by Rep. George Santos (R.N.Y.) is approaching another vote that could expel him from Congress, an action that stems from lies and accusations that have landed the Republican in hot water.
Earlier this year, Santos escaped two attempts to expel him from Congress, followed by a third on November 1. He has previously admitted to lying about aspects of his identity, and was indicted this year on criminal charges related to his campaign finances.
Recently, a House ethics report was released following an investigation into the representative, revealing even more egregious past actions.
The lies and accusations pile up, and now Santos faces yet another expulsion vote on Thursday.
Since the first expulsion vote, Santos has announced that he will not run for re-election, and has said that his expulsion from Congress would be “badge of honor.”
From lying about a secret drag queen to misusing campaign finances, Santos has compiled a list of serious and ridiculous lies and allegations. Here are six wild minutes to discover the saga around Santos’ fall.
A resume? All lies.
Santos spun a string of lies about his college education, employment history and identity through his 2021 campaign trail — and they finally caught on this year.
As a candidate for New York representative, Santos being claimed that he graduated summa cum laude from Baruch College, received an MBA from New York University, worked for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, and was of Jewish heritage.
All those statements, among others, were refuted. Last year, he admitted that the claims were false, and described some of them as “decorated” on his resume.
His anti-LGBTQ stance was challenged when his drag queen past was revealed.
While there is nothing wrong with drag, there is a problem when you are a member of Congress who strongly supports anti-LGBTQ legislation. Santos’ conservative stance came under fire after reports surfaced that he was performed in Brazilian drag performances.
In January, a Brazilian drag performer posted a photo of herself on social media with another person dressed in drag, who she claimed was Santos. The New York congressman quickly denied the claims, writing ia post on X that the reports were “categorically false” and “outrageous”.
“The media’s latest obsession with claiming I’m a drag queen or ‘made’ to be a drag queen is patently false,” he wrote on X. results. I will not be concerned or afraid of this.”
But when reporters pressed him on the matter, Santos appeared to back off and suggest that the person in the photo had been posted by the drag performer.
“No, I wasn’t a drag queen in Brazil, guys. I was young, and I had fun at a festival. Get out of your life,” Santos told reporters in January, according to NBC News.
Alleged that Santos faked an animal charity, and swindled a disabled veteran and his sick service dog.
In January, a disabled Navy veteran claimed Santos scammed him in 2016, back when he was homeless and his service dog was sick. The alleged representative $3,000 raised to pay for surgery for the service dog. But the veteran said he never received the money.
According to reports, a person named Anthony Devolder – a variant of Santos’ full name – allegedly reached out to the veteran saying that his organization, Friends of Pets United, could help remove a tumor from the dog’s stomach. Santos then set up a GoFundMe to raise the $3,000, which was reportedly never sent to the veteran.
On X, Santos deny allegations of the scam, writing, “The reports that I would let a dog die are horrible & crazy. My work in animal advocacy has been a labor of love and hard work.”
During his campaign, Santos being claimed that animal charity organization to be established ― and investigation by the New York Times he revealed that Santos used the organization to collect money but then pocketed the donations.
He suggested the Chinese communists kidnap his niece.
During the interview with the Times in October, Santos spoke about how his opposition to the Chinese Communist Party put one of his family members at risk.
Santos suggested that people affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party briefly kidnapped his 5-year-old niece in Queens, New York, explaining that she disappeared from a playground in the city and was seen on a piece of security films 40 minutes later. two Chinese men.
“Look, I don’t want to get into the conspiracy theory like,” Santos said. “But you know, if the shoe fits, right?”
But it was any evidence suggests his niece was kidnapped at all, let alone by someone affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party.
“We found nothing to suggest it was true,” a senior law enforcement official told the Times. “I’d lean in, ‘He made it up.’”
He allegedly swindled his campaign donors, too, by stealing their identities.
With all the recent reports, investigations and criminal charges, Santos’ abuse of campaign finances and lies to donors have been at the top of everyone’s radar.
Santos allegedly stole the identities of campaign donors and charged thousands of dollars to their credit cards without their authorization. Some of the money is also said to have ended up in his own bank account.
The representative was indicted earlier this year on 23 counts of fraud, money laundering, identity theft and making false statements. He pleaded not guilty and has a criminal trial scheduled for September 2024.
Reports also revealed that Santos spent $26,000 worth of campaign funds at an Italian restaurant in Queens, New York.
And he spent campaign money on OnlyFans, Botox and more.
The damning House ethics report released earlier this month revealed another one of Santos’ lies.
After a month-long investigation of Santos, the report alleged that he was spent campaign funds on a range of services and products for himself, including Botox, Sephora, spa treatments, OnlyFans subscription and luxury accessories.
Santos called the report “biased” and argued that the House ethics committee was going to “extraordinary lengths” to smear him.
