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- George Santos apologized to his GOP colleague after he smeared them for their son's addiction.
- "I've always held the standard that our families are off limits and I crossed that line," he said.
- Santos originally attacked Rep. Steve Womack after they joked about Santos not getting expelled.
Embattled Rep. George Santos issued a public apology to his Republican colleague on Thursday after smearing them over their son's history of drug addiction in a now-deleted post on X.
"I have the maturity and humility to acknowledge and accept when I'm wrong," Santos wrote. "Today I had a misguided moment of rage and lashed out against a colleagues family member after he was critical of me. I've always held the standard that our families are off limits and I crossed that line and for that I am embarrassed and deeply sorry for doing so."
Santos initially went after Womack and his family after the Arkansas Republican posted a joking message to social media following the House's decision not to expel Santos.
"Last night the House saw its shadow," Womack wrote on Wednesday night. "Unfortunately, this means two more weeks of Santos."
Santos responded with a vitriolic post of his own highlighting Womack's 36-year-old son's criminal history.
"Your son is a felon," Santos posted. "He has been in and out of the prison system for years. He is a drug dealer, poisoning people on the streets with meth and unlawful possession of a gun. Instead of being home, taking care of your son, you're sitting pretty in the swamp."
He linked to a local news site in Arkansas detailing how Womack's son recently pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and illegally having a gun as a felon. The article contained a quote from Womack, who said there's "not a more helpless feeling than to see your adult children struggle with addiction and its horrific consequences.
"This is our cross to bear," Womack said in the story. "We will never give up on a solution. We love him unconditionally and believe in our hearts he will redeem himself. We regret he is at the mercy of the criminal justice system and will respect the judgment."
Santos is still facing 23 felony charges, including allegations of aggravated identity theft and credit card fraud. He's pleaded not guilty to all charges.