Congressman accused of lying calls himself ‘Jew-ish.’ Critics say ‘he deceived us’

Incoming New York Congressman George Santos recently said that he was “Jew-ish,” not Jewish amid an attempt to walk back a slew of what he calls “embellished” statements. Some critics were not swayed.

In an interview with the New York Post, Santos, a 34-year-old Republican representative-elect from Long Island, responded to allegations that he had repeatedly lied about his life and his qualifications while on the campaign trail.

“I never claimed to be Jewish,” Santos told the New York Post. “I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background I said I was ‘Jew-ish.’”

When asked about his “Jewish story” in a November interview with the Jewish News Syndicate, Santos responded, “As I always joke, I’m Jewish,” while adding that he was raised Roman Catholic.

A spokesperson for Santos did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

However, records from his campaign and responses from critics show that he had previously appeared to wholeheartedly embrace a Jewish identity.

Santos referred to himself as “a proud American Jew” in newly discovered campaign documents, according to the Forward, an online Jewish news outlet.

His campaign website also stated that his “grandparents fled Jewish persecution in Ukraine,” though an investigation by the Forward found that genealogy records showed both of his maternal grandparents were born in Brazil.

“We are very disappointed in Congressman-elect Santos. He deceived us and misrepresented his heritage,” the Republican Jewish Coalition said in a statement on Dec. 27. “In public comments and to us personally he previously claimed to be Jewish. He has begun his tenure in Congress on a very wrong note. He will not be welcome at any future RJC event.”

Santos’ “Jew-ish” comment also sparked a backlash online from prominent Jewish Americans.

“This Santos ‘Jew-ish’ thing is just unbelievable,” Michelle Boorstein, a religion reporter for The Washington Post tweeted. “We’ve really gone through the Looking Glass in terms of the level of lying political figures think is cool.”

Robert Zimmerman, the Democratic candidate who lost to Santos in the November election, tweeted, “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.”

However, not all critics were as perturbed by Santos’ purportedly inaccurate claims.

A spokesperson for the Brandeis Center, a nonprofit that advocates for the civil rights of Jewish people, was not overly concerned about Santos’ comments.

“All things considered, I am less concerned about members of Congress being fake Jews than real anti-Semites,” Kenneth Marcus, the organization’s chairman and founder, told McClatchy News over email.

In addition to his misleading claims about his religious background, Santos also appears to have made false statements about other key aspects of his life, according to a New York Times investigation. Assertions about his education and career seem to be largely fabricated, according to multiples news outlets. Charges of check fraud in Brazil have also come to light.

Santos told the New York Post he was embarrassed for “embellishing” his resume, adding “We do stupid things in life.”

This story was originally published December 27, 2022 at 10:57 AM with the headline "Congressman accused of lying calls himself ‘Jew-ish.’ Critics say ‘he deceived us’."