Republican Rep. George Santos is determined to prove his Jewish heritage, according to a recent interview with CNN’s Manu Raju. Santos, who has faced controversy for lying about his education and work history, now claims that his grandparents fled the Holocaust and he is in the process of gathering proof to confirm this.
During the interview, Santos revealed that he has hired genealogists to verify his Jewish ancestry. When asked if there was documentation to support his claims, Santos explained that he has spent the last 10 months assembling the necessary evidence. However, he cited the ongoing war in Ukraine as a hindrance to his research, as his grandfather hails from the country.
Expressing his frustration, Santos questioned why his heritage was being doubted. He emphasized that he comes from a Catholic family with Jewish roots and has always been transparent about his background. However, The Forward reported in December 2022 that Santos had previously referred to himself as a “proud American Jew” in a memo sent to pro-Israel groups during his campaign. Santos later clarified to the New York Post that he never claimed to be Jewish but rather identified as “Jew-ish” due to his maternal family’s Jewish background.
During the CNN interview, Santos appeared to backtrack on his earlier statement about having proof of his Jewish ancestry when pressed for solid documentation by Raju. Santos mentioned that he is still working on obtaining the final pieces of evidence, specifically documents from Brazil, where his grandparents were born. He claimed that these documents were forged to help them blend in and escape the Holocaust.
Santos assured Raju that once he has all the necessary proof, he will allow the company he hired to submit a report to the press. Despite the controversy surrounding him, Santos has managed to survive two resolutions to expel him from Congress. However, he is also facing federal charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, credit card fraud, and identity theft.
Representatives for Santos did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
