Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Embattled Republican Santos faces new heat over 'Jew-ish' heritage claim

Embattled Republican Santos faces new heat over 'Jew-ish' heritage claim

U.S. Representative-elect George Santos, a New York Republican who this week acknowledged lying about his education and employment history while running for Congress, faced fresh criticism on Tuesday over his claims of Jewish heritage.
The Republican Jewish Coalition said Santos would not be welcome at the group's future events after misleading its members about his ties to their faith.

"He deceived us and misrepresented his heritage," said Matt Brooks, the coalition's chief executive. "In public comments and to us personally, he previously claimed to be Jewish."

The group issued its statement a day after Santos told the New York Post that he "never claimed to be Jewish," despite what the newspaper described as a message on his campaign website saying that his mother was Jewish and that his grandparents escaped the Nazis during World War Two.

Santos has vowed to serve out his two-year term in Congress, and House Republican leaders have been silent about the controversy. The office of House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy did not respond to a query seeking comment on Tuesday.

"I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background, I said I was 'Jew-ish'," the Post quoted Santos as saying.

Santos, elected to represent parts of Queens and Long Island, could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Two of his fellow incoming House Republicans from New York - Nick LaLota and Anthony D'Esposito - said residents across Long Island were troubled by his statements.

LaLota called for a House Ethics Committee probe "and, if necessary, law enforcement" involvement.

"New Yorkers deserve the truth and House Republicans deserve an opportunity to govern without this distraction," he said in a Tuesday statement.

D'Esposito called on Santos to embrace the "spirit of sincerity" and "pursue a path of honesty."

Santos has insisted the controversy would not deter him from succeeding as a legislator.

"My sins here are embellishing my resume. I'm sorry," Santos told the Post on Monday.

"I didn't graduate from any institution of higher learning," the newspaper quoted him as saying. He also told the Post that he had "never worked directly" for Goldman and Citigroup, calling those assertions a "poor choice of words."

Santos denied New York Times reporting that he had been charged with fraud in Brazil after being caught writing checks with a stolen checkbook. "I am not a criminal here - not here or in Brazil or any jurisdiction in the world," Santos told the Post.

In November, Santos defeated Democrat Robert Zimmerman to win election to Congress from a New York district that was represented by Democrat Tom Suozzi, who ran for governor this year.

On Tuesday, Zimmerman called on Santos to resign and face him in a special election.

"Face the voters with your real past & answer questions about your criminal history," the Democrat wrote on Twitter. "Let the voters decide."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
×