How 'MAGA martyr' George Santos  went from a moderate to the 'island of misfit Republicans'

According to a report from the Daily Beast, embattled Rep. George Santos (R-NY) has shed his skin as a moderate Republican and aligned himself with fellow controversial lawmakers such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) as calls increase for him to step down.

With growing calls for Santos to step aside as he faces ethics investigations and possible criminal charges, the Beast's Ursula Perano and Sam Brodey wrote that Santos looked lost during the four day days Republican battled over the election of now-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) but is now seen in the company of far-right members of the GOP caucus.

As the two report for the Beast, "Santos threw himself right into the mix; he found a spot in the middle of the House chamber, where the most controversial conservatives usually sit. He found a spot—as one GOP member called it—in 'sinners row,' next to members like Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Lauren Boebert (R-CO)."

The report adds, "The freshly elected Long Island Republican didn’t exactly campaign as a fire-breathing, Donald Trump-loving, hard-right conservative. But since he’s come to Congress, Santos seems to have found his allies. He’s found a group of Republicans who are quite comfortable, and quite familiar, with being ostracized by the GOP rank and file. In short, Santos has found a new costume—and it seems to be fitting quite well."

Referring to them as the "island of misfit Republicans," the report notes that Santos has taken a page from their playbooks as he fends off criticism about the string of lies he employed to win the election in November that now has Republicans in Nassau County furious.

According to the report, "On social media, his staffers have advanced the idea that the Republican is under attack from all sides not because of his resume fabrications, compulsive lies, and alleged campaign finance violations—but because he is a brave anti-establishment truth-teller. Vish Burra, a conservative operative who has produced Bannon’s WarRoom program, is listed as Santos’ 'operations director' on the congressional directory Legistorm. With his boss under fire, Burra has amplified numerous tweets that made Santos seem like a MAGA martyr."

The report adds that, on Wednesday. Burra tweeted: "George Santos is a National Treasure. This is why the corporate press is trying to silence him,” which they have since deleted.

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