Immigration records show that George Santos’ mother was not in the United States on September 11, 2001, despite the representative claiming that she died in one of the Twin Towers

Immigration records show that George Santos’ mother was not in the United States on September 11, 2001, despite the representative claiming that she died in one of the Twin Towers. 

Santos has been criticized for his alignment with Republican leaders who say drag queens are “grooming” kids, and supporting Florida’s Don’t Say Gay bill.

: I just spoke by phone with Eula Rochard, a Brazilian drag queen who was friends with George Santos when he lived near Rio. She said everyone knew him as Anthony (*never* George), or by his drag name, Kitara, and confirms this photo is from a 2008 drag show at Icaraí Beach.

As a native New Yorker who grew up in a public housing development across the street from Donald Trump’s gilded golf course, I know what it’s like to have the neighborhood you love hijacked by a man who is deceitful to the core.

Now, as I begin my second term in Congress representing the good people of the Bronx, I find myself in an institution that I love hijacked by yet another liar, cheat and fraud.

Rep. George Santos, of New York’s 3rd Congressional District, was widely celebrated by Republicans for flipping a Democratic seat in the latest midterm elections. But as we know now from intrepid investigative reporting, his candidacy was a fraud, predicated on a massive web of deception. By his own admission, Santos rose to elected office by lying to voters about almost every facet of his personal and professional life — including his family heritage, education, professional experience, business dealings, philanthropic endeavors and campaign finances.

Under normal circumstances, the depth and breadth of his deception would shame one into resigning from public office. But these are not normal times, and Santos is shameless not only in lying but in lying about his lying. On a radio show titled “War Room,” Santos reassured Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, that he has led an “honest life” and has never been accused of wrongdoing. Never mind all the lies Santos has told and the multiple criminal investigations accusing him of wrongdoing.

It boggles the mind how anyone who has methodically misled the public to this magnitude could be trusted to exercise the duties of his congressional office in good faith. Every American should worry about the risk of Santos having access to classified information — and what he might do with it. The presence of this man in Congress is a danger to our democracy and national security, a disgrace to this institution, and a major distraction from the pressing problems that are far more worthy of our time, energy and attention. It’s time for Santos to recognize that he cannot serve the public he defrauded. His ability to govern has been weakened by a complete collapse of credibility.