Embattled GOP congressman George Santos has sparked outrage for making a speech remembering the Holocaust after he lied about his own Jewish heritage.
On the House floor on Holocaust Remembrance Day on Friday, Mr Santos paid tribute to victims and survivors and condemned antisemitism.
“Antisemitism is a plague in this nation, and it is undoubtedly up to us to ensure this kind of tragedy is never to be seen again,” he said.
New York lawmaker Daniel Goldman called Mr Santos “appalling and offensive” for speaking about the Holocaust, given he has previously been caught in a lie about being Jewish and his grandparents fleeing the Holocaust.
Mr Santos – who has come under scrutiny for lying about much of his past – later walked back the claims about his heritage, saying he was “Jew-ish”.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has given its clearest sign yet that it has launched a criminal probe into his campaign finances, by asking the Federal Election Commission to postpone any enforcement while they conduct a parallel investigation.
