George Santos – news: Secret tapes catch congressman admitting he ‘lied to everyone’ and giving Botox advice

Bombshell secret tapes have caught embattled Republican congressman George Santos admitting that he “lied to everyone” following a wave of allegations and admissions that he fabricated most of his professional profile and resume before he was elected in November.

In the audio obtained by Talking Points Memo, Mr Santos is heard telling a prospective staffer that he had lied, including to his chief of staff Charley Lovett.

“I’ve obviously f***** up and lied to him, like I lied to everyone else,” he says in the audio. “And he still forgave me and gave me a second shot, unlike some other people.”

In the recording, Mr Santos is also heard offering advice about Botox, saying: “Stop going to Colombia for your diluted Botox.”

The candid insight into Mr Santos’ office comes as he stood down from his committee assignments this week amid mounting scrutiny into his campaign finances.

Federal law enforcement also is reportedly investigating a claim that he stole money from a GoFundMe set up to pay for surgery for a disabled veteran’s dying dog.

Key points

• George Santos admits he ‘obviously f***** up’

• Santos treasurer quits campaign – days after he falsely named a new one

• FEC sends letter to Santos campaign requesting answers after treasurer change

• George Santos stands down from House committees

FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog

15:00 , Alex Woodward

Federal law enforcement agents are reportedly investigating claims that George Santos raised money to pay for surgery for a Navy veteran’s dying dog before allegedly disappearing with the money.

FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog

In George Santos’s district, setting of The Great Gatsby, cries of ‘imposter’ abound

14:00 , Alex Woodward

Nearly 100 years after F Scott Fitzgerald set The Great Gatsby in these same opulent shores, the 34-year-old Republican congressman has once again drawn the eyes of the world onto the eastward-stretching leg of New York City, and invited comparisons to the titular character of that Great American Novel along the way.

Where Jay Gatsby ultimately failed in his efforts, Santos succeeded in his. A man who repeatedly lied about his own history, from claiming his mother died on 9/11, to falsifying his education and net worth — not for love, but for donations, votes and influence — was elected to a seat in one of the most powerful legislative bodies in the world.

So, how did he do it? How did he fool so many people? How did no one know? The truth is, many did. But no one listened to them.

The Independent’s Richard Hall reports from Long Island:

In George Santos’s district, setting of The Great Gatsby, cries of ‘imposter’ abound

‘Give him some credit, George Santos has performed a valuable public service’

13:00 , Alex Woodward

The Independent’s Richard Hall writes:

Give him some credit, George Santos has performed a valuable public service

George Santos admits ‘I’ve obviously f***ed up’ in secretly recorded tapes

11:00 , Alex Woodward

A bizzare new saga has opened up in the seemingly unending spiral that has become George Santos’s arrival on Capitol Hill after a reporter published leaked audio from the congressman’s office on Thurdsay evening.

The audio, obtained and published by Talking Points Memo, was reportedly recorded in the congressional office of Mr Santos without the congressman or his staff’s permission.

In the clip, the reporter (Derek Myers) is informed that his potential position with the Santos office will not be moving forward following a review of his background, and in particular a legal case that arose from the course of his reporting.

George Santos admits ‘I’ve obviously f***ed up’ in secretly recorded tapes

A timeline of George Santos’ many scandals

09:00 , Alex Woodward

Dogged by surely one of the oddest scandals to hit American politics in the last few years, George Santos was facing calls for his expulsion and resignation even before he was seated as representative for New York’s 3rd Congressional District.

As he concludes his first month in the chamber, let’s take a look back at how this scandal evolved, from the beginning to now:

From first questions to GOP rebukes : A timeline of George Santos’ many scandals

Watching: 'The imposter in Congress’

08:00 , Alex Woodward

The Independent’s senior US correspondent Richard Hall visited Long Island and Nassau County to find the real George Santos for the latest episode of On the Ground.

