Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania surprised expelled Congressman George Santos with an unconventional ask – to record and deliver a message to Senator Bob Menendez on the popular video platform, Cameo. Fetterman’s move came after urging Menendez to resign following allegations of acting as a foreign agent to Egypt.
Santos, who was expelled from Congress over ethics issues, was approached by Fetterman to deliver a message of encouragement to “Bobby from Jersey,” which he did, seemingly unaware of Menendez’s true identity. In the video, Santos advises Menendez to stand his ground and not be bogged down by the haters, closing with a festive holiday wish.
The New Jersey senator and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, were indicted in September on corruption-related charges, leading some to call for Menendez’s resignation. Upon learning that the “Bobby” in question was indeed Menendez, Santos expressed amusement and claimed he didn’t realize the real target of the message.
Days after Santos was expelled from Congress, he joined Cameo, offering his video recording services at $200. He has garnered attention for recording personalized messages, including political jabs aimed at Ohio GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, who had supported Santos’ campaign in the past.
The House’s decision to expel Santos was based on an ethics committee report outlining his fraudulent exploitation of his House candidacy for personal financial gain. Santos faces federal charges as well, including fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, campaign finance misuse, and lying about his personal finances.
Despite the controversies, Santos has attracted attention on Cameo, leading the platform’s CEO to note his popularity and quick sellout of his available videos. Santos’ career move isn’t typical of politicians, but it reflects the evolving landscape of popular culture.
In addition to Santos, other ex-politicians, including Sean Spicer and Rudy Giuliani, have joined Cameo, signaling a new trend in how public figures engage with their audience.
This revelation was contributed to by CNN’s Jack Forrest, Clare Foran, and Haley Talbot.
