Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) has admitted that he lied about his background but said he thought he could get away with it since no one caught him when he ran unsuccessfully for office in 2020.
Santos disclosed information about his lies in an interview on “Piers Morgan Uncensored” that was made public on Monday. The lawmaker from New York admitted in the interview that he is a “bad liar,” but he defended his deceptions by saying that he was trying to get the support of his local political party.
During the course of the interview, Morgan addressed lies Santos previously admitted to, and questioned him about statements he has staunchly stood by that but were unverifiable, like his mother’s presence at the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2021.
Morgan listed a number of lies that Santos admits that he made up about himself, asking whether the lawmaker agrees he has been a “terrible liar.”
“Sure. Well, I’ve been a terrible liar on those subjects, and what I tried to convey to the American people is, I made mistakes,” Santos responded. He went on to outline why he thought he could get away with the lies despite being elected to Congress.
“I ran in 2020 for the same exact seat for Congress, and I got away with it then,” Santos said.
Morgan responded, saying, “Well, that’s honest. So you thought, actually, they’re not going to find out?”
“No, I didn’t think so,” Santos said. “But to that effect, it’s embarrassing. It’s humbling to have to admit your faults as a human being.”
After admitting to lying about his education and job experience during his 2022 campaign, Santos has consistently refused to resign from Congress but has promised not to serve on any committees. He has also continued to entertain the possibility of running again in 2024.
On Jan. 11, following news that Santos fabricated much of his resume, the Nassau County Republican Committee issued a statement on social media, saying that “over 40 Republican elected officials have rebuked Congressman George Santos and called for his immediate resignation from the House of Representatives.
“The Chairman of the Nassau GOP and the elected officials condemned Santos’ campaign of deceit and lies,” the statement said. “His fabrications have hurt people. What’s more, he deceived voters and has disgraced the House of Representatives. Santos has got to go!”
The lawmaker won in New York’s 3rd Congressional District over Democrat Robert Zimmerman by 54 percent to 46 percent.
Santos’s office did not respond to The Epoch Times’s request for comment by press time.