George Santos Breaks Silence on Drag Queen Claims

Controversial House Republican George Santos said reports that he used to perform as an amateur drag queen in Brazil, using the name Kitara Revache, are "categorically false."

Santos issued the denial on Twitter after the allegation was first made on Wednesday by MSNBC columnist Marisa Kabas.

"The most recent obsession from the media claiming that I am a drag Queen or 'performed' as a drag Queen is categorically false," Santos wrote. "The media continues to make outrageous claims about my life while I am working to deliver results. I will not be distracted nor fazed by this."

Kabas said she had spoken with a drag queen who used to be "friends" with Santos and tweeted a blurry photograph purporting to show them with Santos above the name "Kitara Revache."

She tweeted: "I just spoke by phone with Eula Rochard, a Brazilian drag queen who was friends with George Santos when he lived near Rio. She said everyone knew him as Anthony (*never* George), or by his drag name, Kitara, and confirms this photo is from a 2008 drag show at Icaraí Beach."

Kabas said she had interviewed Rochard with a Brazilian friend acting as interpreter.

"Eula says she met Santos when he was 16 or 17 years old and became friends because they were both gay and enjoyed drag," she wrote. "Eula saw a story about Santos on Brazilian news and was sure it was him. She shared the news with a group of friends and everyone doubted her. So she looked for an old picture to confirm, and she decided to post it to social media to prove to her friends that she was right."

Newsweek has not been able to verify whether any of the photographs Rochard posted on social media are of Santos.

Santos was elected in November to represent New York's third congressional district, which he flipped in a victory that helped the Republicans take control of the House.

However, it later emerged that much of Santos's resume, including parts of his family background, education and employment history, had been fabricated.

In response, key figures from the Nassau County Republican Committee, which covers much of New York's third congressional district, called on Santos to resign, with the chair claiming he had "disgraced the House of Representatives."

Later that same day Santos took to Twitter to insist he will not be standing down.

He wrote: "I was elected to serve the people of #NY03 not the party & politicians, I remain committed to doing that and regret to hear that local officials refuse to work with my office to deliver results to keep our community safe and lower the cost of living. I will NOT resign!"

Newsweek reached out to Santos for comment.