The US House of Representatives Ethics Committee has launched an investigation into Conservative MP George Santos, who has been criticized for numerous lies about his CV. As the heads of the congressional body announced on Thursday, a committee of inquiry is to examine, among other things, whether the newly elected representative of the Republican Party in the 2022 election campaign violated applicable law.
Other questions include whether the 34-year-old made false statements to the House of Representatives, violated federal conflict of interest laws, and engaged in sexual misconduct with a job applicant as an MP.
Santos was first elected to the House of Representatives in Washington in November’s midterms. As a result, there were always new revelations about the politician’s sometimes outrageous misrepresentations, including about his university education, his career, his family and his religion.
Thus, Santos imagined a degree from an elite university and falsely claimed to have worked for the investment bank Goldman Sachs and the banking group Citigroup. He also falsely claimed that his mother survived the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and also falsely identified himself as Jewish.
There are also questions about the Republican’s campaign funding. Several investigations are now underway against the politician with Brazilian roots.
The new MP has admitted many of the lies and has said he had “embellished” his CV. He firmly rejected a resignation demanded by some party friends. At the end of January, however, Santos suspended his work in two congressional committees.
The allegations against Santos are sometimes serious, sometimes extremely bizarre. A few years ago, he was investigated for allegedly buying puppies for thousands of dollars with bad checks. In another case, a US veteran accused him of stealing thousands of dollars raised during an online fundraiser for his dog’s surgery. Santos also caused a stir because he invented a career as a successful university volleyball player.
In the midterm elections in November, the Republicans won a narrow majority in the House of Representatives. Santos also contributed to this with his victory in a New York constituency. The chairman of the House of Representatives, Republican Kevin McCarthy, has come under criticism for not taking tougher action against Santos . Given the narrow majority in the Congress Chamber, McCarthy needs almost every vote.
