Marjorie Taylor Greene Rips Gabbard, Doubles Down on George Santos Defense

Georgia GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene pushed back after fellow Republican George Santos faced a heated interview Tuesday night, reiterating her support for the representative-elect from New York.

Santos is facing calls to resign after admitting to making multiple false statements regarding his background and qualifications in his successful campaign run for New York's 3rd Congressional District in the fall. Santos was later grilled about his "blatant lies" by former Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard during an episode of Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight in which Gabbard filled in as guest host.

"All of these lies that you've told, not just one little lie, or one little embellishment—these are blatant lies," Gabbard said to the congressman-elect during the interview. "My question is, do you have no shame?"

Greene, who praised Santos earlier in the day for "being honest with his district" about lying on the campaign trail, reacted to Gabbard's fiery interview on Twitter, writing that the former congresswoman showed Santos "no grace, while George is admitting and apologizing for lying about his resume."

"Tulsi says that George's actions on the House floor are what is most important, but George has not even had the chance to take action for his district on the House floor because he isn't even sworn in yet," Greene said in a following tweet.

The Georgia representative went on to point a finger at Gabbard, who served as a Democratic representative for Hawaii prior to announcing in October that she was leaving the party to become an independent. Greene wrote that Gabbard's "actions on the House floor," such as voting with the Democratic Party on issues of abortion and climate change, disqualify her from lecturing "a newly elected Republican member of congress."

"I do appreciate that Tulsi says words that sound conservative now even though she can't take action to back them up," Greene tweeted.

"I hope that Tulsi is sincere, just like I hope George is sincere," she added at the end of her thread. "I think we Republicans should give George Santos a chance and see how he legislates and votes, not treat him the same as the left is."

Nick Dyer, Greene's communications director, told Newsweek that the congresswoman had nothing else to add to her statements made on Twitter.

Santos confirmed in an interview with the New York Post Monday evening that he had not worked at Citigroup or Goldman Sachs and did not graduate from Baruch College, after saying he had done so on the campaign stump. The New York Times first reported on his lies early last week.

The New York Republican also admitted that he did not own 13 properties like he previously said, and actually has owed thousands of dollars in rent arrears.

Several Republicans have turned against Santos since he owned up to what he called "embellishments" to his résumé.

Incoming House Republican Nick LaLota, who will represent New York's 1st Congressional District in the new year, called for an investigation into Santos' lies in a statement posted to Twitter Tuesday, writing that he supports an investigation by the House Ethics Committee, as well as a law enforcement probe, if necessary.

Representative-elect for New York's 4th Congressional District Anthony D'Esposito also wrote in a statement Tuesday that Santos "must continue to pursue a path of honesty," saying that he had "hurt" his future constituents with his lies.

Santos has maintained that he did not break any laws by lying on his résumé and still intends to serve his district starting in January.

"I am not a criminal," he said during an interview with WABC radio host John Catsimatidis this week. "Not here, not abroad, in any jurisdiction in the world have I ever committed any crimes."

Newsweek has reached out to Gabbard for comment.

Update 12/28/22, 4:58 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional comment from Greene's communications director.