Gay, Republican Congressman-elect Georga Santos has come clean. Well, clean-ish. He admits he told a bunch of whopping fibs on his résumé.
However, he also attacked the journalists who “nitpicked” him. He believes he’s still qualified to do his job as the newly-elected Representative for New York City’s 3rd district. It covers northern Long Island and northeast Queens.
Santos, 34, won his midterm election in November. He’s due to take office next week. However, just over a week ago, the New York Times ran an exposé on him. Its writers fact-checked claims on his résumé about his career and education. It also examined his claims about property ownership. Many of the facts failed to stack up.
Santos initially responded via a legal statement. It called the NY Times story a “shotgun blast of attacks” and an “attempt to smear” with “defamatory allegations.”
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Just before the holidays, Santos posted a cryptic message promising to tell all after the holidays.
“To the people of #NY03 I have my story to tell and it will be told next week. I want to assure everyone that I will address your questions and that I remain committed to deliver the results I campaigned on; Public safety, Inflation, Education & more.”
Santos admits lies
Yesterday, Santos talked to the New York Post. He admitted he’d made up chunks of his résumé.
“My sins here are embellishing my résumé. I’m sorry,” Santos said. “I am not a criminal … This [controversy] will not deter me from having good legislative success. I will be effective. I will be good.”
Santos said he never directly worked for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, as previously claimed. Saying so had been a “poor choice of words.” He says a company he worked for did business with the banking giants.
Santos previously stated he graduated from Baruch College in 2010. He now admits he did not graduate from anywhere.
“I didn’t graduate from any institution of higher learning. I’m embarrassed and sorry for having embellished my resume,” he said. “I own up to that … We do stupid things in life.”
The district Santos represents has a high Jewish population. On his campaign website, Santos said his mother was Jewish and his grandparents escaped the Nazis during World War II.
Santos, a Brazilian immigrant, now says this was another embellishment. He said he’s “clearly Catholic”. His grandmother told him stories when younger about being Jewish and converting to Catholicism.
“I never claimed to be Jewish,” Santos said. “I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background I said I was `Jew-ish.’”
Coming out as gay
Santos was an out and proud gay candidate during his run for office. He claims he came out a decade ago. He failed to mention he was previously married to a woman and they divorced in 2019.
Related: Gay GOP Congressman-elect George Santos might have a secret wife he forgot to mention
“I dated women in the past. I married a woman. It’s personal stuff,” Santos said, adding that the relationship “got a little toxic.” “I’m very much gay,” he continued. “I’m OK with my sexuality. People change. I’m one of those people who change.”
Santos admitted he was taken to court around six years ago for non-payment of rent. He owed around $12,000 to a former landlord. He says he and his family were up to their eyeballs in debt due to his mom’s battle with cancer.
“We had issues paying rent at the time. It’s the vulnerability of being human. I am not embarrassed by it.”
His mom died on December 23, 2016.
Santos admits he never paid the arrears he was ordered to pay by a judge.
“We didn’t pay it off. I completely forgot about it.”
Claims about owning 13 properties are also a lie. Santos lives with his sister in Huntington but wants to find his own place.
Pesky, nitpicking journalists…
Besides talking to the Post, Santos also called a talk show on WABC to discuss the New York Times expose, reports the Daily Beast. Santos says he’d already planned to be “quiet anyway” for the past week as it was the sixth anniversary of his mom’s death. Now he was weighing his options.
“Well, the record is, I don’t know what my options are,” he said when asked if he was considering suing the NY Times.
Santos still claims some of the NY Times report was incorrect. He strongly denies he has any criminal convictions in Brazil.
“I’m gonna look through and see everything, and just like they nitpicked at me, now it’s gonna be my time to nitpick at both journalists who made it their mission to slander me across this country and across the world, and let’s see what happens at the end,” Santos said. “But the one thing is, I will be sworn in, I will take office, I will be able to be an effective member of the legislator [sic.] in the soon-to-be 118th Congress…”
However, many are now calling for him to resign or for further investigations.
BREAKING: George Santos admits his life story is a complete fabrication. His pitiful confession should not distract us from concerns about possible criminality and corruption.
