Long Island Republican George Santos sworn into 118th Congress
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NEW YORK -- After several days, a House speaker was finally selected early Saturday morning, and new members were sworn in.
That includes the much talked about George Santos, of Long Island.
See live updates below for the latest.
Santos sworn into Congress as some constituents call for his resignation
Congressman George Santos is newly sworn in and in the hot seat as his constituents say he's hiding from them.
Some are calling for him to resign, and investigations to sort out his admitted lies and alleged crimes are ramping up.
Santos continues to face calls to step down while waiting to be sworn in
Wednesday was the second day on Capitol Hill for controversial Congressman-elect George Santos.
The Long Island Republican faces calls to step down after admitting to lying about his life story.
After vocalizing his vote for Congressman Kevin McCarthy as speaker, Santos appeared chummy with colleagues, a stark contrast to him sitting alone Tuesday.
Santos shunned by many voters in Queens and on Long Island
Throughout the day, hounded by reporters on Capitol Hill, including CBS2's own Marcia Kramer, incoming Rep. George Santos ignored questions about the growing calls for his resignation.
CBS2 met with local voters in Queens and on Long Island who feel betrayed.
"There is no way I would vote for him again," said Jack Mandel, a businessman and Jewish community leader.
Mandel said Santos lied to him and his neighbors at multiple living room fundraisers in Port Washington.
"The fact that he used the Holocaust as a talking point or as a fundraiser for his campaign is something that I just can't live with," Mandel said.
Last week, Santos admitted his grandparents did not flee Europe for Brazil during the Holocaust, and that he is not Jewish, but Catholic. Fabrications about his background followed him to Capitol Hill amid his swearing in representing the 3rd Congressional District, replacing Tom Suozzi, who wrote in a New York Times op ed, "A con man is succeeding me in office today. He must be removed by Congress or by prosecutors, because there is no indication that he will be moved by conscience to voluntarily resign."
Voters from both sides of the aisle converged on Santos' former campaign headquarters in Oyster Bay.
"I think it's a disgrace," one said.
"Show me the money," another said.
"We are too trusting," another added.
"He will have no safe harbor, and no quiet in this district for every day that he serves," Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan said.
Rallies began last week and voters from Queens and Nassau have pledged they will continue.
Amid a media feeding frenzy, federal and local prosecutors are investigating whether Santos committed crimes involving his finances or misleading statements, and authorities in Brazil will bring back fraud charges against him connected to a case from 2008 regarding a stolen checkbook.
Santos' attorney said he is addressing the alleged complaint as soul searching continues among political leaders.
"Anything that takes the focus off of George Santos and his fabrications and puts the blame on somebody else is a form of victim shaming. because there are a lot of victims here, including voters," said Lawrence Levy, dean of Hofstra University's Center for Suburban Studies.
Santos has promised to tell his whole story, at some point.
Prior to voting for House speaker on Tuesday, Santos was given the cold shoulder by the three other Long Island Republican congressmen: Andrew Garbarino, Nick LaLota, and Anthony D'Esposito.
Santos dodges reporters left and right in Washington
Embattled Long Island politician George Santos arrived in Washington to take the oath of office, but he faced a new threat, a formal complaint demanding a House Ethics Committee probe of his campaign.
Santos played cat and mouse with the press on Tuesday, dodging reporters at every turn.
It even prevented him from going to his new office. CBS2's Marcia Kramer went there, but the door was locked and the mail was not collected.
It's not that Santos didn't try to go to the office, but when he saw reporters staking it out, he turned tail and fled, looking over his shoulder as he talked to unidentified aides. That was at about 10 a.m.
Two hours later, he entered the Capitol, again fleeing reporters, apparently unwilling to answer questions about the latest embarrassing revelations, including the New York Times reporting that Brazilian authorities intend to reopen a 2008 stolen check case.
In any case, he wasn't a popular figure on the House floor. When he cast a vote for Kevin McCarthy to be the new House speaker, he endured a chorus of boos from Democrats.
"It's one of the highest honors that you can hold and he has no business being here. He is a fraud. He is a liar," said Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres.
Torres told CBS2 that the first thing he will do after being sworn in is to file a formal complaint with the Ethics Committee, demanding an investigation.
"I think there are going to be several grounds for complaint. There's reason to suspect fraud in general and campaign fraud, in particular. There is going to be no shortage of investigations," Torres said.
Santos' swearing in takes places under a cloud of lies and irregularities -- some he has admitted to, some that have been unanswered.
He lied about graduating from college, working for Citi Group and Goldman Sachs, and owning multiple properties. It is still unclear where he got several hundred thousand dollars he lent to the campaign.
