The Scoop
Rep. George Santos will not run for reelection following a damning report from the House Ethics Committee, Santos told Semafor on Thursday.
The committee released the report after a months-long investigation into Santos, who has been indicted for fraud, credit card theft, and lying to the FEC, among other charges.
Santos’ conduct ”warrants public condemnation, is beneath the dignity of the office, and has brought severe discredit upon the House,” the committee said Thursday. House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest told CQ Roll Call said he would file a motion to expel Santos this week, setting up a vote for when lawmakers return from Thanksgiving recess. The ranking Democrat on the committee, Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa. announced she would support it.
Santos confirmed his future plans on X, calling the probe a “disgusting politicized smear” but adding that he would resign because his family deserves better “than to be under the gun from the press all the time.”
“I am humbled yet again and reminded that I am human and I have flaws, but I will not stand by as I am stoned by those who have flaws themselves,” he posted.
The Investigative Subcommittee found evidence that Santos “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.”
The House committee unanimously agreed to adopt the Investigative Subcommittee’s report and refer the evidence of Santos’ alleged federal violations to the Justice Department.
The report reignited calls for Santos’ resignation, especially from his Republican colleagues who recently introduced an unsuccessful expulsion resolution.
“George Santos should end this farce and resign immediately,” Rep. Mike Lawer, R-N.Y. told Semafor. “If he refuses, he must be removed from Congress. His conduct is not only unbecoming and embarrassing, it is criminal. He is unfit to serve and if he had any dignity, he would resign today.”
Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y. told Semafor that Santos “was never running for re-election” and predicted that the legal and ethics probes would reach their conclusion long before campaign season.
“The question now is: Will he take a plea deal that includes resignation before November 28th when the House returns to session and can expel him?” LaLota said.
Santos had escaped two votes to remove him from Congress which requires a vote of two-thirds of his colleagues. The House voted to refer his expulsion to the House Ethics Committee in May which had been investigating Santos since March. This month, Republicans from New York introduced a privileged resolution that would immediately force Congress to vote on Santos’ expulsion. The vote failed 213-179 with both Republicans and Democrats opposing the measure.
In New York Federal court, Santos faces 23 federal charges including conspiracy, wire fraud, false statements, falsification of records, aggravated identity theft and credit card fraud. Two former staffers who worked on Santos’ campaign have already pled guilty to related charges.