The Ethics Committee MUST investigate how he made his money. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) December 27, 2022
GOP Congressman-elect George Santos, who has now admitted his whopping lies, should resign. If he does not, then @GOPLeader should call for a vote to expel @Santos4Congress. https://t.co/WutPzhaTEX
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) December 27, 2022
George Santos should resign as Congressman-elect. If he refuses, Congress should expel him. He should also be investigated by authorities.
Just about every aspect of his life appears to be a lie. We’ve seen people fudge their resume but this is total fabrication. https://t.co/HJ1cCzy72s
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) December 27, 2022
George Santos is a gift to the Democrats. Even if they can’t get him to resign, they’ll spend the next two years chipping away at House Republicans in vulnerable districts over their refusal to condemn or expel him. The Santos scandal could net the Democrats 3-5 seats in 2024.
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) December 22, 2022
Seriously, George Santos claims he never said he was Jewish but rather that that he “was Jew-ish.”
This is ludicrous and offensive — and also the lamest attempt to get out of a lie that I think I’ve seen.
He must step down.
— Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) December 27, 2022
I’m not saying that George Santos and Kari Lake are the same person but it would explain EVERYTHING pic.twitter.com/Y9KfLQy1O6
— Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) December 23, 2022
cuteguy
This man is hiding behind his gay card to deflect from his outright lies. He’s a danger to us all in the lgtbq community. Not as bad but in the same category of Kevin Spacey who also threw out bud gay card when he was exposed, albeit for different reasons. But like Wanda Sykes stated about Spacey, we don’t what you in the gay club. We should all feel the same about Santos, and on top of that he’s a member of the GQP party, he needs to be exiled
RIGay
He is 100% Republican. He lied his way into office and will lie his way to stay there.
How about starting a RECALL PETITION to get him OUT.
Brian
Republicans are the new majority, and so they get to decide. Nothing will happen. They like him.
still_onthemark
Recall can be done in most states for state elected officials but unfortunately, there’s no recall provision for federal elected officials. That would require a constitutional amendment.
rover4x
eww, another maga liar! he is fired.
shva08
Not surprising. Someone needed to replace Madison Cawthorn.
Dijonaise
He’s got Lady-Face. Missy Graham is going to be so jealous over his beautiful face fillers!
BenBenXR
OMG. I read this two days ago and I still can’t stop laughing about “Lady-Face.” I’m a grown man but whenever I think of that I start busting up, it’s like I’m a twelve year old again. Is it mildly misogynic? Possibly, but I can’t even keep a straight face just saying it (pun intended). Looking at the pic above of him next to Kari Lake, I start laughing all over again.
Brian
“Embellishment” would be claiming a 4.0 GPA when you actually got a 3.8. This man has done far worse than “embellishment.”
This man does not belong in Congress or in any other job at all.
momma_bear
He should submit a truthful resume so Congressional Republicans can compare them and decide whether it was “embellishment” vs outright lies, then act accordingly.
Hahahahaha!! Whew! Yes. Yes I am high.
PubicHairus
I think Santos should have to lipsync for his congressional district against AOC.
JClark
I think we’ve all met gay men with this personality type over the years — completely full of themselves and their fabricated fabulousness. I give them a hard pass to avoid wasting time and energy on their sad attempts to impress by overcompensation and outright lies, but I think others are taken in by the act. I always feel a bit sorry for them and wonder what trauma caused their self-identity issues. I think it’s a side effect of being closeted for some people. They’re harmless enough and sometimes entertaining at gay bars, but they don’t belong in Congress.
PubicHairus
Growing up I would tell kids I was born in a castle in Scotland. Not anymore. Now I just say it was a manor.
KerryB
Perhaps they should demand a DNA test, he just might be DJT’s illegitimate child.
Fahd
What’s wrong with the media and the campaign organization of his Democratic opponent that these large-scale fabrications (not talking about his face) didn’t come to light until after the election? No wonder the democrats lost the seat, if they can let an opponent get away with a con job like this. Sad!
Could the House become more of a joke?
