending at the previous year's levels. This has forced the Pentagon to divert funds from existing operations and maintenance accounts to finance the Middle East troop movements, according to DOD spokesperson Chris Sherwood. President Joe Biden signed the stopgap measure to keep the government operational until lawmakers reach an agreement on a full-year spending bill.
As a consequence of reallocating funds, the Pentagon faces a reduction in money designated for training, exercises, and deployments that had been planned for the year. Sherwood expressed concerns that some of these essential activities might be canceled or delayed. The unexpected nature of the Middle East buildup, not factored into the initial budget requests, has put additional strain on the Defense Department.
Sherwood stated, “Current events have revised some of the operational assumptions used to develop the FY 2024 President’s Budget request. Specifically, neither the base budget request nor the FY 2024 supplemental request included funding for U.S. operations related to Israel. We're taking it out of hide.”
The ongoing troop buildup in the Middle East has prompted military departments and U.S. Central Command to reassess the requirements for current and future operations in response to the developing conflict.
The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the Pentagon is simultaneously supporting two wars—in Ukraine and Israel. Top Pentagon officials, including Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, have repeatedly warned about the detrimental impact of temporary funding measures on military readiness. Operating under a stopgap measure prevents the initiation of new programs or funding anything beyond the previous year's levels.
Hicks emphasized the gravity of the situation during a Nov. 21 event in Washington, stating, “We’ve gotten used to getting by, CR to CR, but it’s with significant consequence. That has a cost. You can’t buy back the time. You just can’t.”
She estimated that keeping the Pentagon under the stopgap effectively results in a $35 billion cut, highlighting the responsibility to build trust with Congress. However, Hicks emphasized the need for a two-way street, expressing concerns about the ability of Congress to fulfill its responsibilities.
The temporary funding measure is set to expire on Feb. 2, putting the onus on lawmakers to pass a full-year spending bill. If disagreements persist through April, the Pentagon and other federal agencies will face a 1 percent across-the-board spending cut, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already challenging situation.
House Republican leaders avoided an on-the-record vote on whether GOP Rep. George Santos should be expelled, instead holding a vote to move the Democratic-proposed resolution to the House Ethics Committee.
The full House adopted the Republican motion by a party-line vote of 221-204, with seven members voting present.
Congressman Tom Kean voted to protect serial liar Santos just a week after the New York Republican was indicted on 13 counts by federal prosecutors and admitted guilt to criminal charges in Brazil.
House Democrats introduced a privileged resolution to expel Santos from Congress on Tuesday to ensure the people of New York’s Third Congressional District have a voice in Congress.
Kean and a majority of House Republicans voted to refer the resolution to the House Ethics Committee, thereby delaying accountability for voters in his district.
“Tom Kean Jr. voted to protect the lies, deceit, and disgrace of George Santos in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said Democratic spokesperson Tommy Garcia. “Kean Jr. is too weak to stand up to his Washington party bosses – and New Jerseyans will remember.”
Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who represents a district that neighbors Santos’, offered the motion to refer in a blistering speech that condemned his fellow Republican as “a stain on this institution, a stain on the state of New York, a stain on Long Island and a stain on the beloved Nassau County” but his motion to refer expulsion to the notoriously slow-moving Ethics Committee only serves to protect the serial liar for the remainder of his term.
“I am personally in favor of this individual’s expulsion from this House,” said D’Esposito in a floor speech. “Regrettably, though, I’m in the understanding that we currently do not have the two-thirds support from members in this House to expel that individual.”
In a letter to McCarthy on Thursday, Garcia quoted the Speaker, who told reporters earlier this week that he wants the Ethics Committee to “move rapidly” in its investigation of Santos.
“Given your promises of swift action by the Ethics Committee, I hope that you will clarify the timeline by which we can expect the Ethics Committee to ‘move rapidly’ so that the House can take a transparent vote on whether Mr. Santos deserves to continue to serve as a member of this body,” wrote Garcia.
Santos has been under mounting scrutiny since before he was sworn into office amid questions about his background and finances. Last week, prosecutors indicted him on 13 federal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making materially false statements to the House of Representatives.
He is accused of misleading campaign donors, fraudulently receiving COVID-19 unemployment benefits and disclosing false information on financial forms.
