What’s Going on With NY Rep George Santos?
Recently-elected NY Representative George Santos faces nationwide backlash for a series of lies made about his background, lies he utilized as leverage for his Congressman campaign.
Rep. George Santos speaking at Nassau County Republican Committee Meeting. Credit: Trong Khiem Nguyen, Flixr
It’s an interesting time to be a Long Islander.
While many politicians have found themselves at the center of campaign scandals, few have proved as shocking as that of newly-elected Congressman George Santos.
In November 2022, Santos was elected as the U.S. Representative for the 3rd Congressional District of New York following his defeat of Democrat Robert Zimmerman. Being the first non-incumbent openly gay Republican to serve a seat in Congress, Santos turned heads with his story of chasing the “American Dream” as the first-generation son of Brazilian immigrants. It was only the following month of the election however, that mass speculations in the media began to arise regarding inconsistencies with his background and experience.
Over the course of the month, various publications and organizations began to speak out about lies involving the Congressman’s family history, professional background, personal identity and more. Though Santos admits to having ‘embellished’ portions of his accomplished resume, a series of background checks has revealed many of his statements to be completely false.
Regarding his professional experience, his claims to have worked with Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, started an animal rescue charity and owned 13 properties across the country have been proven inaccurate. Additionally, claims regarding Santos' personal life, including both having grandparents that fled Jewish persecution in Ukraine and a mother that survived 9/11 terrorist attacks have no evidence to support them, with Santos himself making Twitter posts that contradicted them.
He has also claimed to have attended both Baruch College and New York University, with no records revealing him ever being affiliated with either institution. This false information revealed comes following Santos’ being sworn into office at the end of 2022. Voters and politicians nationwide have taken to the media to voice feelings of shock and betrayal.
“George Santos is a complete and total fraud.” says sophomore Lauren Palmdesso ‘25. “He repeatedly lied during his campaign, from his financial disclosures with false statements and omissions to his fake qualifications. I find it mind boggling that so many politicians are coming to his defense right now.”
In addition to inconsistencies with his past, Santos also faces a series of potential criminal allegations. A 2008 Brazil case of identified fraud charges regarding a stolen checkbook has recently resurfaced, placing Santos as a primary suspect for using the funds under a fake name. The case, previously suspended due to Brazilian authorities inability to locate Santos, has since been continued.
Records of Santos’ campaign expenditures have also raised questions, revealing thousands of dollars put towards rented housing and air travel expenses for staff at numbers abnormal for a newly elected congressman. Additionally, a former company the Congressman is revealed to have been employed at faces current accusations of being involved with a Ponzi scheme over the years.
“Quite honestly, I’m confused how this sort of thing could’ve happened?” says sophomore Long Island resident, Marissa Sciotto ‘25. “Wouldn’t they have done background checks on his history and life before the election? Regardless if they did or not, they trusted him and he unfortunately broke their trust. I would say this is a bad look for New York politics because it shows that this sort of thing can easily happen, and we could allegedly have just anyone run for such a prestigious role. I do believe everyone deserves a fair shot at their dreams but lying is just not how you get there.”
Since the recent exposure, Santos has faced nationwide backlash from voters and politicians demanding his resignation. A recent poll revealed that 75% of registered voters support the idea of his removal, while his campaign press secretary made the December 2022 decision to quietly step down in December.
This past Tuesday following a closed-door meeting with House Republicans, he announced his plan to temporarily resign from all congressional committee responsibilities, pending further investigation into his finance history. His actions will be examined by the Attorney General of New York and District Attorneys of Nassau and Queens.
However, it does not look like the Congressman will be stepping down anytime. Santos continues to resist resignation demands and has repeatedly denied all claims of criminal activity. For now, America awaits the results of the investigation and what they could determine for New York residents.