Incoming House Republican Urges George Santos Investigation: 'Required'

An incoming Republican congressman turned on Representative-elect George Santos after he admitted to "embellishing" parts of his resume.

Santos, a New York Republican whose election was seen as a rare victory in an otherwise underwhelming midterm for the GOP, has faced mounting scrutiny after The New York Times alleged he misled constituents about his past experience.

The report found that he neither graduated from Baruch College nor worked at finance companies Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, despite previous claims.

Santos on Monday confirmed to the New York Post that the Times' reporting was correct, though he downplayed the scandal and insisted he would still be an effective legislator—sparking calls for him to step down from Democrats.

Now, some Republicans are seeking to distance themselves from Santos.

Representative-elect Nick LaLota, who will represent a nearby Long Island congressional district when he is sworn in next month, called on the House Ethics Committee to probe Santos in a statement released Tuesday afternoon—saying a law enforcement investigation may also be necessary.

"As a Navy man who campaigned on restoring accountability and integrity to our government, I believe an investigation by the House Ethics Committee and, if necessary, law enforcement, is required," LaLota said. "New Yorkers deserve the truth and House Republicans deserve an opportunity to govern without this distraction."

LaLota added that he has heard from "countless Long Islanders" who are "deeply troubled" by Santos' false claims.

Representative Anthony D'Esposito, another Republican who flipped a Democratic-held Long Island congressional seat, also released a statement condemning Santos but did not say whether he should face investigation.

"While Santos has taken a required first step by 'coming clean' with respect to his education, work experience, and other issues, he must continue to pursue a path of honesty," D'Esposito said in the statement.

Santos was elected last month, flipping New York's 3rd Congressional District, currently held by Democratic Representative Tom Suozzi. He defeated Democrat Robert Zimmerman by more than 7 points in a district easily carried by President Joe Biden in 2020.

Could George Santos Face Criminal Charges?

In his interview with the Post, Santos insisted that he "is not a criminal," saying: "My sins here are embellishing my resume. I'm sorry." However, former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade told MSNBC that he could potentially face charges including wire fraud.

"He—not just embellished but—outright lied on his resume to attract not only voters, but donors," McQuade said. "That could be a scheme or artifice to defraud by which he used wire transmissions, a website."

Santos also admitted that he does not own 13 properties in New York and previously owed thousands of dollars in unpaid rent to his landlord. However, he denied being a criminal after the Times reported that he was previously charged with fraud in New York for writing checks with a stolen checkbook.

Democrats have said he should not take his oath to serve in the House due to the claims. Representative Ted Lieu, of California, tweeted: "GOP Congressman-elect George Santos, who has now admitted his whopping lies, should resign. If he does not, then @GOPLeader should call for a vote to expel @Santos4Congress."

Zimmerman, the Democrat Santos defeated in November, challenged Santos to a rematch on Tuesday.

"George, if that's even your real name, if you're so convinced that #NY3 voters still trust you—resign & run against me again in a special election. Face the voters with your real past & answer questions about your criminal history. Let the voters decide," he tweeted.

Newsweek reached out to Santos' campaign for comment.