Tucker Carlson defends George Santos in sarcastic attack on the press

07:00 , Alex Woodward

In a Thursday night rant, one of the most-watched cable hosts in the US suggested that journalists have elevated the congressman – who was elected to represent a district of nearly 800,000 people – from relative obscurity to become “the single most dangerous and historically significant figure on the global stage”.

Ignoring some of the most egregious allegations and fabrications involving Mr Santos, who is under federal scrutiny and the subject of serious campaign finance complaints, Tucker Carlson instead fixated on his claims about his collegiate volleyball experience, sarcastically labelling them “a tissue of lies constructed to deceive the American people.”

Tucker Carlson defends George Santos in sarcastic attack on the press

The lies George Santos has been accused of telling

05:00 , Alex Woodward

It can be difficult keeping up with the list of fictions that George Santos has been accused of telling, admitted telling, or merely been caught spinning red-handed following a contradictory statement.

But, do not fret: The Independent is here, and we’re keeping track of the whole list of lies even as it continues to grow — both in number and in the sheer scale of the humiliation that it presents for not just Mr Santos, who remains adamant that he will serve two years in office as representative for New York’s third district, but for the Republican House caucus as a whole.

Every lie George Santos has been accused of making

Watch: All the times comedians impersonated George Santos

03:00 , Alex Woodward

Democratic congressman: ‘Hucksters, fraudsters, and ripoff artists, people like Donald Trump and George Santos, will always look for new ways to defraud the American people’

02:00 , Alex Woodward

Democratic US Rep Jamie Raskin, stressing the crucial role of federal oversight to prevent rampant fraud, told MSNBC that, after all, “this is a country that produced people like Donald Trump and George Santos.”

Here’s how George Santos could still be removed from office

01:00 , Alex Woodward

The congressman’s colleagues in the House could end up being the final arbiters of judgement for the scandal-ridden New York Republican.

Despite wave after wave of revelations surrounding his past and present fictions and lies, the embattled congressman has remained adamant that he will remain in office. Even in the face of members of his own party calling for his ouster, Mr Santos has stood firm.

But none of that may matter if the machinations of the US House of Representatives conspire against him.

The Independent’s John Bowden explains:

Here’s how George Santos could still be removed from office

‘Give him some credit, George Santos has performed a valuable public service'

00:00 , Alex Woodward

The Independent’s Richard Hall writes:

Give him some credit, George Santos has performed a valuable public service

Did George Santos claim to be a producer for a Spider-Man musical?

Friday 3 February 2023 23:00 , Alex Woodward

George Santos reportedly told some potential donors while campaigning in 2021 that he was a producer on the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the discussions.

The show’s producer Michael Cohl denied the congressman’s involvement, and Santos’s name never appeared in the playbills for the show.

The notorious production lost tens of millions of dollars and suffered technical issues and actor injuries.

Watch: ‘The imposter in Congress'

Friday 3 February 2023 22:00 , Alex Woodward

The Independent’s senior US correspondent Richard Hall visited Long Island and Nassau County to find the real George Santos for the latest episode of On the Ground.

George Santos and the fascinating psychology of compulsive liars

Friday 3 February 2023 21:00 , Alex Woodward

He seems to have lied about everything, from the straightforward to the utterly absurd. The Independent’s Holly Baxter speaks to experts on lying — and why we all become complicit when a prolific liar reels us in:

George Santos and the fascinating psychology of compulsive liars

House GOP promotes Santos on its ‘Follow Friday'

Friday 3 February 2023 20:15 , Alex Woodward

While George Santos faces mounting scrutiny into his alleged campaign finance violations and other inquiries attracting the Justice Department’s attention, and after he removed himself from House committee assignments days after getting them, House Republicans are now promoting the embattled congressman on “Follow Friday”.

Full story: Tucker Carlson – who admitted to lying to Fox News viewers – defends George Santos in sarcastic attack on the press

Friday 3 February 2023 19:46 , Alex Woodward

The most-watched right-wing media personality suggests journalists have rocketed the congressman from obscurity into ‘9/11 in human form’

Tucker Carlson defends George Santos in sarcastic attack on the press

Secret recording captures George Santos offering advice about Botox

Friday 3 February 2023 19:10 , Alex Woodward

Leaked audio from the office New York Representative George Santos office reveals the newly elected Republican giving botox advice to a would-be employee in his office.

