Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) attacked Rep. Elect George Santos (RN.Y.) for his embellishments and fabrications about his background, asking him outright, “Have you no shame?”
“Now if I were one of those in New York’s 3rd district, now that the election is over, and I discover all these lies that you have told, not just a little lie or a little embellishment – these are blatant lies – my question is, aren’t you ashamed?” Gabbard asked as he filled in for Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview with Santos on Tuesday night. “Have you no shame? And the people who are now, are you asking to trust you to be their voice for them, their families, and their children in Washington?
“Tulsi, I can say the same about the Democrats,” Santos replied. “Look at Joe Biden. Joe Biden has been lying to the American people for 40 years. He is the president of the United States. Democrats firmly support him. Aren’t they ashamed?”
Gabbard stepped in and said her question was not about the Democrats.
Santos has risen from days of silence after reports from The New York Times and other media outlets this month exposed misrepresentations, fabrications and lies about his personal background.
In several interviews with the New York Post and elsewhere this week, Santos has admitted to “beautifying” his resume, saying, among other things, that he didn’t graduate from college and that he didn’t work directly for financial giants Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. worked.
Santos says a poor choice of words led to confusion about his work history, insisting that he did business with both companies and helped make “capital raises” through “limited partnerships”. He relayed some of that explanation in the interview with Gabbard.
He has also come under fire for it represent themselves as an “American Jew” and said his maternal grandparents had fled Europe during World War II, even though there are reports that those grandparents were born in Brazil before the war.
Gabbard pressed Santos on those points.
“My ancestry is Jewish. I have always identified as Jewish. I was raised a practicing Catholic,” Santos said. “I was not brought up practicing Jewish, and have always joked around with friends and circles, even within the campaign, I would say guys, I am ‘Jewish’. Don’t forget I was raised Catholic.”
“So look, I understand everyone wants to nitpick at me. I’m going to put this at ease once and for all. I am not a facade. I’m not a character. I have an extensive career that I have worked very hard for. And I’m going to live up to my experience because I remain committed to delivering results for the American people,” Santos said.
Gabbard later ended the interview with harsh words for the 34-year-old incoming congressman.
“Congressman Santos, we’ve given you a lot of time. I think the time owed to the people of New York’s is 3rd. It’s hard to imagine how they could trust your explanation if you’re not even willing to admit to them the depth of your deception,” Gabbard said.
Gabbard is the second former Democratic congressman to interview Santos this week. He also spoke this week with former Representative Anthony Weiner (DN.Y.), who resigned in 2011 after revealing sexually explicit messages he sent to a minor, on WABC radio.
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