"George Santos is a pathological liar who cannot be trusted to serve the very public that he had defrauded. He has no business being in Congress," Torres said.
Even fellow freshman Republican Congressman Mike Lawler expressed reservations.
"His conduct is obviously an embarrassment and unbecoming," said Lawler, who represents all of Rockland County and parts of Westchester County.
In addition to the ethics probe, Santos faces multiple state, local, and federal investigations.
Constituent: Santos being sworn in "is an absolute disgrace"
Eighty-two new members of the House of Representatives are being sworn in at noon. That includes the much-talked about George Santos of Long Island.
Many of the congressman-elect's constituents and other local politicians from the district he will likely represent, District 3 on Long Island, have had a lot to say.
"This district cannot and will not accept an admitted liar as our representative in the House," Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan said.
Lafazan is calling on the Ethics Committee to investigate Santos, a 34-year-old Republican who recently admitted to lying about his Jewish ancestry, working for Wall Street banks, and obtaining a college degree.
And now, authorities from Brazil will bring back fraud charges against him, connected to a case from 2008 involving a stolen checkbook.
"George Santos is now under local, state, federal and international investigations," Lafazan said. "George Santos is not a congressmen. He is a fugitive."
Many of his constituents have not been shy about their feelings, wondering how is he getting away with this.
"I love our country. I love our process and I feel that today is a sad day for all of us," Evelyna Sarles said. "It's a sad story for him, but it's even sadder for our democratic process."
"It's an absolute disgrace," said Jody Kassfinkel of Great Neck.
"He shouldn't be seated at all," added Jonathan Rudes of Woodbury.
The falsehoods apparently began years before the Republican entered politics, but experts say since voters in the district were upset about high taxes and crime, they thought a Republican could help and had their minds made up, regardless of who was going to run on the ticket.
"You had an electorate that was really primed to not look at any particular candidate. They were going out to punish Democrats and if the biproduct was rewarding Republicans, even if they didn't know much about, they were going to do that," said Lawrence Levy, Lawrence Levey executive dean of Hofstra University's National Center for Suburban Studies.
Experts also say Republicans are now understandably worried about blowback, as some are stalking about their incoming colleague.
"This is troubling in so many ways. Certainly, he has lied repeatedly. He certainly has to consider resigning. He can try to politically ride it out, or he can take the toughest road I think for every lie that he has made -- apologize to anyone and everyone," said Texas Rep. Kevin Brady.
Democrats are expected to introduce a resolution to expel Santos once he's a sitting member of Congress.
What lies ahead
Santos to be sworn in
While many politicians have been calling out what they say is a fantasy life, 34-year-old Republican George Santos is seemingly skipping no beat.
Among other elected officials, the congressman-elect of New York's 3rd District is preparing to be sworn in Tuesday. But many who live in the district are wondering how he is getting away with it.
"You can't trust him, you can't trust anything he says," one person told CBS2.
"Liar, he's no good, nothing work," another person added.
"I figure he got caught doing what a lot of other politicians are doing," said another.
Santos recently admitted to lying while campaigning about his Jewish ancestry, working for Wall Street banks and obtaining a college degree. But falsehoods apparently began years before the Republican entered politics.
Now, authorities from Brazil will bring back fraud charges against him connected to a case from 2008 involving a stolen checkbook. Also in question is his net worth, with some local lawmakers asking how it rose by millions seemingly overnight.
"What is Mr. Santos' source of newfound wealth?" asked Nassau County legislator Joshua Lafazan.
Others are questioning a loan Santos says he made to his campaign.
"The $700,000 loan nobody knows where it came from, and if that turns out to be money from someone else represented as his own, that could be a felony under election law and perhaps other statutes, as well," Kean University Provost David Birdsell said.
- Related Story: Constituents make it clear at rally they don't want Congressman-elect George Santos seated
Democrats are expected to lodge a potential complaint with the Federal Elections Commission and introduce a resolution to expel Santos once he's a sitting member of Congress. While it's unlikely Republicans will have the appetite to remove a member of their party given their narrow majority, some GOP members are speaking out.
"This is troubling in so many ways. Certainly, he has lied repeatedly, he certainly has to consider resigning. He can try to politically ride it out, or he can take the toughest road I think for every lie that he has made -- apologize to anyone and everyone," said Texas Rep. Kevin Brady.
Local politicians and constituents will be holding a rally outside his campaign office in Oyster Bay asking for him to resign.
Kramer in the capital
CBS2's Political Reporter Marcia Kramer will be in Washington, D.C. to cover the swearing in of Santos and the 118th Congress.
You can watch her reports on CBS2 and CBS News New York throughout the day.