Congressman-elect George Santos admits mendacity about schooling, work expertise, however vows to be sworn in

SYOSSET, N.Y. — The calls are intensifying for Congressman-elect George Santos to step down after he admitted to mendacity on his résumé.

The Lengthy Island Republican turned the blue district purple.

And within the face of questions on marketing campaign fraud and deception, on Tuesday afternoon his marketing campaign advised CBS2 he nonetheless has each intention of being sworn in subsequent week.

READ MORE: Congressman-elect George Santos admits to mendacity about his schooling and work expertise

Santos mentioned he is sorry he “embellished” his résumé, however he believes he nonetheless deserves to serve the voters of Lengthy Island and northeast Queens who elected him.

Final week, the New York Occasions reported that the 34-year-old Republican falsely claimed he graduated from Baruch Faculty, that he’s the descendant of a Holocaust survivor, and that had labored for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup.

“If I used to be attempting to defraud the folks like everyone seems to be saying, I may have listed greater names,” Santos mentioned.

In a Fox Information interview Tuesday evening, he mentioned he’s “not a fraud” and “not faux.”

“I made a mistake, and I believe people are flawed and all of us make errors,” he mentioned. “With a view to transfer previous this and transfer ahead and be an efficient member of Congress, I’ve to face my errors.”

However when the interviewer, former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, requested Santos if he had no disgrace, he shortly tried to deflect.

“I can say the identical factor in regards to the Democrats and the occasion. Take a look at Joe Biden. Joe Biden’s been mendacity to the American folks,” he mentioned.

Watch Tim McNicholas’ report

Democrats on Lengthy Island — and past — are calling for Santos to step down.

“There’s a very actual chance that George Santos dedicated monetary crimes. In 2020, he reported an revenue of $55,000, but two years later he is rich sufficient to contribute $700,000 to his marketing campaign?” Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan mentioned.

READ MORE: Calls rise for federal investigation into Congressman-elect George Santos’ alleged fraudulent conduct

“George Santos is a pathological liar who defrauded the voters of New York state. He needs to be held accountable,” Rep. Ritchie Torres mentioned. “I’ve bother believing he legitimately lent his marketing campaign 94% of his wage. The place there’s smoke, there’s hearth, and there must be an investigation.”

Santos nonetheless has not addressed how precisely his wealth has skyrocketed up to now a number of years by “consulting,” however did say it allowed him to present a big sum of money to his congressional marketing campaign.

In an announcement Tuesday afternoon, a rep for Santos mentioned, partially, “As a millennial, George did what he needed to with a view to evade smear campaigns put forth by elitist organizations just like the New York Occasions. Santos is wholeheartedly prepared to assert the decisive victory he earned in Congress and be the voice of New York’s third District.”

READ MORE: Calls develop for Congressman-elect George Santos to resign after allegedly mendacity about his background

Joseph Cairo Jr., the chair of the Nassau County Republican Committee, expressed disappointment, together with the Holocaust declare, however is standing with Santos, saying, partially, “I anticipated greater than only a blanket apology. Residents need him to ship tax reduction and cross legal guidelines that may make our neighborhoods and nation safer. What’s extra, George Santos must frequently show that he has realized his lesson.”

Lengthy Islanders that spoke to CBS2 disagree.

“I believe folks like him are a detriment to our society,” mentioned Tom Zamroz of Levittown.

“Resign. You are not certified don’t take the seat,” mentioned Lisa Marolachakis-Kines of Glen Cove.

“It is ridiculous he can get away with that. There is not any penalties on your actions anymore,” added Jordan Sepulveda of Bethpage.

CBS2 reached out to Republican management within the Home, however didn’t instantly hear again.

So what disciplinary motion may Santos face by the Home or regulation enforcement, and what does one among Lengthy Island’s strongest Republicans, former Rep. Peter King, need to say?

When requested if Santos ought to resign, King mentioned by cellphone, “No, he was elected and, once more, it is a unhealthy precedent to set to resign. Then you definately’d have each election to be re-examined ‘Was this correct? Was that wrong?'”

“Now, clearly, he went past virtually something anybody has achieved earlier than, however it’s not against the law. Try to be sworn in, however after that there needs to be an instantaneous investigation,” King added.

Bipartisan Information First is asking on Republican Home Minority Chief Kevin McCarthy to not enable Congressman Santos to vote within the speaker’s race or maintain committee seats till the Ethics Committee investigates his background.

McCarthy has not responded to CBS2’s requests for remark.

“One of many few the reason why Kevin McCarthy and the Washington Republicans wouldn’t wish to take what could be some fairly daring motion and never letting Santos be seated is as a result of they’ve such a slim majority. On the identical time, they will be going after lots of Democrats and it may very well be they’d see Santos as somebody to throw below the proverbial bus, so they might appear much less partisan,” mentioned Lawrence Levy, the manager dean of Hofstra College’s Nationwide Middle for City Research.

New York Legal professional Normal Letitia James has mentioned she’s wanting into the scenario, however political consultants say it is a grey space.

“There are only a few guidelines about what candidates can and may’t say in the course of the course of an election,” mentioned Michael Thorning of the Bipartisan Coverage Middle.

The Republican Jewish Coalition mentioned, “We’re very disenchanted in Congressman-elect Santos. He deceived us and misrepresented his heritage in public feedback and to us, personally, he beforehand claimed to be Jewish. He has begun his tenure in Congress on a really mistaken word. He is not going to be welcome at any future RJC occasion.”

On Fox Information, Santos tried to defend what he mentioned.

“My heritage is Jewish, I’ve all the time recognized as Jewish. I used to be raised a working towards Catholic. I believe I’ve gone via this,” he mentioned.

One other information outlet, the Jewish American information web site “The Ahead,” questioned Santos’ declare his grandparent survived the Holocaust. It mentioned data seem to point out his grandparents had been born in Brazil.

As for the declare that he labored for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, Santos tried to clarify that, too, claiming he labored not directly with the corporations whereas employed by one other firm.

“We will debate my résumé and the way I labored with corporations such Goldman and Citigroup all evening lengthy,” he mentioned.

“Is it debatable or is it simply false?” Gabbard requested.

“No, it isn’t false in any respect. It is debatable,” Santos mentioned.

In keeping with the New York Occasions, nevertheless, his web site did not say he labored not directly with Citigroup; it falsely mentioned he was an “affiliate asset supervisor” of their actual property division.

CBS2’s Tim McNicholas reached out to Santos to request an interview, and he directed us to his public relations group. We’ve got not heard again.