This story originally appeared in Truthout on Jan. 23, 2023. It is shared here with permission.
A majority of New York state residents say that Republican Rep. George Santos should resign from Congress just a few weeks after he was sworn in, due to his many lies on the campaign trail in 2022.
Santos has lied about so many issues that some media outlets, including HuffPost, have created running tallies of all the statements he made while campaigning for the House that were later revealed to be exaggerations or outright lies.
Santos claimed, for example, that his mother was at the Twin Towers in New York City on the day of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and died years later due to cancer caused by the inhalation of debris dust from the towers. In fact, his mother had not yet moved to the U.S. and was living in Brazil at the time of the attack.
Some of Santos’s lies could potentially land him in legal trouble. A nonprofit group called the Campaign Legal Center, for instance, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) earlier this month alleging that Santos’s “brazen lies” — including his willful concealment of “the true [funding] sources of his campaign” — warrant action from the government agency.
“At a minimum, it is apparent that he did not file timely disclosure reports for his most recent campaign,” a statement from New York Democratic Reps. Dan Goldman and Ritchie Torres said. “Moreover, his own public statements have contradicted some information included in the 2022 financial disclosure and confirmed that the 2022 financial disclosure failed to disclose other required information.”
According to polling from Siena College conducted just last week, Santos has a net-negative favorability rating, with just 16 percent of New York residents saying they view him favorably and 56 percent saying they view him unfavorably.
While the poll didn’t go into district-by-district results on its questions, it did ask respondents to disclose whether they lived in cities, rural areas or the suburbs. A majority of Santos’s district is suburban.
According to the Siena poll, however, most New York residents want Santos to remove himself from his position of power, with 59 percent of residents saying as such. Among those in the suburbs, 71 percent think he should resign.
Both Democratic and Republican voters largely agree that Santos should resign. Sixty-four percent of Democrats want Santos to resign over his lies; while a majority of Republicans disagree, a plurality of them (49 percent) say he should leave office, nearly double the number (26 percent) who say he shouldn’t resign, according to the poll.
The education a child receives or doesn’t receive can have a big impact on whether or not they embrace their spiritual gifts. Montessori schools are educational spaces, that value individual growth and hands-on learning over traditional learning models. They are inspired by Doctor Maria Montessori’s vision, more than a century ago, focusing on a student-led learning approach.
Key features include mixed-age classrooms that promote learning from peers and the freedom for children to pick activities that interest them. Teachers act more as guides than lecturers, promoting a self-directed learning environment. Children learn independence, gain confidence, and nurture their curiosity, making them eager learners rather than passive listeners.
Montessori education doesn’t just focus on academics. It equally prioritizes social and emotional skills development, aiming to nurture empathetic, emotionally intelligent individuals capable of deep interpersonal relationships. The increased popularity of Montessori schools worldwide reflects a growing interest in more personalized educational models.
Early on Tuesday, Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge collapsed when the container ship Dali crashed into one of its pylons. The accident occurred around 1:27 am after the Dali experienced a total power failure and struck the bridge. The incident resulted in the bridge crumbling, sending vehicles and a construction crew into the waters below.
While two of the eight workers have been rescued one critically injured and one unharmed six remain missing. The Dali’s crew, totaling 22 members, reported no injuries. The Maryland governor highlighted the absence of structural issues with the bridge and dismissed any speculation of terrorism. authorities are now focusing on the search and rescue operation for the missing individuals and investigating the bridge’s collapse to ensure such a tragedy doesn’t reoccur.
In Israel, a controversial proposal to enforce military conscription in the Haredi community is stirring significant unrest and division. The current exemption policy is allowing tens of thousands of ultraorthodox Jews to avoid military service to study religious texts. Critics argue this system is unfair, as it places additional burdens on other citizens.
The proposal has sparked widespread debate, with Haredi leaders threatening mass emigration if forced into military service. Despite some ultraorthodox individuals voluntarily joining the military, opposition remains strong within their community, fearing it compromises their religious obligations. Government officials express concerns over the proposal’s potential to fuel division and undermine military and societal cohesion.