George Santos’ Comeback Plan Inspires The Bluntest Of Responses

Authoritarianism expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat said the disgraced former congressman's planned return to politics was all about one thing.
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Former Rep. George Santos’ (R-N.Y.) announcement that he was “returning to the arena of politics” with another run for Congress was greeted with deep cynicism and skepticism on X, formerly Twitter.

Santos was expelled from Congress in December and faces a 23-count federal indictment over allegations of credit card fraud and more.

But just three months after being shown the door, the serial liar showed up at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address and, on X, revealed he’ll challenge Rep. Nicholas J. LaLota (R-N.Y.) in New York’s first congressional district.

Authoritarianism expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University and author of “Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present,” said the “poseur extraordinaire” was “now ready for his next performance.”

Just like former president and presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, she wrote, Santos is “nothing without an audience” and “the return to politics brings him that.”

“Bring It On,” responded John Avlon, the CNN anchor-turned-Democratic candidate in the same district.

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