Kangol2
They DID come to light. The North Shore Leader (Long Island) newspaper did expose him, but was ignored. Some Long Island Republicans were calling him “Scam-tos.” His opponent, Zimmerman, also said that he was a liar. Of course they were ignored by the mainstream local media and the national media, because the narrative was: Lee Zeldin (MAGA Republican) is going to win in a “red wave,” Kathy Hochul (who did win) is going to lose, Democrats and Biden have let crime run rampant and Republicans are going to win 40-60 seats etc. The negative attack ads ran stop, this story was hammered in day after day, and Zimmerman could have screamed about Santos from the rooftops, it wasn’t going to get through.
Thankfully, enough voters in New York City prevented the horrible Zeldin from winning and gave Hochul (and Chuck Schumer, etc.) the victory, the “red wave” didn’t happen (though enough Long Island and upstate New York voters did flip a handful of seats to put people like Santos in office), and the New York Times, which played its role in the hysteria, decided AFTER the fact to investigate Santos. And that’s how we’re here today.
bachy
Here’s hoping New York City’s 3rd district (northern Long Island and northeast Queens) will manage to oust this fraud. Imagine having a flat-out liar representing you in Congress!
Almost as bad as being an American citizen from 2017 – 2021!
[email protected]
Google Joe Biden’s lies about law school…plagiarism…most recently saying he gave a Purple Heart to a relative when he was VP… all lies. Why doesn’t Queerty at least be honest about Democrats if they are going to attack every Republican who lies
JPB
Let me correct that last line for you…every Republican lies.
DBMC
You need better sources.
Den
So, in typical right wing dullard fashion you are comparing one lie (regarding his position in his graduating class, told in anger over 30 years ago, for which he apologized over 30 years ago), to this guy who has essentially lied about ALL his qualifications for office, made excuses rather than apologizing, managed to insult Jewish people in the process while revealing a total lack of integrity.
AND he is so stupid he thinks the revelation of major lies is “nitpicking”! Were Democratic politicians to reveal so stunning a level of corruption, ineptness, stupidity, and so on, as Republican politicians seem to display weekly, Queerty would certainly comment. Especially if those politicians claimed to be gay. And why should we even believe that from this creep?
You seem intellectually bankrupt!
Kangol2
If you’re going to bring up Biden, which is so tiresome, then why not bring up one of the most outrageous liars we have ever had slip into the White House, Donald the Con, aka Donald J. Trump. His lies exceeded anything told by other notorious presidential liars (Reagan, George W. Bush, Richard Nixon, etc.), and he is STILL LYING, including about losing the 2020 election! In fact, his grotesque lies about losing that election led him to try and stage a coup to overturn that election’s results! Queerty did not attack Don the Con and his notorious lying, but it’s telling that instead of addressing the substance of deranged liar George Santos’ lies, you felt the need to mention Joe Biden! GTFOH!
cuteguy
@bankruptsoul
If you’re part of the GQP why are you on this site?
JPB
He’s a liar and a fake. He’s a perfect fit for today’s GOP.
humble charlie
santos will fit right in as drumpf’s vice presidential candidate (or de santis’ – “de santis & santos”) or he’ll fit right in drumpf’s sphincter..
barryaksarben
Another TOTAL LIAR in the GOP who will use the gay card as someone else said and the GOP will LOVE saying they embrace everyone when they dont. I have met a few of these gay guys who are nothing but smoke and mirrors living like they are a Rockefeller when they haven’t a pot to piss in and refuse to work. This guy is dangerous and we must make sure they do their best to get him out of there
Neoprene
His face is slightly slanted.
scotty
just like his viewpoints
Den
Looks like he has as much botox in him as Kari Lake. And they are certainly both ‘cut from the same cloth’.
Lying, self serving creeps.
marshal phillips
He’s a GOPish politician, a liar.
Mr-DJ
Once again, why does the headline say specifically “Gay” Republican? Do you specify “Straight” on all of the others? The key word here is “Republican”. Which of course explains it all. All the lying and ’embellishing’…..
Kangol2
Because Santos touts himself as a “GAY REPUBLICAN.” That’s why. Don’t deny him his gayness. He’s used it as a shield to deflect from the armada of lies he launched to bogart his way into that House seat.
