George Santos probe announced by House Ethics panel
The House Ethics Committee formally announced Thursday it is launching an investigation into lying Long Island Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who faces sanction by his peers for having fabricated details about his past and law enforcement probes over his use of campaign dollars during his run for Congress.
Committee chair Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.) and ranking member Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) said a panel of lawmakers voted unanimously on Tuesday to establish an investigative subcommittee to look into the allegations, which will determine whether Santos “engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign.”
The investigation appears to be far-reaching. It seeks to determine “whether Representative George Santos may have: engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign” among other actions, the committee said in a statement.
The subcommittee probe will review whether Santos “failed to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House, violated federal conflict of interest laws in connection with his role in a firm providing fiduciary services, and/or engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual seeking employment in his congressional office,” according to a statement.
The truth-challenged 34-year-old has faced an array of accusations of financial and personal impropriety since his election Nov. 8, prompting two Democratic House members to initially file an ethics complaint in January.
Reps. Ritchie Torres of the Bronx and Daniel Goldman, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate more than $700,000 that Santos loaned to his 2022 House campaign — despite reporting an annual salary of $55,000 as recently as 2020.
They also requested the congressman face questions about his sketchy FEC filings, which watchdogs have claimed show that Santos ducked the $200 disclosure limit for dozens of expenses.
A separate FEC complaint was filed Thursday over the matter by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust.“The law is quite clear — federal candidates must report money raised and spent.
Based on the facts presented in his own FEC filings, Rep. Santos and his campaign committee failed to report a large dollar amount of disbursements,” said FACT Executive Director Kendra Arnold.
“There are two separate facts indicating this is the case. First, his own filings show he didn’t report over $350,000 of disbursements, and second, the number of disbursements in the dubious amount of exactly $199.99 indicate either that they were not actually in that amount or that payments were structured in a way to avoid disclosure — either of which would be a major violation of federal campaign law.”
A former short-term staffer for Santos alleged in February that the openly gay lawmaker sexually harassed him, touching his groin and even inviting him back to his house, according to another ethics complaint.
The staffer, Derek Myers also recorded Santos admitting that he had “lied to everyone” before leaving the congressman’s office.
Among other lies he told during his campaign, Santos claimed he attended the prestigious Horace Mann private school, earned degrees from New York University and Baruch College, and had previously worked for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.
Unearthed audio last month also showed the congressman had lied to a Washington State judge about his biography in 2017.
The lawmaker initially came clean to The Post on Dec. 26 about some fabrications, admitting to “embellishing” his resume.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has pledged the chamber will “take action” against Santos if the ethics probe finds evidence of serious wrongdoing.
Santos’ office on Twitter said that he is “fully cooperating” with the investigation and would not be commenting further.
The lawmaker stepped down from two House committees in January, but has refused calls, including from fellow New York House Republicans, to resign from office.