Baldwin, N.Y.: Congressman-elect George Devolder Santos during a press conference on November. 9, 2022 in Baldwin, New Yotk. (Photo by Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
U.S. House Representative George Santos has announced that he will not seek reelection following a damning House Ethics Committee report. The report, released on Thursday, referred to “additional uncharged and unlawful conduct” by Santos to the Justice Department. Santos, a first-term lawmaker representing the New York area, has already pleaded not guilty to a 23-count federal indictment, which includes 10 felony counts added by federal prosecutors in October, accusing him of various corrupt practices.
George Santos announced his decision on X
In a statement posted on the X social media site, Santos stated, “I will continue to serve my constituents until I am allowed to do so. However, I will not be seeking reelection for a second term in 2024. My family deserves better than to be constantly under scrutiny by the press.”
The bipartisan House Ethics Committee issued a statement condemning Santos’ conduct, saying it was “beneath the dignity of the office” and had brought significant discredit to the House of Representatives.
Santos’ office did not respond immediately to requests for comment, and a Department of Justice spokesperson declined to provide a comment.
Ethics Chairman Michael Guest, a Republican, was reportedly planning to file a motion for expulsion on Friday, according to media reports.
Santos refused to testify under oath
The committee’s report found that Santos had “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for personal financial gain.” It also noted that despite attempting to shift blame onto others for his misconduct, Santos was an active participant in the wrongdoing.
Furthermore, the report stated that Santos had declined to file a written statement in his defense, refused to testify under oath, and did not provide the documents requested by the committee. The report cast doubt on Santos’ claims of innocence and cooperation with the committee’s investigation, citing his consistent failure to meaningfully cooperate.
The House Ethics Committee had been investigating Santos for several months, involving approximately 40 witnesses, reviewing over 170,000 pages of documents, and authorizing 37 subpoenas, according to a statement released on October 31.
Santos had previously survived a vote to expel him from the House, which was brought by fellow House Republicans from New York state in early November.
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