PubicHairus
Because “Republican With Lip Filler” is too long.
Kangol2
All of these “interviews” Santos has given, with safe right-wing media, have yet to answer any number of questions about his lying and his life. Is he a pathological liar and if so, is it even safe to have someone like this representing hundreds of thousands of American people in Congress?
Where did that $700,000 he lent his campaign come from?
Where did the vast amounts of money he was spending during his campaign come from?
How did he meet that Russian oligarch-linked donor and how much did he really get from him?
Why did he lie and say he had a home in Brazil on his official Congressional declaration forms?
Why did he create the outrageous, easily verifiable lie of being the grandchild of Holocaust survivors?
Why did he lie and say he was Jewish?
Why did he hide the fact that he was married, for five years at least, until it was uncovered?
Why did he claim four of his employees died in the Pulse tragedy?
Why did he claim his mother was in the South Tower and survived the 9/11 terrorist attack, etc.?
Why is he still lying about the crimes he committed in Brazil?
Who is this person, really, and why aren’t Republicans demanding he give up his seat and come clean, since his election was completely built on a lie?
Toofie
Great questions that haven’t been asked! If he were a Democrat, his fellow democrats would demand he resign. But Republicans aren’t doing that. They dig their feet in.
smittoons
Jew-ish. That’s my favorite one.
DCFarmboy
Still waiting for him to admit he is FTM trans.
Ronbo
If the Republican leadership was asked what they lied about… then we might see this story have real legs. Where are the media? Oh, I forgot. In the establishment media Republicans are EXPECTED to lie so it’s never a story. Lies don’t and won’t change a thing in Republican politics. An unsourced “ethics” story and even a “me too” accusation, is enough to oust a Democrat.
The real story is how he got soooo much money without having earned or paid taxes on it. Me thinks that there are deep pockets of Republicans running the IRS. Trump got them to break the law and NOT audit his taxes. Follow the money on Santos and you have an actual news story.
And speaking of conservative establishment corruption, why did the capital police allow MAGAnuts into the capital? Imagine if it were BLM activists breaking the law! As you may recall, the capital police also assisted many of the perpetrators safely off the property. Why did the police move the barricades in the first place, did they think someone might hurt themselves jumping the fence?
GayEGO
Sorry George Santos, we do not want liars in our government!
Neoprene
Sure we do. I supported both Bill and Hillary KNOWING they were liars and I think they both did extremely well in their respective positions. BTW, how’s the weather on planet perfect these days, GayEgo?
smittoons
@Neoprene I was shocked to learn that out of all the major candidates in 2016, between Bernie, Hillary and Trump, it was Hillary who had the best track record for being truthful at Snopes and Politifact.
Ronbo
Smittens, that’s not at all the truth. Sen. Sanders is by far more honest. Remember that Hillary, as head of the State Department, removed all reference to same-sex couples and adoption… AFTER she claimed she was supportive of the community! Remember that in 2013, before the Supreme Court ruling, she was quoted as saying, “”Marriage has got historic, religious and moral content that goes back to the beginning of time, and I think a marriage is as a marriage has always been, between a man and a woman.” Separate but equal bigotry from a conservative on marriage is the same as with blacks. It’s never equal until we have the EXACT same rights, Hillary.
Ronbo
But, but, but… she eventually came to accept and support us – eventually. Unfortunately, she was in charge at the State Department with continued subtle bigotry. Kind of like how Ron DeSantis embraces blacks. Want to bet that DeSantis will change his tune with us, just as Hillary did.
They both supported DADT and DOMA – and I’m betting that DeSantis will say the same things about us as a group while continuing his bigotry. It’s what conservatives and conservaDems do.
kappa
Honesty. Integrity. Humility. Intelligence.
Presumably nitpickery values.
Impoverished? Surely the world can demand better?
Jimmynj
This lying piece of trash should never be in office. He takes the GOP to a new low, which is something considering they let MTG, Boebert, Gaetz, Jordan and the rest of that trash. He should be expelled. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie and anything that comes in his mouth is an idiot.