Here in New York, Republican Congressmember-elect George Santos has broken his silence over a New York Times investigation that found he misrepresented key parts of his background and finances. On Thursday, Santos tweeted, “I have my story to tell and it will be told next week.” In the latest revelation of Santos’s apparent fabrications, the Jewish outlet The Forward reports Santos lied about his grandparents fleeing anti-Jewish persecution during World War II. The Forward reports genealogy websites show Santos’s maternal grandparents were born in Brazil, not Ukraine or Belgium, as his campaign website stated. On Wednesday, incoming House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Santos of hiding from legitimate questions about his résumé.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries: “At this moment we need answers from George Santos. He appears to be a complete and utter fraud, his whole life story made up.”