“ ‘Do you have no shame?’ ”
That’s the central question Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic U.S. representative from Hawaii and onetime presidential candidate, had for George Santos, an increasingly controversial Republican congressman-elect from New York.
Santos has been in the hot seat since it was discovered he lied about several details of his past, including his education and where he worked.
In an interview on Fox News that aired Tuesday night when Gabbard was filling in for Fox personality Tucker Carlson, Gabbard summarized the situation: “If I were one of those in New York’s 3rd District right now, now that the election is over, and I’m finding out all of these lies that you’ve told, not just one little lie or one little embellishment — these are blatant lies — my question is, do you have no shame?”
Santos responded with a contention that the Democrats — and President Joe Biden, in particular — were no better when it comes to telling the truth. “Joe Biden,” Santos claimed, without providing an example or evidence, “has been lying to the American people for 40 years. He’s the president of the United States. Democrats resoundingly support him. Do they have no shame?”
Gabbard pressed the issue by asking about claims that Santos’s campaign made about him being Jewish — specifically, a statement from him that read, “As a proud American Jew, I have been to Israel numerous times for education, business and leisurely trips.”
Santos responded by saying that, although he was raised as a practicing Catholic, he has Jewish heritage. “I’m Jew-ish,” he said.
See: Republican congressman-elect George Santos admits to lying about his biography, saying he only claimed to be Jew-ish and not Jewish
And: Yes, top House Republicans knew of George Santos’s lies before his election in November
Ultimately, Santos, who has said he has no intention of resigning, sought to place emphasis on a commitment to deliver for his district. “I understand everyone wants to nitpick at me,” he told Gabbard. “I’m not a façade, I’m not a persona. … I remain committed in delivering results for the American people. I campaigned on inflation, I campaigned on crime, I campaigned on education.”
Gabbard persisted, however, saying Santos doesn’t “really seem to be taking [the situation] seriously. … A lie is not an embellishment on a résumé.”