Secret recording captures George Santos offering advice about Botox

Tucker Carlson defends George Santos

Friday 3 February 2023 18:23 , Alex Woodward

In his Thursday night rant, Fox News personality Tucker Carlson launched into a sacrastic commentary to assail media scrutiny into George Santos for transforming him into the “single most dangerous and historically significant figure on the global stage”.

Ignoring some of the most egregious allegations and fabrications involving Santos, who is under federal scrutiny and the subject of serious campaign finance complaints, Carlson instead fixated on his claims about his colleagiate volleyball experience, satirically labelling them “a tissue of lies constructed to deceive the American people.”

He suggested journalists have transformed him into “9/11 in human form”.

Carlson’s sacrastic remarks disingenuously claimed Santos merely deceived voters “believing he had played collegiate volleyball on a scholarship and he hadn’t.”

“And yet tonight, ladies and gentlemen, this thief of volleyball glory strides the halls of the United States Congress unimpeded by law enforcement. It’s like another insurrection,” he said.

George Santos gives remarks on House floor in support of ‘Israel and the Jewish community’ as he support Ilhan Omar’s ousting

Friday 3 February 2023 17:00 , Alex Woodward

George Santos – who had claimed that he is “Jew-ish” when pressed about his claims of Jewish heritage and that he was descended from Holocaust survivors – was roundly condemned for his remarks on the House floor on Thursday to support ousting Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs committee.

Republicans passed a resolution condemning antisemitism and voted to remove the congresswoman for her past comments that were critical of Israel and which Republicans have wrongly conflated with antisemitism.

The resolution’s passage “sends a strong message that we support Israel and the Jewish community,” Santos said. “I urge the 118th Congress to now stand together, proudly upholding every single American, no matter race, pedigree, religion nor creed, as any less American than their neighbor, that Jewish Americans are patriotic Americans and that we all have a role fighting bigotry and antisemitism in our country.”

Federal law enforcement interviews Navy veteran over claims that George Santos took money intended for his dying dog

Friday 3 February 2023 16:20 , Alex Woodward

FBI agents interviewed a disabled US Navy veteran following allegations that George Santos raised $3,000 for live-saving surgery for the veteran’s dog and then ghosted with the funds.

Two agents contacted Richard Osthoff this week, he told Politico.

“I’m glad to get the ball rolling with the big-wigs,” he said in an interview. “I was worried that what happened to me was too long ago to be prosecuted.”

More from The Independent on the bizarre case here:

FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog

ICYMI: George Santos admits ‘I’ve obviously f***ed up’ in secretly recorded tapes

Friday 3 February 2023 15:20 , Alex Woodward

A bizzare new saga has opened up in the seemingly unending spiral that has become George Santos’s arrival on Capitol Hill, after a reporter published leaked audio from the congressman’s office on Thurdsay evening.

George Santos admits ‘I’ve obviously f***ed up’ in secretly recorded tapes

George Santos faces backlash on Twitter for weighing into Ilhan Omar vote – after lies about 'Jew-ish' heritage

Friday 3 February 2023 14:20 , Rachel Sharp

George Santos is facing backlash on Twitter for weighing in on the vote ousting Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee – after is lies about his Jewish heritage and his grandparents fleeing the Holocaust.

“Regrettably @RitchieTorres who calls himself pro Israel voted to keep an antisemite in the foreign affairs committee… so much for “supporting” Israel & the Jewish community, I guess it’s all lip service when you come to #NY03 & fundraise from my Jewish constituents,” he tweeted on Thursday night.

Ms Omar was voted off the committee after Republicans accused her of past antisemitic comments. Democrats claimed the GOP was actually motivated by racism.

