Trust is a commodity that should not be undervalued in politics. Unfortunately for George Santos, congressman for the state of New York, public trust has decreased dramatically.
As the first openly gay Republican politician to secure a seat in the House of Representatives as a non-incumbent, his victory was a triumph for diversity. However, his brief career in politics has called into question the authenticity of who he says he is.
Firstly, his resume; Santos has claimed he attended New York University, worked on Wall Street for Goldman Sachs, was a professional volleyball player and owns 13 properties. However, The New York Times recently discovered that there is no evidence to support Santos’s claims, putting his qualifications into a shadow of doubt.
Then, his heritage, family and beliefs. Santos sparked more controversy when he stated that his grandparents fled antisemitism in Europe due to them being Jewish. He has also stated that he is a “proud American Jew”.
However, there is no evidence to suggest that his grandparents fled Europe, and when questioned about his faith, he has stated that he was “Jew-ish, when in reality, he is Catholic. If ths was not enough, he claims his mother was in the south tower of the World Trade Centre on 9/11 - this was debunked. Moreover, his claim that he was a donor to help produce the infamous Spider-man musical on Broadway was also lie.
The lies Santos spread about himself do not stop here though. The congressman also faces federal charges including two counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit offences against the United States, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. He has pleaded not guilty to all accusations and has acknowledged that he is a “terrible liar”, unusual for an active politician.
He has also allegedly laundered campaign funds for personal expenses, claimed unemployment benefits illegally and reported non-existent loans to his campaign.
Despite his controversial time as a politician and current legal turmoil, the House of Representatives did not expel him when they had the opportunity to do so. Only 5 congressmen have ever been expelled by the house after they were convicted of federal charges.
Santos’s survival has allowed him to sponsor a controversial bill to make the AR- 15 the “national gun of the United States” and has given him the opportunity to cast the deciding vote on the Republican bill to raise the nation’s debt ceiling.
The House of Representatives may have faith in Santos, but his constituents don’t. It has been reported that a staggering 80% want him to resign.
With his trial set for the 9th of September 2024, George Santos not only has to worry about the courtroom but also public scrutiny, with many questioning his integrity and identity. His political future is uncertain and unstable - it is up to the one million New Yorkers whom he represents to decide if he should continue after his past exaggerations of the truth.