NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Long Island Rep. George Santos on Thursday refuted reports that he had performed as a drag queen in Brazil, calling the allegations "categorically false."
"The most recent obsession from the media claiming that I am a drag Queen or 'performed' as a drag Queen is categorically false," the Republican tweeted. "The media continues to make outrageous claims about my life while I am working to deliver results. I will not be distracted nor fazed by this."
Santos responded after reports from Reuters and other outlets cited Brazilian drag artists who claim that he was once an active member of the country's drag community.
It's only the most recent claim made about the 34-year-old after The New York Times examined the narrative he presented to voters during his successful campaign for a congressional district that straddles the north shore suburbs of Long Island and a sliver of Queens.
Santos also denied the allegation that he stole money meant to help a dying service dog for a homeless veteran in a subsequent tweet Thursday.
"The reports that I would let a dog die is shocking & insane," he tweeted. "My work in animal advocacy was the labor of love & hard work. Over the past 24hr I have received pictures of dogs I helped rescue throughout the years along with supportive messages."
Both Democrats and Republicans have called for him to step down amid local, federal and international investigations, but House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has supported him, even adding him to two House committees this week.
Santos has so far resisted calls for his resignation and has mostly avoided commenting on other accusations, including records showing that his mother was not present at the World Trade Center on 9/11, despite assertions to the contrary on his campaign website.
Initially, the victory by Santos, the only openly gay Republican in Congress, was seen as a bright spot for the party in an otherwise underwhelming midterm election. But as reports began to emerge that Santos had lied about having Jewish ancestry, a career at top Wall Street firms and a college degree, he turned into a distraction for the party as it took control of the House.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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