Dlnews Politics:

The new congressman from New York has been caught lying about several critical elements of his life story. As a result, he is being questioned by members of his party, the public, and the law enforcement community. His actions have brought to light one of the most bizarre political scandals in recent history, and he will likely face criminal charges.

Santos emerged from a political whirlwind only a few months ago to win a critical congressional seat on Long Island by defeating his Democratic opponent. The 32-year-old tapped into a flurry of support from affluent voters, who had been swayed by the son's glittering credentials and promising campaign to "fight the radical left."

But just weeks after taking his oath of office, Santos faced the fallout of a bombshell report in The New York Times that detailed his extensive history of embellishment and false claims. He lied about his credentials, work experience, and even his religion. He also claimed his grandparents fled the Holocaust, which a Jewish news outlet said was untrue.

Now that he's in trouble, Mr. Santos is refusing to resign, despite calls from constituents and fellow Republicans for him to do so. Nevertheless, the firestorm is growing, and even Speaker Kevin McCarthy has acknowledged that power matters more than faithful to a vulnerable party member.

But in an environment of partisan gridlock, Santos remains a reliable vote for Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and the rest of his party. "The voters have elected him," McCarthy said Wednesday, despite growing public pressure to remove the freshman from his duties in Congress.

The issue reflects a fundamental shift in how we understand public life. Whereas in years past, people were willing to go to great lengths to ensure that their politicians did the right thing, today, it's much more common for political leaders to evade responsibility or ignore what the public perceives as misconduct.

Politicians who failed to live up to that ideal were thrown out of office for years. In some cases, they were impeached.

Some have been imprisoned or even killed while in office. It's a stark contrast to today, where there is an almost endless stream of media coverage and legal investigations - and it has only been in the past decade that we've seen a politician murder in their own home.

It's difficult to say where a politician's ethics will ultimately lie and how many will have to be held accountable. But the George Santos drama reflects a broader change in how we view politics and what it takes to get into the cynical business of politics.

Those who follow politics closely believe that the Santos story is similar to that of Anthony Weiner, a Democratic Congressman who cheated on his wife and lied about it. But, unfortunately, it's a case of a liar with much leverage, and no one in his position wants to give him up.

What does this mean for the Republican Party?

The Republican party took a huge blow when it learned last year that its new House member was the biggest liar who had fabricated significant parts of his resume, deceived voters, and embarrassed the party. The revelations pushed Santos to the edge of a national scandal and became an enormous distraction for lawmakers, their constituents, and, in particular, the media.

The Santos affair is a reminder that the American political system has become increasingly unaccountable and that people will do whatever they can to get ahead. As a result, the Republican Party is under much pressure to clean houses.

A poll released Monday showed that 78 percent of New York's 3rd District registered voters want their congressman, George Santos, to resign.