Mitt Romney says George Santos is 'a sick puppy'

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) didn't mince words on Tuesday night, telling reporters he thinks Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is "a sick puppy" who had no business in an aisle seat during President Biden's State of the Union address.

Before the address started, Romney was spotted having a tense exchange with Santos, who has been surrounded by scandal ever since being elected in November. In the last few months, it's been revealed that Santos lied about his work, family, and educational history, and he's been accused of, among other things, campaign finance violations and stealing money from a GoFundMe set up to help a disabled veteran's dying dog get surgery.

During their back-and-forth, Romney told Santos he does not belong in Congress, a person who was near the action told NBC News. After the State of the Union, Romney elaborated on the matter, telling reporters that Santos is "a sick puppy. He shouldn't have been there. Given the fact that he's under ethics investigation, he should be sitting in the back row and being quiet instead of parading in front of the president." In response, Santos took it back to 2012, tweeting, "Hey @MittRomney just a reminder that you will NEVER be PRESIDENT!"

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Earlier in the day, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) shared with reporters that several ethics complaints have been registered against Santos. A McCarthy aide later announced that the House Ethics Committee has not yet launched an investigation because the panel hasn't been organized.