Rep. George Santos Will Not Seek Re-Election Amid Damning Ethics Report Alleging Lawbreaking

In a strongly worded report released on Thursday, the House Ethics committee revealed an accumulation of “overwhelming evidence” suggesting Rep. George Santos of New York may have violated the law. This evidence has been forwarded to the Justice Department, and the committee unequivocally asserts that the Republican lawmaker is “untrustworthy” following an extensive investigation into his actions.

Shortly after the report’s release, Santos took to Twitter to announce that he would not be pursuing re-election for a second term. He criticized the committee’s findings as a “politically motivated smear campaign.”

The committee’s report highlights several serious allegations against Santos, including knowingly causing his campaign committee to submit inaccurate or incomplete reports to the Federal Election Commission, misappropriating campaign funds for personal use, and violating the Ethics in Government Act with regard to financial disclosure statements filed in the House.

Despite mounting pressure from fellow colleagues, Santos has consistently maintained his innocence and refused to step down from his position.

Furthermore, the ethics panel’s report sheds light on Santos’ lack of cooperation during the investigation, describing how he “avoided” straightforward requests for information. According to the committee, the information he did provide contained significant misrepresentations that exacerbated the falsehoods he propagated during his 2022 campaign.

The report also reveals that the investigative subcommittee opted not to formally charge Santos, as it would have led to a protracted public adjudication and sanctions hearing. Such a process would have provided Santos with additional opportunities to delay being held accountable. Instead, the committee forwarded the comprehensive report to the House, urging its members to take whatever actions they consider necessary based on the report’s findings.

However, the ethics panel’s findings may be just the beginning of Santos’ legal troubles. The congressman currently faces a 23-count federal indictment, alleging identity theft of campaign donors and unauthorized credit card charges amounting to tens of thousands of dollars. Federal prosecutors claim that Santos, who has pleaded not guilty, transferred some of the funds to his personal bank account and used the remainder to bolster his campaign finances.

Santos, who represents constituents in parts of Queens and Long Island, is also accused of falsely reporting a $500,000 loan to his campaign with no actual financial contribution, while his campaign funds held less than $8,000. This fabricated loan was an attempt to convince Republican Party officials of his viability as a serious candidate deserving of their financial support, as outlined in the indictment.

Notably, earlier this month, Santos survived a House vote aimed at expelling him from office, as the majority of Republicans and 31 Democrats chose to withhold punitive action, pending the outcome of his criminal trial and the ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation.

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More about Ethics Allegations

• House Ethics Committee Report on Rep. George Santos
• Rep. George Santos’ Twitter Announcement
• Federal Indictment Against Rep. George Santos
• Federal Election Commission
• Ethics in Government Act