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george santos indictment
George Santos 'Must Resign or Face Expulsion,' Progressives Say After Arrest
A multiple-count indictment accuses Santos of "fraudulently inducing supporters" to donate to a company and then using the money to buy luxury clothing and make credit card payments.
May 10, 2023
Republican Rep. George Santos of New York, whose brief tenure in Congress has been dominated by scandal, was arrested by federal authorities Wednesday on a slew of criminal charges including money laundering, wire fraud, theft of public funds, and lying to Congress.
The 13-count indictment, unsealed by the U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday, accuses Santos of masterminding "a scheme to defraud supporters of his candidacy for the House and to obtain money from them by fraudulently inducing supporters to contribute funds" to a company "under the false pretense that the money would be used to support [Santos'] candidacy."
The indictment alleges that Santos actually spent the money on personal expenses such as "luxury designer clothing and credit card payments."
Santos was also charged for fraudulently obtaining more than $24,000 in unemployment benefits.
In response to the news of Santos' arrest, the progressive advocacy group Stand Up America said the New York Republican "must resign or face expulsion."
"George Santos should resign immediately," said Christina Harvey, the group's executive director. "He lied to voters about nearly every aspect of his life, and now we know that he broke the law numerous times and stole from the American people by falsely claiming employment benefits that should have gone to struggling New Yorkers. Santos' constituents deserve real representation in Congress, not a morally bankrupt and now indicted fraud."
"If Santos refuses to step down, Speaker McCarthy and House Republicans must remove him from office," Harvey added. "Continuing to shield Santos as a member of the slim Republican majority would be a betrayal of McCarthy's oath of office and the ultimate act of cowardice by the Republicans who now control the House."
The House GOP leadership has yet to publicly demand Santos' resignation, though some rank-and-file Republicans have said they would support the New York congressman's removal.
\u201cHey @SpeakerMcCarthy when will you bring our resolution to expel George Santos to the floor? \n\n1 count of theft of public funds. \n2 counts of lying to the House.\n3 counts of money laundering.\n7 counts of wire fraud. \n\nAmerica is watching.\u201d— Congressman Robert Garcia (@Congressman Robert Garcia) 1683727814
Santos, who has been facing calls to resign since he admitted to lying about his background following his election to Congress late last year, is expected to appear in federal court in New York later Wednesday.
"This indictment seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations," Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement. "Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself."
"He used political contributions to line his pockets, unlawfully applied for unemployment benefits that should have gone to New Yorkers who had lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and lied to the House of Representatives," Peace continued. "My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively root out corruption and self-dealing from our community's public institutions and hold public officials accountable to the constituents who elected them."
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GOP Congressman and Serial Liar George Santos Reportedly Facing 'Long Overdue' Federal Charges
"George Santos needs to resign or be immediately expelled from the House," said one House Democrat who has introduced a resolution to expel him.
May 09, 2023
Prosecutors at the U.S. Department of Justice have filed criminal charges against Republican Congressman George Santos of New York, sources familiar with the matter told multiple media outlets on Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York filed charges against the freshman lawmaker, who is expected to appear in court as soon as Wednesday, according to CNN—which was first to report the news. The nature of the charges against Santos will not be known until he makes his first court appearance.
The FBI and Justice Department public integrity prosecutors in New York City and Washington, D.C. are investigating accusations that Santos lied in his campaign finance filings, among other allegations.
"George Santos needs to resign or be immediately expelled from the House."
Last December, Nassau County, New York District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly—a Republican—also announced that her office was investigating Santos, then a congressman-elect, over his myriad lies.
"The numerous fabrications and inconsistencies associated with Congressman-elect Santos are nothing short of stunning," Donnelly said at the time.
From intrigue surrounding how his net worth skyrocketed from almost nothing to $11 million in less than two years; to demonstrable lies about his education, employment history, residence, and purported Jewish heritage; to allegations of fraud perpetrated in Brazil and against a U.S. combat veteran and his dying dog, Santos' lies have dominated his short congressional career.
While he has admitted to lying about his life, Santos has denied any criminal wrongdoing. Earlier this year, he vowed to serve out his term despite growing calls for him to resign—including from Republican officials in his own district.
Those calls mounted anew following news of Santos' impending indictment.
\u201cThe prosecution of @RepSantosNY03 is long overdue. He is a pathological liar and lawbreaker who defrauded his way into public office.\n\nAs we learn more about this investigation, one thing is clear. He must resign or @HouseGOP must join us to expel him.\nhttps://t.co/exLtkwKsoN\u201d— Rep. Ritchie Torres (@Rep. Ritchie Torres) 1683671128
"We are waiting to see the charges, but we all knew this was where things were heading," said Rep. Nicole Maliotakis (R-N.Y.).
"The sooner he leaves," she added in reference to Santos, "the sooner we can win the seat with someone who isn't a liar."
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.)—who three months ago introduced a resolution to expel the congressman that more than 40 Democratic lawmakers endorsed—tweeted that "George Santos needs to resign or be immediately expelled from the House."
"Today's news that federal prosecutors are filing criminal charges against George Santos makes it crystal clear that we must act," he added.
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