Mr Santos’ comments on the issue come after he lied about being Jewish and claimed his grandparents escaped the Holocaust. Both turned out to be false and the congressman then claimed he meant he was “Jew-ish”.

There has also been accusations of him making antisemitic comments in the past, with a vile Facebook post about Adolf Hitler and “the Jews and blacks” coming to light in recent weeks.

Several social media users slammed him for his tweet about the House vote around Ms Omar, with gun control activist Fred Guttenberg tweeting: “Hey @Santos4Congress, I am a real JEWISH person. From the bottom of my heart, just wanted to let call you an a**hole but with some sympathy as I suspect you are drunk. Anyway, @RitchieTorres is an example of a great Congressman, and a friend of Israel, and I support him.”

George Santos’ campaign spent more than $26,000 at Italian restaurant – enough for 1,700 Margherita pizzas

Friday 3 February 2023 13:20 , Rachel Sharp

Rep George Santos’ campaign has provided no shortage of mysteries for political reporters and observers to try to unravel.

One of the latest, from his campaign finance disclosures, is exactly how Mr Santos’ team managed to spend more than $26,000 at a single Italian resturaunt since his first run for Congress in 2020.

The campaign finance disclosures released this week showed Santos’ campaign spent $26,032.06 over the last three-plus years at Il Bacco Ristorante Italiano in Little Neck, New York – an Italian spot located in Queens.

Read the full story:

George Santos’ campaign spent more than $26,000 at an Italian restaurant in Queens

George Santos offers Botox advice

Friday 3 February 2023 12:20 , Rachel Sharp

Secret tapes which caught embattled GOP congressman George Santos confessing to lying also revealed a moment where he offered Botox advice.

The audio, obtained and published by Talking Points Memo, was reportedly recorded in the congressional office of Mr Santos without the congressman or his staff’s permission.

In the clip, the reporter (Derek Myers) is informed that his potential position with the Santos office will not be moving forward following a review of his background, and in particular a legal case that arose from the course of his reporting.

At one point, Mr Santos is heard offering advice about Botox.

Mr Myers was telling Mr Santos about a trip to Colombia “to get my Botox”, saying: “It’s like $100, but it’s $400 here.”

Mr Santos replied: “I spend a lot more than that on Botox, but I trust the people.”

Later, Mr Myers was given the parting advice from the congressman: “Stop going to Colombia for your diluted Botox.”

Bombshell secret tapes catch embattled George Santos admitting he ‘lied to everyone'

Friday 3 February 2023 11:20 , Rachel Sharp

A bizzare new saga has opened up in the seemingly unending spiral that has become George Santos’s arrival on Capitol Hill after a reporter published leaked audio from the congressman’s office on Thurdsay evening.

The audio, obtained and published by Talking Points Memo, was reportedly recorded in the congressional office of Mr Santos without the congressman or his staff’s permission. In the clip, the reporter (Derek Myers) is informed that his potential position with the Santos office will not be moving forward following a review of his background, and in particular a legal case that arose from the course of his reporting.

In it, Mr Santos makes some of the most self-aware comments about the scope of his deceptions that he has made in any setting so far.

“I’ve obviously f***ed up and lied to him, like I lied to everyone else,” Mr Santos says in the clip, while referring to his chief of staff Charley Lovett.

Read the full story here:

George Santos admits ‘I’ve obviously f***ed up’ in secretly recorded tapes

FBI interviews veteran who says Santos took money raised for dying dog

Friday 3 February 2023 09:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The FBI is investigating claims that Representative George Santos raised money to pay for surgery for a Navy veteran’s dying dog before allegedly disappearing with the money.

Richard Osthoff says that he was contacted by two federal agents on Wednesday on behalf of the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York, according to Politico.

He told the outlet that he gave the agents text messages from Mr Santos, whom he claims raised $3,000 to save pit bull mix Sapphire but never handed it over.

Graeme Massie has more.

FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog

All the times comedians impersonated George Santos

Friday 3 February 2023 08:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Comedians have been giving George Santos a bit of roasting since the congressman was caught telling lies about his life.

Harvey Guillen and Nelson Franklin are among those who have impersonated the New York Republican.

This video gives a glimpse of all of the times comedians mocked the politician on their late-night slots.

Mr Santos responded to the fun-poking on Twitter, saying: “I have now been enshrined in late-night TV history with all these impersonations, but they are all TERRIBLE so far.”

Watch here.

All the times comedians impersonated George Santos

George Santos ridiculed for speech about Jewish community

Friday 3 February 2023 07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

George Santos was ridiculed on social media following his House floor speech about his support for the Jewish community.

The congressman has been accused of lying about being a descended of Holocaust survivors.

“Today I rise to congratulate my colleagues on voting to remove rep Ilhan Omar from the foreign affairs committee,” Mr Santos said.

“The passage of HR 76 sends a strong message that we support Israel and the Jewish community,” he continued.

Following his speech, people tore into him on Twitter.“The nerve. The pure, unadulterated nerve would be admirable if it weren’t so aggravating,” wrote user Danny O’Neil.

“You lied that you were Jewish, used a fake Jewish-sounding last name and said, ‘Oh well, the Jews will give more if you’re a Jew,’ and made up that your family survived the Holocaust, you ghoul.”

George Santos’ campaign spent more than $26,000 at Italian restaurant

Friday 3 February 2023 06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Representative George Santos’ campaign has provided no shortage of mysteries for political reporters and observers to try to unravel.

One of the latest, from his campaign finance disclosures, is exactly how Mr Santos’s team managed to spend more than $26,000 at a single Italian restaurant since his first run for Congress in 2020.

The campaign finance disclosures released this week showed Santos’s campaign spent $26,032.06 over the last three-plus years at Il Bacco Ristorante Italiano in Little Neck, New York – an Italian spot located in Queens.

Abe Asher reports.

George Santos’ campaign spent more than $26,000 at an Italian restaurant in Queens

Santos and other GOP politicians criticised for wearing assault weapon pins

Friday 3 February 2023 05:33 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

House Democrats criticised freshman Republicans, including embattled Representative George Santos, for wearing assault rifle pins on Capitol Hill.

Democratic Representative Jimmy Gomez of California tweeted out photos of Representatives Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and Mr Santos of New York wearing lapel pins in the shape of an assault weapon.

“Where are these assault weapon pins coming from? Who is passing these out?” he tweeted.

Eric Garcia has more.

Democrats say GOP reps wearing assault weapon pins ‘isn’t the flex you think it is’

George Santos’s ‘embarrassing’ karaoke account has been revealed

Friday 3 February 2023 03:53 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

What appears the karaoke account of scandal-ridden New York Republican Representative George Santos has been unearthed on the singing app Smule.

The account is registered under the name “georgedevolder”, according to Rolling Stone. Mr Santos’s full name is George Anthony Devolder Santos.

The profile picture shows Mr Santos wearing a bowtie and doing the “duck face,” the magazine notes.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

‘Gift that keeps on giving’: George Santos’ karaoke account has been revealed

Santos admits he “obviously f***** up,” gives advice on botox in recorded conversation with prospective staffer

Friday 3 February 2023 00:57 , Abe Asher

Rep George Santos says “I’ve obviously f***** up and lied to him, like I lied to everyone else,” in a recording reportedly made without his permission and obtained and reported by the progressive news site Talking Points Memo, shedding light on the embattled Congressman’s state of mind as investigations into his finances and past continues.

The recording of Mr Santos was reportedly made inside his office by a prospective staffer and journalist named Derek Myers who Mr Santos ultimately decided not to hire due to concerns over legal charges Mr Myers is facing in Ohio over his decision to publish recorded court testimony.

In the recording reported on in Talking Points Memo, Mr Santos admits that he lied to his chief of staff while also commenting on Mr Myers’ decision to get botox in Colombia and reflecting on the qualities of Brazilian candy.

