Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan called for the security clearance of Rep. George Santos to be revoked Tuesday in front of Santos’ Douglaston office, citing multiple national security concerns. Lafazan announced he had written a letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, urging her office to take action.
Lafazan cited Santos’ alleged ties to Russian oligarchs and questions surrounding his background, financial ties and citizenship as reasons for revoking his access. As a result of these concerns, Lafazan argued that granting Santos access to national security documents could very well put American lives at risk.
This concern comes in the wake of the United States shooting down a Chinese spy balloon. There will likely be classified documents and information shared with members of the House of Representatives, including Santos. However, with all the lies and shady connections surrounding Santos, Lafazan is hopeful that access to this kind of information is not granted to Santos.
“George Santos having access to those classified documents and briefings puts American lives in jeopardy,” Lafazan said. “It is unprecedented for a member of Congress to be a national security threat, but George Santos and his web of lies is already unprecedented. He is already the most prolific liar in the history of politics and the biggest fraud in the political history of this nation.”
Lafazan said he had already sent the letter to Haines earlier. He is hopeful that this leads to Santos being revoked access just as public pressure forced him to abandon the committees he had been assigned to.
At the very least, Lafazan would like to see Santos’ security clearance revoked until each of the law enforcement investigations around him are completed. In the letter to Haines, Lafazan made a point in saying that no American citizen who was being investigated by the FBI had an active foreign arrest warrant against them and the subject of inquiries by both local and state prosecutors would be able to keep a security clearance. In his opinion, Santos should be held to the same standard.
“George Santos seems to be openly enjoying the circus of his own making,” Lafazan said. “He thinks it’s funny that he’s mocked on ‘Saturday Night Live‘ and late-night television. He thinks it’s funny when he leaves coffee and donuts for reporters who ask him questions and he doesn’t answer. What is not a joke is the national security threat that George Santos poses to this country. We rely on our members of Congress to keep us safe, and they keep us safe by working with national security experts to consult in how to protect American homeland, sovereignty and democracy. George Santos having access to classified information puts American lives at risk.”
In addition to sharing these national security concerns, multiple residents of Santos’ district were upset at how he has represented them thus far. Due to Santos’ lack of communication with his constituents, many have turned to local politicians to try to get things done for the communities. While these politicians have worked hard to support their communities, they have also been forced to take on many more responsibilities at once.
“I’m embarrassed, and I think we all need to be a bit embarrassed,” District 3 resident Roberta Glick said. “We’ve allowed this to go this far. There is a problem and it is a mockery right now of us and our country.”
