LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) — Long Island voters rallied Thursday, calling on Congressman-elect George Santos to step aside after more concerns over his record emerged.
Santos is set to become Long Island resident Emily Raphael’s congressman next week.
“How on earth are we to trust him? And yes, character matters when it comes to representation,” Raphael said.
A new CNN investigation found that in an old campaign bio, Santos claimed to have attended the Horace Mann School, but Horace Mann had no record of him. Additionally, despite Santos saying his mother was born in Belgium, her online obituary says she was born in Brazil.
Democrat Robert Zimmerman ran against Santos in the November election. Zimmerman spoke with PIX11 News on Thursday about the allegations against his former opponent.
“I wish it came to the forefront earlier, but the point is here we are now standing up to this fraud,” he said.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, who opened an investigation into Santos’ campaign, said in a statement: “The numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressman-Elect Santos are nothing short of stunning.”
Despite intensifying doubt about his fitness to hold federal office, Santos has thus far shown no signs of stepping aside — even as he has publicly admitted to a long list of fabrications.
He is scheduled to be sworn in on Tuesday. If he assumes office, he could face investigations by the House Committee on Ethics and the Justice Department.
This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.