He does not say outright that his office will not be hiring Mr Myers in the recording, but does say that “it’s bad enough that I have to answer for myself these days, I don’t want to have to answer, prospectively, for you.”

Santos expects secret recordings taped by prospective staffer will be published this evening

Thursday 2 February 2023 23:57 , Abe Asher

Rep George Santos already had a raft of issues to deal with, and now he has another one: the forthcoming release of secret recordings made in his office by a prosepctive staffer.

Mr Santos told Semafor that he believes the recordings made by the prospective staffer, Derek Myers, will be published this evening in Talking Points Memo after the progressive news site contacted his office requesting comment for a story based on a conversation he had with Mr Myers.

The congressman told Semafor that his office was preparing to hire Mr Myers but was given pause when it learned that Mr Myers is facing wiretapping charges in Ohio for publishing recorded court testimony in his former role as a journalist. Mr Santos said he asked Mr Myers to explain the situation, and ultimately decided not to hire him based on that conversation.

“I was so loyal to George, I defended him everywhere I went and then he just throws me away like I’m replaceable because I am,” Mr Myers wrote to Mr Santos’ chief of staff in a message obtained by Semafor. “I want a second chance. This was never about the money. This was about purpose and serving the citizens. You gave George a second chance. Please let me at least have a FIRST chance.”

Democratic rep asks SEC to investigate George Santos

Thursday 2 February 2023 16:00 , David Taintor

New York Rep Ritchie Torres has asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate embattled congressman Ritchie Torres for allegedly violating securities laws.

“Mr. Santos illegally operated as a broker without a license, raising funds from unsuspecting investors for Harbor City Capitol, a 17 million dollar Ponzi Scheme,” Mr Torres said.

Santos’ campaign spent more than $26,000 at an Italian restaurant in Queens

Thursday 2 February 2023 13:45 , Rachel Sharp

Scrutiny continues to mount over the congressman’s campaign finances, with an FEC filing revealing he spent more than $26,000 at an Italian restaurant in Queens, New York City.

Updated financial records show that his campaign spent $26,032.06 at Il Bacco Ristorante Italiano during his run for Congress.

This would be equivalent to buying 1,131 orders of the restaurant’s $23 rigatoni bolognese or 1,735 $15 Margherita pizzas, revealed Business Insider.

George Santos claimed Epstein may still be alive in 2020 interview

Thursday 2 February 2023 13:00 , Rachel Sharp

Embattled GOP congressman George Santos claimed in August 2020 that Jeffrey Epstein “could still be alive” – one year after the paedophile killed himself in his Manhattan jail cell.

In a newly-resurfaced interview, Mr Santos – who has already been caught out over several lies about his past, background and family – claimed that he met Epstein a few times and pushed the conspiracy theory that he was “murdered” in prison.

Epstein was found dead in his cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial for sex-trafficking children. His death was ruled suicide.

Mr Santos then backtracked over his death altogether, claiming he may actually still be alive.

“I wouldn’t put it past me that he’s still walking around us and we’re all like, ‘Oh my god, the guy is alive,’ and we can’t tell,” he said. “You know what, it’s 2020, anything can happen.”

George Santos claimed paedophile Jeffrey Epstein is ‘still alive’ in 2020 interview

George Santos treasurer quits campaign

Thursday 2 February 2023 12:20 , John Bowden

Embattled GOP congressman George Santos is facing yet another issue after his longtime treasurer jumped ship amid suspected probes by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Justice Department (DOJ) into his campaign finances.

Nancy Marks officially filed her resignation with the FEC on Tuesday from the serial liar’s campaign and four other political committees affiliated with him.

“At the request of the FEC, I am submitting this Form 99 stating that I have resigned as treasurer for the Devolder-Santos For Congress Committee as of January 25, 2023,” she wrote.

Her resignation came one week after Mr Santos’ campaign filed documents naming replacement treasurer Thomas Datwyler – only for Mr Datwyler to reveal that he had turned down the job and the congressman had listed him without his authorisation.

