Russell Macias | Staff Writer
Jan. 19, 2023
When Julius Caesar uttered his famous words “Jacta Alea Est” as he crossed the Rubicon, his loyal advisor, Georgius Maximus Santosius, was the one that came up with the phrase and gifted it to Caesar.
“The die has been cast.”
That advisor is a long lost relative of somehow-still-an-actual-member of the House of Representatives, George Santos, and he honors his ancestor’s legacy.
Now of course that is not true, but given Santo’s record – it would not be out of character for him to tell that to his constituents.
Santos should be considered a con man for his wide array of lies including, but are not limited to: his education, jobs, religion and athletic accomplishments. It is extraordinary that this strategy worked as he was recently elected to Congress, where he remains for the next two years, unless he is forced out before his term ends.
Lies matter.
For him to lie and claim his mom died on 9/11, who actually died in 2016 from a completely unrelated cause, is a slap in the face to all Americans, especially those living in New York’s 3rd congressional district. He took advantage of the people he is supposed to represent. Now he holds office and has the power to craft legislation for the rest of the country.
While some may find Santos as the biggest joke in Washington D.C., it’s funny until it’s no longer funny. This type of behavior is born out of the election denying ways of the new Republican Party.
And as we know, these lies are extremely dangerous.
And lies can be contagious.
Take for example Solomon Peña, who ran for a position in the New Mexico State House District 14, and lost. He ran a campaign of election denial, coupled with waxing poetic about Donald Trump.
Peña was arrested for organizing targeted shootings at the homes of Democratic state officials in the county where he was defeated.
That is why lies matter.
Nobody was harmed in these shootings, and Peña and his co-conspirators have warrants out for their arrests, however the details of the incident are horrifying.
Starting on Dec. 4 and lasting until Jan. 3, Peña organized and/or participated in mob-style assassination attempts on Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa’s, State House Speaker-Elect Javier Martinez, former Bernalillo County Commissioner Debbie O’Malley’s and State Sen. Linda Lopez. It’s been confirmed Peña was the one firing a gun at one of the houses, while the others he supplied the money and guns to do the job.
That is why lies matter.
During one of the incidents, a bullet soared through a little girl’s bedroom while she was in that very room. Thankfully no one was injured, but this country was very close to witnessing the death of a 10-year-old girl, because of these lies.
Peña, who already served almost seven years in prison after a 2008 conviction, was a known evil that was somehow allowed on the ballot. During his campaign he was radically in favor of Trump, bashing party constituents who had been soured by Trump’s never-ending falsehoods.
Peña had an altercation with Barboa prior to the shooting, where he continued on his rant, saying elections are rigged, and dismayed that he had been defeated. In his election, Peña lost to the incumbent, Miguel Garcia, by a margin of nearly 50%, 74-26.
His election wasn’t even close, but it didn’t need to be. Trump lied, so why would he not follow in the same footsteps? When people are not held accountable these types of actions are going to continue.
The Republican Party today is spineless, and it shows. While they’ll be quick to wash their hands of both Santos and Peña, and simply dismiss them as nutjobs who slipped through the cracks, the reality is they’re the ones jackhammering the road making the cracks for these vermin to sneak through.
It is essential to remember while you laugh at George Santos’ tall tales, remember that these lies matter, and they can turn dangerous and very nearly deadly in an instant, and then you’ve got a Solomon Peña situation, which is no laughing matter.