Rep. George Santos, R-NY, describes the House Ethics Committee findings as a “disgusting politicized smear.”
Rep. George Santos, R-NY, stated Thursday that he will not run for re-election following the release of a House ethics investigation.
“If the ‘Ethics committee’ had a single ounce of ETHICS, they would not have released this biased report.” “The Committee went to extraordinary lengths to smear myself and my legal team as being uncooperative (my legal bills indicate otherwise),” Santos said on X. “It’s a disgusting politicized smear that demonstrates how far our federal government has fallen.” Everyone involved in this heinous miscarriage of justice should be ashamed of themselves. We the People require an Article V Constitutional Convention urgently.”
“I will continue my mission to serve my constituents until permitted.” “However, I will NOT seek re-election for a second term in 2024 because my family deserves better than to be constantly under fire from the press,” he said. “Public service was never my goal or a dream, but I rose to the occasion when I felt my country needed it the most.” In my remaining tenure in Congress, I will remain steadfastly committed to my conservative ideals.”
Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., chairman of the House Ethics Committee, plans to file a move to expel Santos on Friday during the session, according to Guest’s office.
The ethics commission issued a harsh report that accused Santos of having “used campaign funds for personal purposes” and “engaged in fraudulent conduct,” among other things. The resolution’s introduction by Guest sets up a vote on whether to remove Santos from the House once members return from their Thanksgiving break on Nov. 28.
The 56-page report unanimously determined that the congressman “knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission; used campaign funds for personal purposes; engaged in fraudulent conduct in connection with RedStone Strategies LLC; and engaged in knowing and willful violations of the Ethics in Government Act as it relates to his Financial Disclosure (FD) Statements filed with the House.”
This includes $50,000 in campaign contributions wired to Santos’ account on Oct. 21, 2022, and allegedly used to “pay down personal credit card bills and other debt; make a $4,127.80 purchase at Hermes; and for smaller purchases at OnlyFans; Sephora; and for meals and parking.”
“We are quickly approaching $34 trillion dollars in debt, the government is constantly on the verge of a shutdown, our southern border is wide open, our current President is the head of an influence peddling crime family, and all this Congress wants to do is attack their political enemies with tit for tat unconstitutional censures, impeachments, expulsions, and ethics investigations,” Santos said on Thursday. THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE STATES TO ACT.
“I’ve come to expect vitriol like this from political opposition but not from the hallowed halls of public service,” he stated in an email. “In the face of adversity, I will remain steadfast in fighting for my rights and defending my name.” I am humbled once more and reminded that I am human and have shortcomings, but I will not stand by and watch as people with flaws stone me.”
Santos, who won a Democratic House seat on Long Island in the 2022 midterm elections, was later exposed for lying on his resume about his Jewish origin, Wall Street business expertise, and college attendance. He has long refused to retire despite pleas from his own Republican Party, even after federal authorities accused him of various fraud schemes. Last month, federal prosecutors announced a superseding indictment accusing Santos of stealing people’s identities and charging his own contributors’ credit cards without their permission, as well as lying to the FEC and, by implication, the public about his campaign’s financial situation.
