Clearly not, but the spectacle of this train wreck risks reducing his dishonesty to a punchline, not a peril. Last week a revised Federal Election Commission filing revealed that Santos (R-N.Y.) was not, in fact, the source for a $700,000 donation to his congressional campaign. His response? A night out in D.C. for karaoke and selfies.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters he had no plans to force the serial fabulist to resign because “the voters elected him to serve” (actually, his persona) and dismissed concerns about padding his résumé: “So did a lot of people here in the Senate and others” — as if all falsehoods are created equal.
He’s right about one thing: Even the most honest people lie. Why? Because they think it’s easier to get what they want by lying instead of telling the truth.
White lies are the social fibs we all use to smooth the rough edges of life. “Your baby is adorable.” “You look great in that dress.” Not only do we forgive these lies, but people believe they are being kind by withholding the truth….
