Santos: ‘I’ve learned my lesson’

Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) in an interview on Tuesday said that he has learned his “lesson” after revelations that he fabricated numerous parts of his résumé and biography.

“I’ve learned my lesson and I can guarantee you that from now on anything, everything is always going to be aboveboard,” Santos said in an interview with Caitlin Sinclair on One America News.

“It’s largely always been aboveboard,” he continued. “I’m just gonna go the extra step now to double-check, cross-reference everything.”

Santos has come under fire over multiple misrepresentations and fabrications from his personal and professional experiences, and is now facing investigations over his personal and campaign finances. Numerous ethics complaints have also been filed against Santos based on accusations that he violated campaign finance laws.

In the interview, Santos maintained that he has “never” presented falsehoods about his personal finances. He added that he lied about his education because he believed he would be “looked down on” by other people if he did not have a diploma.

“I’ve never had to establish or present falsehoods pertaining to my own finances,” he said. “I’m the first one to say not doing that.”

Santos on Tuesday stepped down from his two committee assignments, on the Small Business Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee, in a closed-door House GOP conference meeting.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that it was an “appropriate decision” for Santos to step down from committees as he clears everything up, including going through a House Ethics Committee investigation.

McCarthy said last week that Santos would be removed from his office if the House Ethics Committee concludes that he broke campaign finance law.