George Santos allegations 'deeply troubling,' Nassau Republican leaders say
Rep.-elect George Santos speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas on Nov. 19. Credit: TNS/Wade Vandervort
Top Nassau Republican leaders on Thursday called allegations that GOP Rep.-elect George Santos misrepresented his background "deeply troubling" and urged him to make "meaningful remarks" to explain himself.
Also Thursday, the office of state Attorney General Letitia James has begun “looking into a number of issues raised about Santos,” a knowledgeable source said.
The source stopped short of calling it an official investigation and no further details were available.
The state’s jurisdiction wasn’t immediately clear, although questions have been raised about official filings by Santos as a candidate for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District in Nassau and Queens.
Nassau GOP chairman Joseph Cairo and Republican North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jen DeSena both issued statements Thursday expressing impatience with Santos, who via Twitter told voters he would tell his side of the story next week.
"While I have indicated that the Congressman-Elect deserves a reasonable amount of time to respond to the media, voters deserve a sincere accounting from Mr. Santos," Cairo said.
"I will be listening attentively, and I want to hear meaningful remarks from George Santos," Cairo said.
Cairo, who with party committeemen selected Republican candidates for the November ballot, told Newsday he had spoken on the phone briefly with Santos on Monday.
DeSena said, “the issues that have been raised by various media outlets regarding George Santos are deeply troubling. Residents of North Hempstead, the entire 3rd Congressional District and beyond have been patient and deserve answers from the Congressman-Elect."
DeSena continued: "I will be listening carefully for his responses to the media, which he tweeted will be forthcoming next week. What’s more, I will continue to be a strong advocate for transparency and accountability from Mr. Santos, and I am waiting for him to come forward.”
In a Twitter post Thursday, Santos said: "I have my story to tell and it will be told next week. I want to assure everyone that I will address your questions and that I remain committed to deliver the results I campaigned on: Public safety, Inflation, Education & more."
Santos, 34, of Whitestone, Queens, defeated Democrat Robert Zimmerman on Nov. 8.
Santos has faced increasing scrutiny after a New York Times investigation found his assertions about attending college, working for high-profile Wall Street firms and heading a charitable fund could not be verified.
Baruch College, New York University, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs — all institutions Santos said he attended or worked for — told the newspaper they had no record of his time there.
The newspaper’s report also raised questions about possible incomplete or inaccurate campaign disclosures and found a series of debts and legal issues, including an “unresolved criminal matter in Brazil” involving a stolen checkbook.
The report has sparked a flurry of calls for Santos to step aside even before taking office.
