George Santos Utters Five Words of Truth

'I've been a terrible liar,' he tells Piers Morgan
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 21, 2023 12:15 AM CST
Updated Feb 21, 2023 5:01 AM CST
George Santos: 'I've Been a Terrible Liar'
Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., leaves a House GOP conference meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 25, 2023.   (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

George Santos sat down for an interview with Piers Morgan that aired Monday night and spoke five words likely to resonate: "I've been a terrible liar." Granted, it took bit of prodding from the host, who interviewed the new congressman for his Piers Morgan Uncensored show. "I'm a terrible liar. Would you be prepared to say that?" Morgan asked, after ticking off some of Santos' well-known fabrications about work, life, and education. "Sure," Santos replied. "I've been a terrible liar on those subjects." More:

  • Why? When asked why he kept lying, Santos said it wasn't about "tricking the people," per the BBC. Instead, it was about "getting accepted by the party here locally." Santos represents a New York district that includes parts of Queens.

  • Regrets: Santos says lying about being a college graduate was "a very stupid decision that I regret every day," per the Hill. “I did not attain a college education,” Santos said at another point. "That, regrettably so, is one of my biggest regrets in life." So why lie about it? "Expectation on society, the pressure, couldn't afford it."
  • Doubling down: Santos continued to insist that his mother was in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11, per NBC New York, and that he lost grandparents in the Holocaust. No evidence has surfaced to back either claim. He also denied claiming to be Jewish, again saying he was joking and meant "Jew-ish."
  • Fallout: Santos said he also lied in his unsuccessful 2020 run for Congress and got away with it, and he didn't think people would catch on this time, either. “But to that effect, it’s embarrassing, it’s humbling to have to admit your faults as a human being.” He also remained optimistic he could eventually regain credibility. "I understand, and look, that’s a position I’ve put myself in, right," he said. "My credibility is what I’m gonna have a hard time and a long road to recover, and I stand clear and I stand certain that I’ll be able to do that."
(More George Santos stories.)

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