WEBVTT - Introducing - Deep Cover: George Santos

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, I'm Jake Calbern and I'm in your feed with

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<v Speaker 1>a preview of my podcast, deep Cover George Santos. It's

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<v Speaker 1>all about the former Republican congressman from New York who

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<v Speaker 1>told a lot of stories about his life and his credentials,

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<v Speaker 1>many of which turns out were not true. But how

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<v Speaker 1>deep do his lives go? If you enjoy this preview,

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<v Speaker 1>you can find deep Cover George Santos wherever you listen

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<v Speaker 1>to podcasts. Okay, so how are you going to start this?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I'm really excited. This is kind of new for us.

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<v Speaker 1>Absolutely a little role reversal. Amy Gains McQuaid is my producer.

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<v Speaker 1>She's worked on the past four seasons of deep Cover.

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<v Speaker 1>It may not have heard Amy's voice, but in effect

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<v Speaker 1>you did, because when we do a season of deep Cover,

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<v Speaker 1>Amy's the one that reads through all thousand pages of

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<v Speaker 1>the court transcript and knows every last detail. She's the

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<v Speaker 1>one who helps me track down sources and we through

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<v Speaker 1>hours of interviews to make the episodes that you've heard.

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<v Speaker 1>So while we're hard at work on the next season

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<v Speaker 1>of deep Cover, we have a special mini series for

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<v Speaker 1>you in a brand new format, about a year ago.

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<v Speaker 1>Amy comes to me and says, look, there's this story

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<v Speaker 1>I really want to report, A story that took place

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<v Speaker 1>in fact where Amy had grown up, A story about

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<v Speaker 1>a man who may just be one of the greatest

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<v Speaker 1>liars of all time, which got my attention because it

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<v Speaker 1>sounded an awful lot like a deep cover story unfolding

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<v Speaker 1>in real time.

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<v Speaker 2>George Anthony de Volder Santos, Oh.

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<v Speaker 3>Good morning, chabatchallme to everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>This is him speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition in

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<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty two.

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<v Speaker 4>I'm a first generation born American, like many in our

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<v Speaker 4>great nation. My parents came to this country in search

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<v Speaker 4>of the American dream.

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<v Speaker 2>Today he ran for Congress to represent New York's third

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<v Speaker 2>District on Long Island, which is where I grew up,

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<v Speaker 2>and a huge part of his message was this that

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<v Speaker 2>he was the embodiment of the American dream. And that

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<v Speaker 2>message worked because he won.

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<v Speaker 4>Only in this country can the little boy born in

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<v Speaker 4>a basement apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens in New York

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<v Speaker 4>City become a United States Congressman at thirty four?

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<v Speaker 2>Okay?

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<v Speaker 1>Interesting, So I know there's a lot more that he

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<v Speaker 1>said on the campaign trail, but can you just give

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<v Speaker 1>me the recap.

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<v Speaker 2>So the version of George Santos that he sold on

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<v Speaker 2>the campaign trail was that George Stantos was a successful

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<v Speaker 2>businessman working in the financial industry. He claimed that he'd

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<v Speaker 2>worked for Goldman, Sachs and City Group. He claimed that

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<v Speaker 2>he had gone to college at Baruch and NYU. He

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<v Speaker 2>had also told some stories about his personal life.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm very proud of my Jewish heritage. I'm very proud

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<v Speaker 3>of my grandparents'.

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<v Speaker 2>Story, claiming Jewish heritage, and said that some of his

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<v Speaker 2>family members had survived the Holocaust. Here he is speaking

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<v Speaker 2>to a reporter for a Jewish news service.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm so proud to be able to keep our family

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<v Speaker 3>going forward and showing that not only did we survive,

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<v Speaker 3>but now I'm able to go advocate and fight for

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<v Speaker 3>other Jewish people all across my district.

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<v Speaker 2>So the story that he told was an inspiring one.

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<v Speaker 2>Here he was the son of Brazilian immigrants who had

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<v Speaker 2>built this impressive life for himself, living in New York

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<v Speaker 2>City as an openly gay man working on Wall Street,

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<v Speaker 2>getting into politics, and it seemed like this moment when

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<v Speaker 2>he won would just be the cherry on top. He

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<v Speaker 2>was going to be a congressman.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean it's inspiring. I'm kind of inspired hearing it.

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<v Speaker 2>But in the coming weeks and months, another narrative would

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<v Speaker 2>start to emerge, a different version of George Santos, one

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<v Speaker 2>that was far more alarming. And if it were true,

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<v Speaker 2>then this was a man who lied, cheated, and stole

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<v Speaker 2>from people who trusted him. Basically one man with two faces,

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<v Speaker 2>and it left a lot of people, including myself, wondering

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<v Speaker 2>who is the real George Santos. I think the thing

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<v Speaker 2>that a lot of people might remember is the New

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<v Speaker 2>York Times story that broke in December of twenty twenty two,

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<v Speaker 2>because it was pretty explosive.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I remember that headline.

