Santos Claims He Survived Murder Attempt, Was Victim Of Mugging

Embattled gay New York Republican Rep. George Santos claimed he survived an assassination attempt and a midday Manhattan mugging during an appearance on a Brazilian podcast in December, a newly unearthed video shows.

Rachel Maddow was first to report on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show Monday that the congressman about whom more lies than truths seem to be known made some outrageous claims to Brazilian media the month after he had been elected to Congress.

Santos claimed he was recently the victim of several violent crimes, including an assassination attempt and a streetside robbery on Fifth Avenue.

In the exclusive clip on Maddow, Santos says his home was vandalized in January of 2021 because of his party affiliation.

“I’m going to a New Year’s Eve party with my husband. We go back to our house. It was vandalized because we were at a Republican Party in Florida in December 2020. So that’s it. I’ve experienced vandalism.”

He adds, almost nonchalantly, that he also survived an assassination attempt.

“We have already suffered an attempt on my life, an assassination attempt, a threatening letter, having to have the police, a police escort standing in front of our house,” Santos claimed, according to MSNBC’s translation from Portuguese.

Santos further claims during the podcast appearance that his shoes had literally been stolen from underneath him in broad daylight on one of the world’s busiest streets.

“In the summer of 2021, in the middle of Fifth Avenue, with the, with 55th, I was mugged by two men,” Santos claimed. “Before asking any questions, they weren’t Black, they were even white, but they robbed me,” Santos continued while awkwardly chuckling.

“Took my briefcase, took my shoes and my watch,” Santos said. “And that was in broad daylight. It was 3:00 p.m. I was leaving my office, going to the garage, getting my car, and I was mugged. My house was assaulted.”

The host, seemingly skeptical of the story, clarified, “They stole your shoes in the middle of Fifth Avenue?”

“Yes, in the middle of Fifth Avenue,” Santos replied. “And that wasn’t the worst of it. Nobody did anything, nobody did anything. The fear is real. It’s surreal what we live through here.”

Maddow said her producers inquired with Santos’s office and New York law enforcement authorities through a public records request asking for any information on the incidents Santos described but hadn’t heard back.

Santos hasn’t addressed the new revelations about him.

Earlier, Brazilian media released more video footage of Santos dressed as his alleged drag persona Kitara Ravache.

Last week upon news that the far-right-aligned lawmaker had enjoyed dressing in drag and participating in Brazilian pageants, Santos denied being a drag queen and blamed the media for generating attention where there is no story.

He tweeted Thursday, “The most recent obsession from the media claiming that I am a drag Queen or ‘performed’ as a drag Queen is categorically false.”’

By Saturday, Santos appeared to confirm the authenticity of the claims from Brazil.

While trying to battle a media scrum at LaGuardia Airport, Santos was asked whether it was true that he had been a drag queen.

“No, I was not a drag queen in Brazil, guys,” he replied. “I was young, and I had fun at a festival. Sue me for having a life.”

Other claims Santos has made have been proven to be lies, including one he made that his mother was in the south tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11 — something NBC News found was false — but only the allegations surrounding his potential history as a drag queen has motivated the congressman to defend himself so vociferously publicly.

Santos is under several local, state, federal, and Brazilian investigations but has withstood mounting calls from within the GOP to resign.