Representative-Elect George Santos (R-NY) was under investigation Wednesday by the Nassau County District Attorney’s office, after admitting he lied about his personal, professional and educational background during this year’s midterm campaign.
Nassau County DA Anne T. Donnelly, a Republican, said the fabrications and inconsistencies were “nothing short of stunning.”
“The residents of Nassau County and other parts of the third district must have an honest and accountable representative in Congress,” she added. “If a crime was committed in this county, we will prosecute it.”
Santos admitted to fabricating his education and professional background in an interview with the New York Post on Monday.
Among his fabrications were that he’d gone to college, that he’d worked for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and that he had Jewish grandparents who escaped the Nazis during World War II.
Santos now says he’s “clearly Catholic” and never claimed to be Jewish—rather, “I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background I said I was ‘Jew-ish.’”
More fabrications surfaced on Wednesday. CNN reported Santos had falsely claimed attending a private school, made up stories about his mother’s background and detailed more fabrications about his alleged time at Goldman Sachs.
Meanwhile, federal campaign records show that Santos loaned his campaign more than $700,000, but the source of that money has yet to be explained.
Congressional Democrats have called for Santos to resign his position and not be sworn in on January 3 with the 118th Congress.
Some Republicans—like fellow Long Islander and Representative-elect Nick Lalota—are also voicing concern over Santos’ revelations.
“I believe a full investigation by the House Ethics Committee and, if necessary, law enforcement, is required,” Lalota said Tuesday.
But Santos has said the revelations would not deter him from serving his two-year term in the House seat he flipped from Democratic to Republican. And Republican House leadership has not commented.