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<v Speaker 2>The story revealed that Santos had essentially fabricated a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of information on his resume. But through my reporting, I've

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<v Speaker 2>been finding that that story was really just the beginning.

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<v Speaker 2>So George Santos is actually scheduled to go to trial

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<v Speaker 2>in just a few weeks in September. He's facing a

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<v Speaker 2>whole bunch of charges, wirefraud, money laundering, falsifying records, identity theft,

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<v Speaker 2>a whole bunch. I've been talking with lots of people

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<v Speaker 2>to essentially try and figure out how did George Santos

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<v Speaker 2>go from lies about where he went to school and

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<v Speaker 2>where he worked, to allegations of serious federal crimes, crimes

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<v Speaker 2>that could land him in prison for roughly two decades,

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<v Speaker 2>and just how deep do his lives go. This is

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<v Speaker 2>deep Cover George Santos Episode one, the campaign. Jake, I

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<v Speaker 2>want to go back in time to that moment when

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<v Speaker 2>the New York Times story broke, because that's when the

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<v Speaker 2>cracks in Santos's facade really start to show. Okay, So

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<v Speaker 2>two journalists at the New York Times, their names are

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<v Speaker 2>Grace Ashford and Michael Gold. They come out with this

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<v Speaker 2>massive story. It's called who is Rep. Elect George Santos?

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<v Speaker 2>His resume may be largely fiction. The headline from this

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<v Speaker 2>story is really, maybe this guy isn't who he claimed

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<v Speaker 2>to be? And that for me was a moment where

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<v Speaker 2>I heard from basically everyone in my life who knew

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<v Speaker 2>I was from Long Island and knew that I worked

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<v Speaker 2>on stories like this, and just you know, asking me,

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<v Speaker 2>what the fuck what happened here? Who is this guy?

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<v Speaker 2>And how did he get elected? He's you know, living

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<v Speaker 2>this double life essentially, who he says he is in public,

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<v Speaker 2>but who he actually is in private? And one person

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<v Speaker 2>who is in the center of this mess was George

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<v Speaker 2>Santos's communications director. Her name is Nasa Woomer. Do you

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<v Speaker 2>remember where you were when the New York Times story broke? Oh?

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<v Speaker 2>I do? I know exactly where.

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<v Speaker 4>I was.

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<v Speaker 5>Actually coming out of the Starbucks and it broke, and

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<v Speaker 5>I was heading into our office right by the State House.

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<v Speaker 2>And the time here is really interesting because she actually

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<v Speaker 2>accepted the job right before the New York Times story broke.

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<v Speaker 2>Everyone is sending like, Nissa, have you seen this?

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<v Speaker 6>Oh?

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<v Speaker 5>My god, is this the guy you're working for? My

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<v Speaker 5>stomach had dropped and I thought, what the well. I

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<v Speaker 5>don't want to say the F bomb, but that's what

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<v Speaker 5>I'm thinking.

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<v Speaker 1>At this point, Like how many days on the job

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<v Speaker 1>is she?

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<v Speaker 2>By the way, so Nasa hasn't actually started working for

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<v Speaker 2>Santos in that moment. She's still working in Boston for

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<v Speaker 2>the Republican administration there, so she's not actually even in

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<v Speaker 2>touch with George Santos, but she did hear through the

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<v Speaker 2>grape vine through some staffer that a story about Santos

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<v Speaker 2>would be coming.

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<v Speaker 5>I already knew there was going to be a hit piece.

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<v Speaker 5>But my understanding was that this was just going to

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<v Speaker 5>be We thought it was going to be a traditional

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<v Speaker 5>hit piece of conservative Republican Flip's Democrat seat.

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<v Speaker 2>But of course that was not the New York Times

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<v Speaker 2>story at all. The New York Times story made clear

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<v Speaker 2>that a lot of the stories that George Santos had

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<v Speaker 2>told on the campaign trail were at best inaccurate, at

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<v Speaker 2>worst entirely fabricated. And so after the story publishes, Santos

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<v Speaker 2>comes out with this statement through his attorney that says, quote,

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<v Speaker 2>it's no surprise that Congressmen Elect Santos has enemies at

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<v Speaker 2>the New York Times who are attempting to smear his

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<v Speaker 2>good name with these defamatory allegations.

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<v Speaker 5>I even spoke with the chief of staff and he

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<v Speaker 5>said he's speaking with his lawyers.

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<v Speaker 2>They're going to handle it.

