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When George Santos mentioned his family during his campaign for Congress, the New York Republican often reflected on the work ethic and strength of his mother, Fátima Devolder, and how she survived the 9/11 terrorist attacks of September 2001 at the World Trade Center, where she was working that day.
But as the elected representative has come under increasing pressure to explain himself after it was revealed he lied about his business experience, education and family background, Santos now faces questions about what appear to be conflicting accounts of the death of his mother
In two 2021 tweets from Santos that were first reported by reporter Yashar Ali late Wednesday, the Republican suggests Devolder died at different times. In July 2021, Santos responded to a Twitter account called “9/11 was a victimless crime”.
“9/11 claimed my mom’s life… so I’m blocking so I never have to read it again,” Santos wrote.
9/11 claimed my mother’s life… so I’m blocking so I never have to read this again.
— George Santos (@Santos4Congress) July 13, 2021
In December 2021, Santos tweeted to reflect on the fifth anniversary of his mother’s death in 2016.
“December 23rd this year marks 5 years since I lost my best friend and mentor,” he wrote. “Mom, you will live forever in my heart.”
December 23rd of this year marks 5 years since I lost my best friend and mentor. Mom, you will live forever in my heart.
— George Santos (@Santos4Congress) December 23, 2021
On his campaign website, the Santos team acknowledged that while “George’s mother was in her office in the South Tower on September 11, 2001, when the horrific events of that day,” she was not among the more than 2,700 people killed worldwide. Trade Center.
“He survived the tragic events of 9/11, but died a few years later when he lost his battle with cancer,” the campaign’s website says.
A brief obituary for Devolder confirmed that he died on December 23, 2016, a day after celebrating his 54th birthday. The obituary incorrectly says he was 64.
While many first responders and people around Ground Zero later developed health problems, including cancer, from exposure to the polluted air, critics were quick to draw attention to the latest inconsistency of Santos’ personal history, as well as pointing out that 15 years was more. than “a few years later”.
“This guy must be an operative,” Ali tweeted. “Oh my god.”
The Santos campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Thursday.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly (D) announced Wednesday that she was opening an investigation into Santos because of “the numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated” with him that “are nothing short of amazing.”
The attention on the Republican followed an explosive New York Times story on Dec. 19 that detailed the repeated lies Santos has told about his background. Among the issues that have been called into question are whether he ever worked at Goldman Sachs or Citigroup, which said they have no record of his employment; whether he attended the prep school he claimed to have attended; and whether he graduated from college.
Santos also pushed an unsupported claim that four of his employees were killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando in 2016. Santos later told WABC that the four people were “going to work” at his company. And despite previous public comments about being of Jewish heritage, he later told the New York Post that he never claimed to be Jewish. Instead, he said he referred to himself as a “Jew.”
The George Santos Deception Scale and the Remaining Questions
Even after acknowledging in interviews this week, including a controversial segment with former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Fox News, what she described as “resume embellishment,” Santos said it’s not a criminal and who intends to serve in Congress.
Santos was seen as an unlikely Republican success story in November when he won an open congressional seat on Long Island held by a Democrat. The victory pushed Santos into uncharted territory for the GOP, becoming the first non-incumbent Republican who is an openly gay Republican to be elected to Congress.
But when the Times story broke last week, Santos faced immediate calls for him not to sit in the new Congress on Jan. 3. Although he is likely to settle, Santos could still face ethics and other investigations. The House could also expel him if two-thirds of the members agree to do so.
Born on Dec. 22, 1962, in Rio de Janeiro, Santos’ mother immigrated with her family to the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens and “gave up everything to support George and his family,” according to the website of the Santos campaign. Devolder was described by the Times as having worked as a housekeeper.
“George’s drive, commitment and determination were inspired by the legacy established and left by his mother,” the campaign website says. “She delivered the American dream to George, a debt she wants to repay to the rest of her neighbors and constituents.”
As of 2021, at least 4,627 responders and survivors enrolled in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s World Trade Center Health Program had died. Although not all deaths can be attributed to illnesses related to ground zero exposure, researchers have identified more than 60 types. of cancer, as well as approximately two dozen diseases linked to ground zero exposure, according to Scientific American.
After Santos’ latest tweets about Devolder’s death resurfaced, the representative-elect faced fresh criticism from Democrats. Among them was Rep. Ritchie Torres (DN.Y.), who tweeted a list of the inventions Santos has been linked to in recent days.
“Am I missing something?” Torres asked.
George Santos posed as a gay Brazilian Catholic Ukrainian Afro-Latino whose mother died on 9/11, whose ancestors survived the Holocaust, whose employees died in the Pulse club mass shooting and whose net worth increased by millions overnight.
Am I missing something?
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) December 29, 2022
Azi Paybarah and Aaron Blake contributed to this report.