Over 50 New York-based Groups Send Letter to New York Delegation Urging Santos Removal for Campaign Finance Violations

This week, Stand Up America, Common Cause New York, and 52 other New York-based groups sent a letter calling on New York’s congressional delegation–including Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik– to expel Rep. George Santos from Congress. The missive comes amid credible allegations that Santos violated campaign finance laws and multiple investigations by federal and New York State authorities.

“[We] strongly urge all members of New York’s congressional delegation to commit to voting to expel Rep. Santos from Congress. In particular, it is crucial that the highest-ranking New Yorker in the House majority join her colleagues in making this commitment. As New York State in recent years has made strides toward becoming a national leader on campaign finance issues, voters expect our federal delegation to hold their colleagues to a higher standard of transparency and accountability,” wrote the organizations. 
 
 “Federal prosecutors and regulators are already doing their job. It’s time for every member of New York’s congressional delegation to make it clear that they are prepared to hold Representative Santos accountable. Failing to do so is putting political gain over the interests of New York voters,” they continued.”

Campaign contribution limits, restrictions on personal spending, and transparency requirements are crucial to address corruption, ensure fair policy outcomes, and let voters know who is paying for political campaigns. Rep. Santos hid critical information from voters about his background and campaign finances, preventing them from making fully informed decisions at the polls. In recent years, New York State has made strides toward becoming a national leader on campaign finance issues, and voters expect its congressional delegation to hold their colleagues to a higher standard of transparency and accountability.

Full text of the letter is HERE and below: Honorable members of New York’s congressional delegation:
  
On January 9, 2023, the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing Representative George Santos (NY-3) of using campaign funds for personal expenses and concealing the true sources of a $705,000 loan he initially claimed to have made to his campaign. What followed was a deluge of allegations against the freshman congressman, including claims that he accepted contributions above the legal limits and reported suspicious expenses on his campaign filings.

• On January 9, it was revealed that a Santos fundraiser impersonated Kevin McCarthy’s chief of staff to solicit campaign donations.
• On January 13, Accountable.US filed an FEC complaint alleging that Santos misused campaign funds for personal expenses, including rent, and accepted contributions over $2,900, the legal limit, from 36 individual donors.
• On January 24, Santos admitted in a new FEC filing that $500,000 of the more than $700,000 he’d reported as a personal loan was, in fact, not. He amended another report to indicate that a separate $125,000 loan was also not a personal loan. Santos did not disclose the source of the money.
• On January 25, POLITICO found that Santos reported 40 disbursements between $199 and $200, including several of exactly $199.99, noting that “his campaign accounted for roughly half of all expenses by all campaigns that cost exactly $199.99 — a statistical improbability.” The FEC requires receipts for disbursements of $200 and over.
• On January 26, the FEC contacted the Santos campaign over concerns it failed to file “true, correct or complete treasurer information” after a person who was listed as Santos’ new campaign treasurer denied having taken the role.
• On January 27, Mother Jones identified over a dozen donations to Santos’ 2020 run for Congress for which the name and address of the donor could not be verified. Later, the outlet revealed that a relative of Santos claimed that they did not make two donations of $2,900 as claimed in Santos’ campaign filings.
• On February 10, the FEC sent a letter to Santos asking that he clarify if he’s running for reelection in 2024, and if not, to “disavow” his campaign fundraising after the 2022 midterm election.

As a result, Rep. Santos faces a series of investigations over his possible campaign finance violations by the Department of Justice, the Federal Election Commission, and New York State. In considering the seriousness of these allegations, it is important to remember why campaign finance laws exist. Campaign contribution limits, restrictions on personal spending, and transparency requirements are crucial to preventing and punishing corruption, ensuring fair policy outcomes, and letting voters know who is financially supporting a candidate so that they can make informed decisions at the polls. Sadly, it appears that George Santos’s constituents had neither accurate information about his background nor how his campaign was financed.

We applaud those members of New York’s delegation–on both sides of the aisle–who have called on Santos to resign over his lies, obfuscations, and disgraceful actions. Unfortunately, because Rep. Santos continues to operate with a brazen contempt for his constituents, colleagues, and the institution to which he was elected, our leaders must now take a more forceful stance.   That’s why the undersigned New York-based organizations strongly urge all members of New York’s congressional delegation to commit to voting to expel Rep. Santos from Congress. In particular, it is crucial that the highest-ranking New Yorker in the House majority join her colleagues in making this commitment.

As New York State in recent years has made strides toward becoming a national leader on campaign finance issues, voters expect our federal delegation to hold their colleagues to a higher standard of transparency and accountability. Federal prosecutors and regulators are already doing their job. It’s time for every member of New York’s congressional delegation to make it clear that they are prepared to hold Representative Santos accountable. Failing to do so is putting political gain over the interests of New York voters.