Representative George Santos, the New York Republican who has come to be known for the many lies he told regarding his background and political career, has been charged by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, according to The New York Times.
The charges come after months of investigation by the United States attorney’s office in Brooklyn, which has been conducting one of the inquiries into Mr. Santos’s over his personal and campaign finances after his biography was found to be a web of lies and exaggerations.
Santos, his lawyer and a spokeswoman in his Washington office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for the Justice Department declined to comment. Att this time there is very little known about the charges, as a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn could not be reached for comment and an F.B.I. spokesman declined to comment.
The specific charges against Mr. Santos, who last month announced he would run for re-election in his district in Long Island and part of Queens, are not yet clear. CNN reported that Mr. Santos could appear as soon as Wednesday in federal court.
George Santos has been subject to immense scrutiny from the time that it became clear that much of what he had claimed during his election campaign had been false. He had lied about his biography, education and work history to voters, and questions were raised about his personal wealth and campaign finances.
Subsequently the scrutiny confirmed that he had been lying not just previous to the campaign, but for much of his life. Indeed, he had even fled from criminal charges brought against him in Brazil.
The scrutiny uncovered evidence of possible misconduct, including irregularities in an unregistered fund that purported to be raising huge amounts for Mr. Santos and hundreds of thousands of dollars in unexplained expenses.
Despite all the investigations, virtual ostracism by his peers once he took his seat in Congress, and continued protests from his constituents, Santos was adamant that he had a right to remain in office and to seek re-election. It now remains to be seen whether he will be able to serve out his term or be eligible for run again.
Reaction from Nassau County Legislators was quick to arrive. Joshua Lafazan (D-Syosset) called for Santos’ expulsion from the House.
“There is now no further excuse to keep Santos in the House,” Lafazan said in a statement. “This federal indictment confirms what we have known all along – that Santos broke the public trust, and violated federal law in the process.”
One of Santos’ Long Island colleagues, Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park) said he’s “confident the justice system will fully reveal Congressman Santos’ long history of deceit, and I once again call on this serial fraudster to resign from office.”
Another member of the House, New York Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), tweeted upon hearing the report: “Long overdue.”
Peter King, who retired from political life in 2021 after serving Long Islanders for nearly 30 years in the House, told Patch: “George Santos is a serial liar. He does not belong in Congress. It is essential that the Justice Department fully investigate Santos. An indictment, however, while a step forward is only an allegation. It is important the process move forward.”
A decision to remove the freshman lawmaker would start with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has supported Santos all through his ordeal. McCarthy was non-committal. He told CNN, “I’ll look at the charges.”
