George Santos, the 'imposter' in The Great Gatsby's district

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View online January 23, 2023 1/ In George Santos's district, setting of The Great Gatsby, cries of 'imposter' abound   Nearly 100 years after F Scott Fitzgerald set The Great Gatsby in these same opulent shores, the 34-year-old Republican congressman has once again drawn the eyes of the world onto the eastward-stretching leg of New York City, and invited comparisons to the titular character of that Great American Novel along the way.   Where Jay Gatsby ultimately failed in his efforts, George Santos succeeded in his. A man who repeatedly lied about his own history, from claiming his mother died on 9/11, to falsifying his education and net worth — not for love, but for donations, votes and influence — was elected to a seat in one of the most powerful legislative bodies in the world.   So, how did he do it? How did he fool so many people? How did no one know?   The truth is, many did. But no one listened to them. 2/ 'We are starting the Lunar New Year broken': Families of Monterey shooting victims remember loved ones Ten people were killed and another 10 injured in the shooting on the first night of Lunar New Year celebrations 3/ Four members of the Oath Keepers found guilty of seditious conspiracy for roles in Jan 6 attack Across two jury trials, six members of far-right militia group found guilty of sedition-related charges in connection with the attack 4/ Ghislaine Maxwell says she believes Jeffrey Epstein was murdered in prison  Convicted sex offender refused to apologise to her victims and said they should blame US authorities for 'allowing Epstein to die' 5/ Family says Tyre Nichols was beaten 'like a human piñata' in Memphis police 'murder' High-profile attorney Ben Crump called bodycam footage of his death 'appalling, deplorable and heinous' Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our welcome offer when you join today. The Big Question What do Joe Biden's biggest fans think of him after two years in office? In the months leading up to the 2020 election — and the dark days afterward when Donald Trump claimed not to have lost to Joe Biden — the twice-impeached ex-president's supporters often pointed to the exuberance and performative nature of his fans. Surely, they said, these fans were clear evidence that Trump could not have gotten fewer votes than Biden. The Democrat didn't pack venues with sweaty hordes of followers ready to cheer for every applause line.   But Biden's lack of a performative online fan base ready to do rhetorical battle with his ideological foes doesn't mean he hasn't had his cheerleaders. The Independent spoke to three of his most prominent boosters as the second anniversary of his inauguration approached to see whether they are still "Ridin' with Biden" and whether the first two years of the Biden presidency met their expectations. Read the full story > Watch/ Police find 22 tonnes of drugs hidden in 'fake tomatoes' NUMBER OF THE DAY 4 – The number of Soviet MiG fighter jets shot down by US Navy pilot Royce Williams in just 30 minutes on 18 November 1952 during the Korean War, a secret he has kept for 70 years. QUOTE OF THE DAY "My late mother-in-law once said that nothing can take away the anguish and pain of these moments because grief is the price we pay for love." – Sarah Ferguson quotes Queen Elizabeth II in an emotional tribute to Lisa Marie Presley at the country music star's funeral on Sunday. We noticed that you might not be registered By registering, you will enjoy limited access to Independent Premium articles, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalists REGISTER FOR FREE Other stories you might like Capitol rioter who put his feet on Pelosi's desk found guilty Monterey Park shooting suspect was regular at studio and claimed instructors said 'evil things' about him Elon Musk tells California jury 420 buyout tweet had nothing to do with marijuana Articles available exclusively to subscribers Geoffrey Macnab - DiCaprio was always destined to be more than a pretty boy Other newsletters you might like The Race Report Fortnightly, 7am (UK time) Written by Nadine White Sign up Morning Headlines Weekdays, 8am (UK time) Written by Joe Sommerlad Sign up If you can spare a minute we'd love your feedback on our newsletters. Join the conversation or follow us Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Evening Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders.   If you do not want to receive The Independent's Evening Headlines newsletter, please unsubscribe.   If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe here. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our privacy notice and cookie policy.