After an unsuccessful run for Congress in 2020, Republican George Santos earned a seat as the Representative of New York’s 3rd Congressional District in the 2022 midterm election. A month later, The New York Times launched an investigation, claiming that Santos’ resume consisted of several lies pertaining to his background and campaign.
Following The New York Times’ original exposé of Santos in December 2022, George Santos became embroiled in several controversies pertaining to the plethora of lies he built his political career upon. Upon being indicted in May on 13 criminal charges, which included money laundering and wire fraud, the House Ethics Committee launched a report on Santos that eventually led to his expulsion from the House.
By winning the 2022 election at 34-years-old, George Santos became the first LGBTQ non-incumbent Republican to be elected to U.S. office. Santos entered office spuriously alleging to be Jewish and a descendant of Holocaust survivors, a CUNY Baruch College graduate, an alumni of the prestigious Horace Mann School, and the star of his college volleyball team. All of these claims were later proven to be entirely fabricated.
While George Santos’ decision to lie about basic parts of his identity is disreputable in itself, these dishonesties may be some of the least consequential fallacies Santos has been attributed to. The basis of the House Ethics Committees investigation alleged that Santos stole campaign donations and funds en masse for his personal usage, and merely used his congressional seat as a tool for his own financial profit.
Santos’ investigation promptly led to his expulsion from the House of Representatives, an uncommon occurrence having only been carried out five times before in U.S. history. While the move would normally lead to ejection from the public eye, Santos’ pop culture career became extremely lucrative after his expulsion. He’s become a recurring character on Saturday Night Live, agreed to an interview with comedian Ziwe, and opened a Cameo account, where he charges $500 (and counting) for customized video messages from himself.
Within days of joining Cameo, Santos has created over 45 custom videos for paying subscribers, presumably generating over $10,000 through the site. He is categorized as a “Political Commentator,” a title shared with former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin. Santos dubs himself a “Former Congressional ‘Icon!’” in his Cameo description. However, Santos’ sudden self-awareness of his comedic appeal makes his Cameo videos and other appearances in pop culture appear as a ploy tailored for further financial gain, rather than a joke about a political celebrity.
Santos’ quick transition from congressman to pop culture figure has been fascinating and at times humorous. However, his ability to use his presence in the media to fulfill his desire for money and attention represents the thin line that exists between politician and celebrity. While Santos’ future decisions will likely continue to be entertaining, it’s important to maintain an understanding of the sheer unethicality of his platform.
This article also appears in our December 2023 print edition.
