US Congressman George Santos refuses to step down over resume lies

Santos, a 34-year-old Republican elected in last year's midterm elections to represent New York's 3rd congressional district, tweeted on Wednesday, "I will NOT resign!"

George Santos
Newly elected freshman Rep. George Santos (R-NY), embroiled in a scandal over his resume and claims made on the campaign trail, sits alone in the House Chamber surrounded only by the children of other representatives, on the first day of the 118th Co
IANS Washington
2 min read Last Updated : Jan 12 2023 | 2:08 PM IST

Embattled US Congressman George Santos, who has admitted to lying about his educational history and professional biography, has reiterated that he would not step down.

Santos, a 34-year-old Republican elected in last year's midterm elections to represent New York's 3rd congressional district, tweeted on Wednesday, "I will NOT resign!", reports Xinhua news agency

A group of Republicans -- including Congressman Anthony D'Esposito, who represents New York's 4th congressional district -- urged Santos.

D'Esposito said in a statement on Wednesday that Santos' "many hurtful lies and mistruths surrounding his history have irreparably broken the trust of the residents he is sworn to serve".

"For his betrayal of the public's trust, I call on Congressman George Santos to resign," he added.

Late last year, Santos' admission came following an investigation by The New York Times.

"My sins here are embellishing my resume. I'm sorry," he had acknowledged that time.

Even in the past, US politicians have lied about their life stories and policy proposals to court support.

Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, re-elected to a third term last year, built his political prominence by portraying his parents as exiles from their native Cuba.

However, The Washington Post published in 2011 found that the Republican's account "embellishes the facts" and that "the real story of his parents' migration appears to be a more conventional immigrant narrative".

Herschel Walker campaigned against abortion access in 2022 as the Republican nominee for US Senate in Georgia. But his former girlfriends have accused him of encouraging or paying for abortion.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat who ran for the White House several years ago, issued a public apology in 2019 for her past claims of Native American ancestry.

"Washington has created a culture where it's acceptable to lie to further your own interest," former US Congresswoman and Fox News contributor Tulsi Gabbard commented while reacting to Santos' scandal.

"But even when politicians do get caught, people just shrug their shoulders and move on," Gabbard continued. "So, no one should be surprised that the American people don't trust these politicians."

Public trust in Congress reached an all-time low, with only 7 per cent of Americans expressing "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in it, according to a Gallup poll.

--IANS

ksk/

 

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :United StatesUnited States governmentUSA democracy

First Published: Jan 12 2023 | 2:08 PM IST

Next Story