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<v Speaker 5>And I just said, okay, well, like they need to

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<v Speaker 5>handle it immediately, because you know, this is this is

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<v Speaker 5>really bad.

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<v Speaker 1>And is Santo's freaking out at this point.

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<v Speaker 2>So I can't vouch for how Santos was feeling because

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<v Speaker 2>I have not spoken with him directly. We've tried, yes, yes,

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<v Speaker 2>we've reached out to him for comment. So far he's

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<v Speaker 2>declined those requests. But Santos appears you have been attempting

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<v Speaker 2>some damage control. He's not giving a ton of interviews,

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<v Speaker 2>but he does grant one to Fox News and it's

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<v Speaker 2>a guest anchor. So it is Tulsi Gabbard conducting the interview.

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<v Speaker 2>First question I really want to ask you now that

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<v Speaker 2>all this has been revealed, is what does the word

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<v Speaker 2>integrity mean to you?

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<v Speaker 4>Well, Tulsi, thank you for having me, you know, to

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<v Speaker 4>answer your question. Integrity is very important, and Bellisi, what

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<v Speaker 4>does it mean?

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<v Speaker 6>Though?

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<v Speaker 2>What does it mean? Because the meaning of the word

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<v Speaker 2>actually matters in practice.

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<v Speaker 4>Of course, it means to carry yourself in an honorable way.

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<v Speaker 4>And I made a mistake, and I think humans are

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<v Speaker 4>flawed and we all make mistakes.

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<v Speaker 1>Tulsi, this is Fox News, and he's a Republican and

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<v Speaker 1>he's getting very hostile treatment here. So, I mean, lord

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<v Speaker 1>knows what would happen if he had gone on MSNBC

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<v Speaker 1>or even CNN. I'm wondering how is this playing out

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<v Speaker 1>with his constituents?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean I remember the reaction was pretty swift.

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<v Speaker 6>George Chantos's campaign last year was a campaign of decee

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<v Speaker 6>wise fabrication. He deceived the voters of the third Congressional District.

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<v Speaker 2>That's Joe Cairo, the head of the Republican Party in

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<v Speaker 2>Nasa County. This is from a press conference they held

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<v Speaker 2>where he, along with other New York Republicans, actually asked

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<v Speaker 2>for Santos' resignation.

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<v Speaker 7>There's absolutely no way mister Santos can be an effective

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<v Speaker 7>member of Congress and represent the people who elected him.

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<v Speaker 1>One of the questions I have is, like, talk to

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<v Speaker 1>me about this district that elects him.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>So Santos ran in New York's third Congressional District, which,

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<v Speaker 2>if you've ever looked at a political map, you know

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<v Speaker 2>these districts get drawn in a kind of crazy, nonsensical way.

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<v Speaker 2>When you look at the district itself, it holds part

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<v Speaker 2>of Nasa County, which is where I grew up, and

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<v Speaker 2>specifically in my neighborhood. I can say it's a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of working class folks, so people who commute into New

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<v Speaker 2>York City every day, cops, firefighters, teachers. It also includes

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<v Speaker 2>the north shore of Long Island, which is like Gatsbey Country.

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<v Speaker 2>There's lots of big houses and old money and over

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<v Speaker 2>the years, the district has changed, the lines have been redrawn,

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<v Speaker 2>but by the time that Santos was running, the district

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<v Speaker 2>included a little sliver of Queens, which is actually where

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<v Speaker 2>Santos grew up.

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<v Speaker 1>It's funny because when you describe it, I totally almost

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<v Speaker 1>get why he would have to be a guy, that

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<v Speaker 1>would be a chameleon, that would have to be able

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<v Speaker 1>to play a lot of different parts, because his constituency

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<v Speaker 1>is just like a crazy cross section of America.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and I think when George Santos is running for office,

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<v Speaker 2>he is building the narrative around himself that he started

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<v Speaker 2>from nothing and built himself into a successful businessman in

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<v Speaker 2>the financial industry. So he claims that he was working

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<v Speaker 2>for Goldman Sachs, he claims that he was working for

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<v Speaker 2>City Group.

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<v Speaker 1>None of these things are true. None of that is

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<v Speaker 1>a crime, that's true.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's around the same moment in time that new

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<v Speaker 2>reports are emerging that Santos is being investigated for actual

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<v Speaker 2>crimes he may have committed.

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<v Speaker 8>The Republican District Attorney of Nassau County says she's looking

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<v Speaker 8>into whether any of those fabrications amounted to crimes and

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<v Speaker 8>federal Prosecutors are also looking into Santos's financial disclosures. Stunning

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<v Speaker 8>revelations and questions about his personal and professional life continue

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<v Speaker 8>to come to light, including new questions about the money

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<v Speaker 8>he spent on his campaign.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll be right back