Summary

A watchdog group filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing newly sworn-in Rep. George Santos of illegally using campaign funds and masking the source of those funds. The North Shore Leader, a small paper on Long Island, broke the scandal before the November election. By the time other outlets picked it up, Santos had been elected. For a transcript of this story, click here .

Five Facts

• Who is George Santos?


• What has Rep. Santos done to gain so much media attention?


• Where and When was Santos elected?


• How did the North Shore Leader figure out Santos was lying about his record and credentials (background)?


• Why did other news outlets not cover the Santos story?

Focus Questions

1. Rep. Santos has admitted to lying about his resume and past. Why do you think he has not resigned? Do you think Santos should resign from office?


2. Media literacy : Do you think the Santos story will change the habits of major newsrooms going forward? Explain. How could missing the Santos story affect people's trust in the news media? How might it increase people's trust in journalism?


3. Optional : See, Think, Wonder: What do you notice? What does the story make you think? What do you want to find out more about?

For More

What students can do : 1. You may have seen another recent story about Rep. Santos, in which he is accused of giving a white power symbol (he has not answered questions about the allegation) on the floor of the House of Representatives. Learn more about the story here by reading this article from the fact-checking site, Snopes. 2. Get informed! Knowledge really is power. Check out the latest broadcast of the NewsHour including mass arrests in Brazil after thousands stormed government buildings in support of the defeated far-right president; President Biden's meeting with his counterpart in Mexico City as the U.S. announces a strategy shift at the southern border — plus, Navy veteran Mark Frerichs on being held hostage by the Taliban in his first interview since his release.

 

3. Student Video of the Day: Kahlil Greene is a student at Yale University where he was elected as the first Black student body president. Greene is also a content creator who uses his platform to educate about civil rights history and advocates for social justice.

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