Santos knocks CNN as 'hack network' during contentious appearance

Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) blasted CNN and one of its leading anchors during a contentious appearance on the network late Tuesday.

After host Erin Burnett pressed Santos on claims from a U.S. Navy veteran who says the congressman scammed him, the Republican said, "I've never met him."

"I just love that the pile-on effect just keeps going on," Santos continued. "People just now, everybody knows me. Everybody's met me. Everybody's had an interaction with me. And then obviously they go on hack network who just take it for gospel without any proof. And you guys report it as gospel and truth."

Burnett also asked Santos about documents obtained by the network allegedly showing prosecutors in Brazil agreed to a deal with Santos in a case in which he was accused of defrauding a Rio de Janeiro-area clerk of $1,300 of clothes and shoes in 2008.

"No, I'm not engaging on this because, again, if you can't prove to the American people your allegations, then I'm not going to entertain it," the congressman said. "You, please, you guys need to be better prepared next time."

Burentt shot back, "we'll stand by our reporting," before pointing out the "things that you've said that are dishonest have been wide-ranging."

"Erin, you know what would be great? And I'm not deflecting, but I'm just going to call you out here and CNN. Have you brought Joe Biden on the network and spoken about all the things he said across the last 46 years? Because I haven't seen it," Santos said.

Santos has garnered controversy since his 2022 election amid revelations that he made a number of false statements about his background during his campaign. He also faces 13 criminal charges related to alleged financial crimes.