Santos’ claim about his mother and 9/11 faces scrutiny amid his other lies

CNN
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Another story is being questioned as Congressman-elect George Santos continues to face scrutiny over false claims New York Republicans have made about his biography: His mother was born in 2001. Was at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. Role in her death.

In particular, two tweets sent from Santos’ account in 2021 and first reported by journalist Yashar Ali on Wednesday cast doubt on the veracity of the story.

In a July 2021 tweet, Santos said, “9/11 took my mom’s life.” But a few months later, he reflected on his 2016 marking his fifth anniversary since his mother’s death.

Santos’ campaign website also mentions the story, but claims his mother survived the attack and died of cancer “years later.”

“On September 11, 2001, George’s mother was in her office in the South Tower when the horrific events of that day were revealed. Although she survived the tragic events of September 11, , died a few years later after losing a battle with cancer,” the website said.

In a December 17, 2021 radio interview on “The Voice of Reason with Andy Hooser,” Santos said his mother was “caught in an ash cloud” on 9/11 and didn’t sign up to receive financial relief. I was. She didn’t want to take money from her first responders.

“She was in the South Tower and managed to escape. She was caught in an ash cloud. My mother battled cancer until she died,” Santos said.

“Her motto is, ‘I can afford it. You take it away from these men and women who are putting themselves in danger.

It’s unclear if Santos’ mother, Fatima ACH Deboulder, was at the World Trade Center on 9/11, as he claims. According to her obituary posted online, she died on December 23, 2016 at Elmhurst Hospital Hospice in New York, more than 15 years after her 9/11.

Many 9/11 first responders and survivors deteriorated in health after breathing contaminated air from the collapsed Twin Towers.

Santos had previously claimed his mother was a financial officer, but that statement has since been removed from his website. It was a Queens-based import company that went bankrupt in 2011.

CNN reached out to Santos representatives for comment.

This story has been updated with additional information.