NEW YORK (NewsNation) — A new bill introduced Thursday could make it tougher for candidates to lie about themselves on the campaign trail.
U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres released the new bill on Twitter, calling it the Stop Another Non-Truthful Office Seeker (SANTOS) ACT in reference to U.S. Rep.-elect George Santos, who admitted to lying about his heritage, career and education during his campaign.
The bill would require candidates to disclose key parts of their history under oath before taking office.
But Santos hasn’t shown any signs of stepping down, and in just a few days, he could be a sworn-in member of Congress.
Some lawmakers, like the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus on Capitol Hill, have continued to call for his resignation. Plus, Long Island prosecutors launched an investigation into the embattled Santos on Wednesday after he apologized for lying, following a New York Times investigation that brought the discrepancies to light.
Santos has admitted to lying about having Jewish ancestry, a Wall Street pedigree and a college degree. Still, he has yet to address other lingering questions — including the source of what appears to be a quickly amassed fortune despite recent financial problems, including evictions and owing thousands in back rent.
This controversy led to a protest in New York on Thursday, where people rallied against Santos, calling for him to resign. He faces fresh controversy over tweets he posted last year, saying 9/11 claimed his mother’s life but then tweeted a few months later, claiming she died in 2016.
“I listened in horror as I learned that George Santos lied about being the child of a Holocaust survivor and being Jewish. Mr. Santo’s lies are insulting and demeaning to every child of a Holocaust survivor. How do I know? Because I am a child of a Holocaust survivor,” Linda Beigel Schulman, the mother of a Marjory Douglas High School shooting victim, said.
His campaign website said his mother was in the south tower on 9/11 and died of cancer years later.
But there are reportedly no records that she died of a 9/11 illness. NBC News reported that records showed she only worked in Queens. Santos has yet to comment on this latest controversy.
While many are calling for Santos’ resignation, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on Twitter earlier in the week, saying Republicans should give Santos a chance.
“I think we Republicans should give George Santos a chance and see how he legislates and votes, not treat him the same as the left is,” Greene tweeted.
Santos posted a tweet on Wednesday, saying he looks forward to representing New York in Congress.
