Our commentary comes from journalist Mark Chiusano, author of "The Fabulist," the saga of disgraced New York Congressman George Santos:
2023 was a season of chaos in the House of Representatives, a cartoon of what a legislative body is supposed to be. Through it all, we've had a mascot for the messiness, and his name is George Santos.
Santos is the Republican congressman from New York who made up virtually everything on his résumé: Fake Wall Street jobs, fake college credentials, fake volleyball championship. He even told tall tales about being Jewish and saving dogs, and he now stands accused of stealing money from donors.
Yet, none of this became widely known until after his election.
How did this con man get a seat in Congress? And what made him lie so promiscuously?
From the time that he was dressing in drag in Brazil, working in a dreary New York call center, or charting his political rise on Long Island, Santos was skillfully angling for more money and celebrity.
However, it was the vulnerability of America's institutions that allowed Santos to remain undetected. Many local media organizations were too overwhelmed to expose this storyteller in a timely manner. Democrats were overly confident of their victory. And Republicans simply shrugged, enabling the newcomer to secure and retain his position for cynical political and fundraising purposes.
It came as no surprise that the GOP stood by Santos for such a long time, considering that the party's leader, Donald Trump, faced no consequences for his own string of falsehoods. Santos emulated Trump's audacious behavior, capitalizing on our current political climate that rewards bravado and exaggeration.
- Rep. George Santos pleads not guilty to 13 federal charges, decries "witch hunt"
- George Santos says he won't run for reelection after scathing ethics report
- House Ethics chairman introduces resolution to expel Rep. George Santos from Congress
But the reckoning has only just begun, for both him and Trump. In the meantime, Santos' outlandish – and highly entertaining – tale serves as a reminder of the consequences when dishonesty becomes a way of life.
For more information:
- "The Fabulist: The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos" by Mark Chiusano (Atria/One Signal), in Hardcover, eBook and Audio formats, available November 28 via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org
- markchiusano.com
Story produced by Robert Marston. Editor: Lauren Barnello.
