By KEVIN FREKING (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics committee in a scathing report Thursday stated it has amassed “overwhelming evidence” of lawbreaking by Rep. George Santos of New York that has been despatched to the Justice Department, concluding flatly that the Republican “cannot be trusted” after a monthslong investigation into his conduct.
Shortly after the panel’s report was launched, Santos blasted it as a “politicized smear” in a tweet on X however stated that he wouldn’t be looking for reelection to a second time period.
The panel stated that Santos knowingly triggered his marketing campaign committee to file false or incomplete studies with the Federal Election Commission; used marketing campaign funds for private functions; and engaged in violations of the Ethics in Government Act because it pertains to monetary disclosure statements filed with the House.
Santos has maintained his innocence and had lengthy refused to resign regardless of calls from lots of his colleagues to take action.
The ethics panel’s report additionally detailed Santos’ lack of cooperation with its investigation and the way he “evaded” easy requests for info.
The info that he did present, in line with the committee, “included material misstatements that further advanced falsehoods he made during his 2022 campaign.”
The report says that an investigative subcommittee determined to forgo bringing formal costs as a result of it might have resulted in a “lengthy trial-like public adjudication and sanctions hearing” that solely would have given Santos “further opportunity to delay any accountability.” The committee determined as a substitute to ship the total report back to the House.
It urges House members “to take any action they deem appropriate and necessary” based mostly on the report.
The findings by the investigative panel often is the least of Santos’ worries. The congressman faces a 23-count federal indictment that alleges he stole the identities of marketing campaign donors after which used their bank cards to make tens of hundreds of {dollars} in unauthorized costs. Federal prosecutors say Santos, who has pleaded not responsible, wired a number of the cash to his private checking account and used the remainder to pad his marketing campaign coffers.
Santos, who represents components of Queens and Long Island, can be accused of falsely reporting to the Federal Elections Commission that he had loaned his marketing campaign $500,000 when he truly hadn’t given something and had lower than $8,000 within the financial institution. The pretend mortgage was an try to persuade Republican Party officers that he was a critical candidate, price their monetary help, the indictment says.
Santos simply survived a vote earlier this month to expel him from the House as most Republicans and 31 Democrats opted to withhold punishment whereas each his legal trial and the House Ethics Committee investigation continued.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”