George Santos faces questions for saying 9/11 ‘claimed my mother’s life’ - The Washington Post

In 2 2021 tweets from Santos that were archetypal reported by writer Yashar Ali precocious Wednesday, the Republican suggests that Devolder died astatine antithetic times. In July 2021, Santos replied to a Twitter relationship named “9/11 was a victimless crime.”

“9/11 claimed my mothers beingness … truthful I’m blocking truthful I don’t ever person to work this again,” Santos wrote.

In December 2021, Santos tweeted to bespeak connected the 5th day of his mother’s decease successful 2016.

“December 23rd this twelvemonth marks 5 years I mislaid my champion person and mentor,” helium wrote. “Mom you volition unrecorded everlastingly successful my heart.”

On his campaign website, Santos’s squad acknowledged that portion “George’s parent was successful her bureau successful the South Tower connected September 11, 2001, erstwhile the horrific events of that time unfolded,” she was not among the much than 2,700 radical killed astatine the World Trade Center.

“She survived the tragic events connected September 11th, but she passed distant a fewer years aboriginal erstwhile she mislaid her conflict to cancer,” the run website reads.

A abbreviated obituary for Devolder confirmed that she died connected Dec. 23, 2016, 1 time aft she celebrated her 54th birthday. The obituary incorrectly states that she was 64.

While galore archetypal responders and radical astir Ground Zero aboriginal developed wellness problems, including cancer, due to the fact that of vulnerability to the contaminated air, critics were speedy to gully attraction to the latest inconsistency successful Santos’s idiosyncratic story, arsenic good arsenic constituent retired that 15 years was much than “a fewer years later.”

“This feline has to beryllium an op,” Ali tweeted. “My god.”

Santos’s run did not instantly respond to a petition for remark aboriginal Thursday.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly (R) connected Wednesday announced that she was opening an investigation into Santos for “the galore fabrications and inconsistencies associated” with him that “are thing abbreviated of stunning.”

The attention on the Republican followed an explosive New York Times story connected Dec. 19 that elaborate the repeated lies Santos has told astir his background. Among the topics that person been called into question are whether helium ever worked astatine Goldman Sachs oregon Citigroup, some of which said they person nary grounds of his employment; whether helium attended the prep schoolhouse helium claimed to person gone to; and whether helium graduated from college.

Santos besides pushed an unsupported assertion that 4 of his employees were killed successful the Pulse nightclub shooting successful Orlando successful 2016. Santos aboriginal said to WABC that the 4 radical “were going to beryllium coming to work” astatine his company. And contempt erstwhile public comments astir being of Jewish heritage, helium aboriginal told the New York Post that helium ne'er claimed to beryllium Jewish. Instead, helium said helium referred to himself arsenic “Jew-ish.”

Even aft helium acknowledged successful interviews this week — including a contentious conception with erstwhile congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard connected Fox News — what helium described arsenic “résumé embellishment,” Santos said that he’s not a transgression and intends to service successful Congress.

Santos was viewed arsenic an improbable Republican occurrence communicative successful November erstwhile helium won an unfastened legislature spot connected Long Island held by a Democrat. The triumph thrust Santos into uncharted territory for the GOP, becoming the archetypal non-incumbent who is an openly cheery Republican to beryllium elected to Congress.

But erstwhile the Times communicative came retired past week, Santos faced contiguous calls for him not to beryllium seated successful the caller Congress connected Jan. 3. While it is apt helium volition beryllium seated, Santos inactive could look morals and different investigations. The House besides could expel him if two-thirds of members hold to bash so.

Santos’s parent was calved connected Dec. 22, 1962, successful Rio de Janeiro, and immigrated with her household to the Jackson Heights vicinity of Queens and “gave up everything to supply for George and her family,” according to the Santos campaign’s website. Devolder was described by the Times arsenic having worked arsenic a housekeeper.

“George’s drive, committedness and determination were inspired by the bequest acceptable and near by his mother,” the run website reads. “She delivered the American Dream to George, a indebtedness that helium wants to repay to the remainder of his neighbors and constituents.”

As of 2021, astatine slightest 4,627 responders and survivors who enrolled successful the World Trade Center Health Program from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had died. While not each of the deaths tin beryllium attributed to illnesses linked to Ground Zero exposures, researchers person identified much than 60 types of crab arsenic good arsenic astir 2 twelve different ailments linked to Ground Zero exposures, according to Scientific American.

After the past tweets from Santos astir Devolder’s decease resurfaced, the representative-elect was faced with caller disapproval from Democrats. Among them was Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), who tweeted a database of the fabrications to which Santos has been linked successful caller days.

“Am I missing anything?” Torres asked.

Azi Paybarah and Aaron Blake contributed to this report.