This prompted the FEC to issue a legal warning to Mr Santos’ campaign about “knowingly and willfully making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation to a federal government agency”.

The DOJ then signalled it had launched its own criminal probe into Mr Santos’ campaign finances, by asking the FEC to postpone any of its own enforcement while it conducts a parallel investigation.

Alongside the legal turmoil, Mr Santos stood down from his committee assignments on Tuesday – just days after they were assigned – and continues to come under scrutiny for a plethora of lies.

Keep up with George Santos’ growing list of lies

Thursday 2 February 2023 11:45 , Rachel Sharp

It can be difficult keeping up with the list of fictions that George Santos has been accused of telling, admitted telling, or merely been caught spinning red-handed following a contradictory statement.

But, do not fret: The Independent is here, and we’re keeping track of the whole list of lies even as it continues to grow — both in number and in the sheer scale of the humiliation that it presents for not just Mr Santos, who remains adamant that he will serve two years in office as representative for New York’s third district, but for the Republican House caucus as a whole.

Every lie George Santos has been accused of making

FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog

Thursday 2 February 2023 10:58 , Rachel Sharp

The FBI is investigating claims that Rep George Santos raised money to pay for surgery for a Navy veteran’s dying dog before allegedly disappearing with the money.

Richard Osthoff says that he was contacted by two federal agents on Wednesday on behalf of the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York, according to POLITICO.

He told the outlet that he gave the agents text messages from Mr Santos, whom he claims raised $3,000 to save pit bull mix Sapphire but never handed it over.

Read the full story:

FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog

George Santos lashes out at the media

Thursday 2 February 2023 09:50 , John Bowden

George Santos fumed on Twitter that the media is trying to “smear” him as he hit out at what he claimed to be “fake posts” and “clown” interviews.

“From interviewing clowns, to creating fake “posts” the media continues to down spiral as their attempt to smear me fails. I am getting the job I signed up for done, while you all spiral out of control,” he tweeted late on Thursday.

He did not detail what he was referring to but his comments came as a new report from Patch accused him of making a vile joke about Hitler and killing Jews and Black people.

In a 2011 comment on Facebook, obtained by Patch, Mr Santos allegedly wrote: “hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh hiiiiiiiiiiiitlerrrrrrrrrrr (hight hitler) lolololololololololololol sombody kill her!! the jews and black mostly lolllolol!!! Dum.”

Mr Santos’ former roommate confirmed the account’s validity to the outlet and said that the congressman used to often make antisemitic comments. An attorney for Mr Santos told Patch the Facebook post is “completely false”.

The allegation comes as the congressman has previously been caught in a lie about being Jewish and his grandparents fleeing the Holocaust. He later walked back the claims saying he was “Jew-ish”.

George Santos claims he's 'learned my lesson' but insists things have 'largely always been above board'

Thursday 2 February 2023 07:50 , John Bowden

George Santos has claimed he's “learned my lesson” but insists things have “largely always been above board”.

The embattled congressman spoke to OAN’s Caitlin Sinclair on Wednesday – hours after he stepped down from his committee assignments.

“I’ve learned my lesson. I can guarantee you that from now on anything and everything is always going to be above board,” he claimed.

He then went on to insist that he has “largely” always been above board anyway – but would simply need to “double check”.

“It’s largely always been above board. I’m just gonna go the extra step now to double check,” he said.

The congressman went on to fume about the media which he claims put him on a “trial by fire” for exposing his series of lies to the American people.

“People should be judged on their actions, and not by trial by fire through the media, which is what I’ve experienced for the last couple of weeks,” he said.

Mother Jones uncovers yet another questionable Santos donation

Thursday 2 February 2023 05:50 , John Bowden

Left-leaning news site Mother Jones has uncovered another item on George Santos’s FEC filings that demands explanation.

According to the outlet’s bureau chief, a family member of Mr Santos who is listed as donating $5,800 to the campaign now tells reporters that they never authorised a donation to Mr Santos’s congressional bid at all.

