Like many of you, I watched the January 6 committee's final public hearing—and I've got to say, it's pretty damning how chilling these clips remain nearly two years after the violent attack on the Capitol. I was particularly moved, once again, watching the tragic testimony of Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, the former Georgia election worker who became the target of Donald Trump's conspiracy theories.
It's an incredibly devastating case against the former president. As my colleague Mark wrote ahead of today's hearing, although the committee is winding down—an end forced by the GOP taking control of the House next month—big questions, as well as the risk of political violence, still loom large. The insurrection's hold on the GOP may not have been as strong as once predicted, but trust me, it's still there, animating much of party policy and producing reality-bending GOP candidates.
Which brings me to the next big story I can't stop thinking about today. The New York Times has an incredible investigation into George Santos, an incoming Republican congressman from Long Island, who appears to have effectively fabricated his entire biography, including academic credentials, career stints, real estate portfolio, and personal story. He even appears to have lied about having "lost four employees" at the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. (Meanwhile, Santos declined repeated requests to comment on the Times story, though his lawyer called it an attempt to "smear his good name.")
This is more than another Trump acolyte, a grifter about to hold public office. Santos' apparent lies were staggeringly brazen, even in the age of Trump. While there isn't a direct line connecting him to the events of January 6, the insurrection's influence on Santos is clear: Santos' social media trail is abundant with baseless claims of election fraud, including his own, since-deleted #StopTheSteal campaign. After watching a verifiable liar make it to the White House, it isn't exactly surprising to know that other men like him think they can make it too.
—Inae Oh