It’s been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week for New York Republicans Nick LaLota, George Santos, Anthony D’Esposito, Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro, and Brandon Williams.
From covering up for federally-indicted Santos, hiding from extreme, anti-choice legislation, and boasting about the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy initiatives creating good-paying jobs despite voting to repeal them, these so-called moderate New York Republicans have consistently caved to the extreme MAGA wing of their party.
A week after Santos was charged, a Democratic effort to expel him from the House faltered. Instead, Republicans punted to the House Ethics Committee, where they claimed Santos would be dealt with swiftly.
New York Republicans, many of whom supported expelling Santos outright, assured the same. “I firmly believe this is the quickest way of ridding the House of Representatives of this scourge on government,” Representative Anthony D’Esposito said at the time. “While I would have preferred there to be enough votes to expel the sociopath scam artist, Congressman D’Esposito has spearheaded the next best option: To refer this matter to the Ethics Committee where we expect a result within 60 days and for the terrible liar to be gone, by resignation or expulsion, before August recess,” fellow New York Republican representative Nick LaLota said.
But unfortunately for Republicans, Santos staying in the seat in the short term could very well bite them in a year’s time. New York Republicans nearly swept the tossup races in the 2022 midterms, playing a major role in clinching the House majority. But that also means five other Republican congressmen from the New York delegation now occupy swingy purple seats in districts that Joe Biden won or nearly won. Covering for Santos won’t do them any good.
Under state law, New York currently requires that state-regulated health insurance plans cover abortions. But HR 7, legislation which is co-sponsored by some New York Republicans on Capitol Hill, could upend that.
The co-sponsor list also includes Rep. Brandon Williams, whose Syracuse-area district is a prime Democratic target next year. Joe Biden carried it by nearly 8 points in 2020.
Last year, after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to an abortion, then-candidate Williams told Syracuse.com that “the federal government needs to stay out of this … The states have to resolve this.”
Spectrum News reached out to Williams’ team repeatedly about this bill, dating back to late June. They did not respond to several requests for comment as to why he backs the legislation, and if he agrees with the projected impact on New York.
Not all Republicans want to repeal the climate law that turns 1 today… many GOP officials in rural areas are welcoming the billions of dollars in clean energy incentives coming from President Joe Biden’s signature legislation.
GOP Rep. Marc Molinaro voted to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy incentives, and that’s made him a top target of Democrats in the 2024 election. His district is one of 18 that voted for Biden but are held by Republicans.
Inflation Reduction Act money catalyzed Canadian company Zinc8 Energy Solutions’ decision to locate a planned battery factory in Molinaro’s purple district.
The project is expected to bring up to 500 new jobs to a Hudson Valley region still suffering from the loss of its manufacturing base in the 1990s.