It’s just the latest problem arising from amended filings the congressman’s campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission last week.

Read on at Mother Jones:

FEC sends letter to Santos campaign requesting answers after treasurer change

Thursday 2 February 2023 03:50 , John Bowden

The Federal Election Commission has sent a letter to the Santos campaign asking for more information on the paperwork submitted showing a new treasurer who claims he never took the job.

The Thursday letter states that Mr Santos’s campaign “may have failed to include the true, correct, or complete treasurer information” on the documents submitted on Wednesday showing that Thomas Datwyler is its new treasurer and the custodian of records.

Five separate fundraising committees received the same letter after they also sent in documents showing Mr Datwyler as their new treasurer.

The committees and the campaign have to respond before 2 March.

The FEC letter said that if they’re found to have provided a “materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation” on the documents, they could face criminal charges.

FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog

Thursday 2 February 2023 02:03 , Graeme Massie

Richard Osthoff alleges lawmaker raised $3,000 for his sick dog but disappeared with the funds.

FBI interviews veteran who says George Santos took money intended for dying dog

Thursday 2 February 2023 01:50 , John Bowden

Kevin McCarthy spoke to reporters about the fate of George Santos on Wednesday and explained further about the meeting the two had Tuesday which resulted in the New York congressman resigning from two committees.

“Santos stepping down is based upon Santos issues. I think it’s better that Santos is not on committees right now until he clears up these issues,” Mr McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol. “I had a discussion with him and he said … it would be best that he doesn’t serve on committees right now.”

According to CNN’s Manu Raju, Mr McCarthy said that he had “new questions” about Mr Santos’s long list of lies that would need to be answered before the House Ethics Committee.

“I think going through ethics will answer some others. I think until he goes through that, it would be better that he doesn’t serve on committees,” said the Speaker.

Santos family ‘dumbfounded’ after congressman claims donation from them

Wednesday 1 February 2023 23:16 , David Taintor

Relatives of George Santos tell Mother Jones they are “dumbounded” by the congressman’s claim that they donated thousands of dollars to his campaign, as was reported in FEC filings.

A family member who asked not to be identified told the magazine “It’s all news to me” and “I don’t have that money to throw around!”

Read Mother Jones’ report here.

‘Gift that keeps on giving’: George Santos’ ‘embarrassing’ karaoke account has been revealed

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:43 , Gustaf Kilander

What appears the karaoke account of scandal-ridden New York Republican Representative George Santos has been unearthed on the singing app Smule.

The account is registered under the name “georgedevolder,” according to Rolling Stone. Mr Santos’s full name is George Anthony Devolder Santos.

The profile picture shows Mr Santos wearing a bowtie and doing the “duck face,” the magazine notes.

Twitter users were quick to share their takes on the congressman’s karaoke endeavours.

Read more:

‘Gift that keeps on giving’: George Santos’ karaoke account has been revealed

WATCH: The imposter in Congress | On The Ground

Wednesday 1 February 2023 19:09 , John Bowden

George Santos made waves on the political scene of Washington D.C. by flipping New York’s 3rd congressional district seat in the November midterms, a once reliable Democratic seat. But, soon, reports emerged that many things in his résumé and the life story told to the public wasn’t all strictly true. Santos is refusing to stand aside as the controversy mounts but how long can that position hold?

The Independent’s Senior US Correspondent Richard Hall visited Long Island and Nassau county to find out the truth, trying to track down the real George Santos.

Watch here:

Why George Santos could still end up being ousted from Congress after resigning from his committees

Wednesday 1 February 2023 17:45 , John Bowden

George Santos on Tuesday announced that he would voluntarily step down from two House committees in order to “avoid drama” as he remains engulfed in a scandal resulting from his numerous lies about his background.

But that self-inflicted pariahship might not be the end of the troubles Mr Santos faces in the weeks ahead.

Read more in The Independent:

Here’s how George Santos could still be removed from office