Embattled Rep. George Santos (R-NY) claimed this week that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) told him to "hang in there" as the two crossed paths at the State of the Union this week. It was another "lie," Sinema's office responded.
Talking to Newsmax, Santos said the exchange came after Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), told him he doesn't belong in Congress, Newsweek reported.
Santos said "he shot back at Romney, saying that he was 'not meant for television,'" reported Newsweek's Kaitlin Lewis.
"According to Santos' reenactment of the incident, Sinema passed by him around the same time Romney spoke out, and 'said something to the effects of 'hang in there, buddy,' or something like that. I said, 'Thank you, thank you, Madam Senator.'
"Santos continued to [Newsmax anchor Greg] Kelly. 'She was very polite, very kindhearted as I've learned to see her.'"
He added, "She's a good person, unlike Mr. Romney, who thinks he's above it all and is an all-mighty white horse trying to talk down to on morality."
According to CNN congressional reporter Manu Raju, Sinema's office flatly denied the interaction happened. "This is a lie," her spokesperson told him.
Santos, an immigrant from Brazil and one of the only openly gay Republican politicians, has been buried in an avalanche of scandals since being elected to Congress last year. He was exposed as having lied about almost every aspect of his personal life on the campaign trail, including his education, work experience, and his claim to be Jewish and descended from Holocaust refugees. He is under investigation for possible illegal campaign finance allegedly ripping off a fundraiser for a disabled veteran's service dog and possible check fraud in Brazil. A former aide has also accused him of sexual harassment.
Several Republicans in New York, including fellow members of Santos' congressional delegation, have called on him to resign.
