Republican Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, chairman of the House Ethics Committee, filed a resolution Friday to expel New York GOP Rep. George Santos after a committee report uncovered “substantial evidence” the congressman broke the law.
The ethics report released Thursday found that Santos used campaign cash for “personal uses” and “knowingly” committed fraud, all while misrepresenting his resume to constituents, voters and staff. Guest’s resolution, which argues Santos “is not fit to serve as a Member of the United States House of Representatives,” will be taken up following Congress’ Thanksgiving recess. (RELATED: George Santos Announces He Will Not Run For Reelection)
“Given the intense public scrutiny surrounding Representative Santos and the ongoing activity at the DOJ, including indictments, the Ethics Committee decided to finish its work without going through a lengthier process that provides for the Committee to make a recommendation of punishment to the House,” Guest said in a statement. “The evidence uncovered in the Ethics Committee’s Investigative Subcommittee investigation is more than sufficient to warrant punishment and the most appropriate punishment, is expulsion. So, separate from the Committee process and my role as Chairman, I have filed an expulsion resolution.”
George Santos Expulsion Res… by Daily Caller News Foundation
Santos was arrested in early May over alleged fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and false statements, and later received a 23-count superseding indictment with additional related charges. The congressman has since pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In mid-May, the House voted to move a Democrat-led expulsion resolution against Santos to the Ethics Committee, which was still investigating the congressman’s conduct.
The ethics report found “substantial evidence” 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.”
Santos “blatantly stole from his campaign,” “deceived donors,” “reported fictitious loans” and conducted “fraudulent or otherwise questionable business dealings,” according to the findings.
After the congressman was first elected in the 2022 midterms, reports emerged that Santos embellished his background and life experiences, including where he attended college, his career and other personal traits.
Following the report’s release, Santos announced on Twitter that he would not seek another term in the lower chamber in 2024, calling the findings “biased” and a “disgusting politicized smear.”
Santos did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.
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