New York Democrat Rep. Ritchie Torres regarded on MSNBC’s American Voices on Saturday to talk with guest host and former Obama admin HUD Secretary Julián Castro concerning the four-day process of electing Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the Home.

As the interview wrapped up, Castro asked Torres about freshman Rep. George Santos, the Republican fabulist whose falsehoods about his existence and résumé had been printed simplest after his election within the 2022 midterms.

Santos, throughout one of the crucial 15 ballots undertaken through the Home this week, raised his hand and make an “good enough” image along with his other hand while casting his vote, and pictures of the combined gesture went widespread online, first on social media and then in blogs and information articles, with many describing it as a “White energy symbol.”

Newly elected freshman Rep. George Santos (R-NY) makes White power gesture as he casts his vote for House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.

*Reuters Photo by using Evelyn Hockstein @evelynpix p.c.twitter.com/54LKgigoQx

— The Intellectualist (@highbrow_nobrow) January 6, 2023

“I comic story at all times about how I’m no longer a white supremacist. I’m a white supremacist-ish.” – George Santos p.c.twitter.com/bitENJ8KTW

— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) January 6, 2023

We requested George Santos’ communications director concerning the hand gesture he flashed on the U.S. House flooring, however she had no response earlier than closing the workplace door on us https://t.co/pHgzn7pz3Y by the use of @Newsday

— Laura Figueroa Hernandez (@Laura_Figueroa) January 6, 2023

On MSNBC, Castro asked Rep. Torres concerning the moment, pointing out the congressman’s explicit hobby in Santos, and announcing, “Santos now seems to have most likely flashed a White power symbol whereas vote casting the day before today. What’s your response to that?”

“Well, it appears George Santos shouldn’t be most effective Latino and Black, but he’s additionally White now,” mentioned Torres. “He’s simply an utter embarrassment. He has no business serving in Congress. It diminishes the institution to have him seated him sworn in.”

Torres delivered that he sees the Santos scandal, “within the context of the Trumpian rot, the a long way-proper rot that lies at the core of the Republican celebration.”

CASTRO: Sooner than I help you go, you’ve been some of the most harsh critics of fellow New York congressman, freshman Congressman George Santos. You even introduced an act named after him to ban lying on the marketing campaign trail. Santos now seems to have possibly flashed a White power image while vote casting the day past. What’s your response to that?

TORRES: Smartly, apparently George Santos will not be handiest Latino and Black, but he’s additionally White now. He’s just an utter embarrassment. He has no business serving in Congress. It diminishes the institution to have him seated, to have him sworn in. And so I’ve referred to as on him to resign. But George Santos ultimately is not merely a reflection on himself, he’s an indictment of what the Republican Birthday Party has grow to be. When you’ve got a political birthday party that has been hijacked via Donald Trump and the some distance-right charlatans like George Santos will inevitably apply. And so I see the scandal of George Santos within the context of the Trumpian rot, the some distance-proper rot that lies at the core of the Republican birthday celebration.

Watch the clip above, by means of MSNBC.

The put up Apparently ‘Now Not Best Latino and Black But Additionally White Now’: MSNBC’s Castro and Rep. Torres Talk George Santos Flashing ‘White Energy Image’ first regarded on Mediaite.