McCarthy’s defense of Santos is a thinly-veiled attempt to cling to power

McCarthy's refusal to condemn Santos publicly is a bid for self-preservation of power for one person: Kevin McCarthy.

VIEW IN BROWSER MSNBC DAILY Understand today's news VIEW IN BROWSER MSNBC DAILY Understand today's news Jan. 17, 2023 THE LATEST If George Santos' volleyball lies didn't shake McCarthy's loyalty, what will? by Dean Obeidallah Republican leaders in New York's suburban Nassau County made an impressive show of political leadership when several of them called for the resignation of admitted "embellisher" Rep. George Santos. But one powerful Republican leader, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, was not among them. Instead, McCarthy gave us a profile in political cowardice not only by not calling out Santos but by defending him with whataboutisms about others who have embellished their résumés in the past.   The contrasting reactions to the astonishing lies tell the story of two different GOPs: One that calls out wrongdoing and looks out for the voters it serves, and another that barrels ahead in the pursuit of political power, no matter the cost or consequences.   This is a preview of Dean Obeidallah's latest article. Read their full column here. TOP STORIES STEVE BENEN The GOP's 'emergency' debt ceiling plan is one of the worst ideas in history As part of the GOP's debt-ceiling plot, the party has come up with one of the worst ideas in the history of bad ideas: a debt prioritization scheme. Read more. STEVE BENEN GOP insiders knew about George Santos' lies, reports say Democrats are increasingly interested in learning just how many Republican insiders knew about George Santos' lies before he was elected. Read more. SARAH POSNER The religious fervor driving attacks on young trans Americans Two court cases illustrate how religious conservatives' campaign threatens the health and well-being of trans young people. Read more. STEVE BENEN Trump's deposition in Carroll case clearly does him no favors We now know what Donald Trump said in his deposition in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case. If the Republican thinks it went well, he's mistaken. Read more.         TOP VIDEOS MSNBC Disgruntled GOP candidate arrested in connection with shootings at Democrats' homes AMERICAN VOICES Biden frustrated with fallout over classified documents investigation ALL IN GOP debt limit showdown could lead to 'cataclysmic event' for global economy ANDREA MITCHELL REPORTS Ukraine prepares for new offensive as Russia and Belarus begin joint drills MORE FROM MSNBC Tonight, Joy Reid, Chris Hayes and Trymaine Lee host "National Day of Racial Healing: An MSNBC Town Hall" live from New Orleans. They'll discuss the recent rise in hate speech across America, and how we make strides toward becoming a more just and equitable society. Watch "National Day of Racial Healing: An MSNBC Town Hall" tonight at 10pm ET on MSNBC and streaming on Peacock. This week on "Into America," Trymaine Lee revisits the second episode of 2022's "Reconstructed" series, "In Search of the Promised Land." Here, he heads to Promised Land, South Carolina to learn about how the newly freed acquired land and built communities. And he learns how a group of people in Georgia are trying to create their own independent Black town today. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts. 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 PRIVACY | CONTACT | UNSUBSCRIBE PRIVACY | CONTACT | UNSUBSCRIBE