Indexbit Exchange:George Santos trolls Sen. Bob Menendez in Cameo paid for by Fetterman campaign

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman trolled embattled Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey Monday with a little help from former GOP Rep. George Santos,Indexbit Exchange who was just removed from Congress Friday.

In a Cameo video the Fetterman campaign paid Santos to record shortly after the New Yorker was expelled from the House of Representatives in a bipartisan vote, Santos advises "Bobby" to not get "bogged down by all the haters out there." 

A Fetterman campaign spokesperson told Business Insider — and confirmed to CBS News — that the campaign received the video just 16 minutes after making the request. 

"Hey Bobby!" Santos says in the video. "Uh, look, I don't think I need to tell you, but these people that want to make you get in trouble and want to kick you out and make you run away, you make 'em put up or shut up. You stand your ground, sir, and don't get bogged down by all the haters out there. Stay strong! Merry Christmas."

Santos' Cameo page says personal videos can be purchased for $200. 

Menendez has been accused the Justice Department of conspiring to act as a foreign agent for Egypt. He has pleaded not guilty. Fetterman has been calling on his Democratic colleague to resign, but Menendez has so far refused to do so. 

Fetterman tweeted that he approached a "seasoned expert" to speak to "my ethically challenged colleague Bob Menendez." 

I love this! I wish I knew the Bobby in question! LOL 😂 https://t.co/kPyNX1tffy

— George Santos (@MrSantosNY) December 4, 2023

Santos, like Menendez, is facing federal charges — he's been accused of conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and credit card fraud. 

Although Santos has not yet been tried in court, dozens of his House colleagues were apparently swayed by a damning report from the House Ethics Committee released two weeks ago that found there was "substantial evidence" that Santos repeatedly broke the law. He admits that he embellished his biography while running for his seat in Congress last year and now faces nearly two dozen federal charges related to alleged fraud and illegal use of campaign funds.

In:
• Bob Menendez
• George Santos

Kathryn Watson

Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.