New York Rep. George Santos files paperwork that would allow him to run for reelection in 2024 despite facing various federal and local investigations over a slew of issues, including lying about his background and potentially heading a skimming operation in the past.
Despite the formal declaration, it does not mean that the embattled lawmaker is trying to pursue actual reelection in Congress. His actions follow a demand made last month by the Federal Election Commission that he declare his intentions after he crossed a fundraising threshold that required him to file a statement of candidacy.
George Santos Files Paperwork for Reelection
Santos was asked during an interview last week whether or not he would again run for office, answering with a "maybe." The Republican lawmaker also acknowledged that some of his colleagues had already urged him not to seek reelection but argued that he was too focused on his current work in Congress.
The GOP member, who was found to have lied extensively within his resume regarding his education and family background, is facing off against several federal and local investigations. The House Ethics Committee launched a probe to determine whether or not he engaged in unlawful activity in his 2022 campaign, as per CNN.
The deadline for Santos to respond to the demand of federal regulators was on Tuesday, and the freshman congressman is facing repeated questions regarding the accuracy of his campaign's filings with the FEC and the identity of his treasurer.
Some of the most prominent questions about the Republican's campaign activity are regarding the financial windfall that allowed him to report a personal loan of $705,000 to his successful 2022 campaign. In Santos' prior bid for Congress, which failed in 2020, his personal financial disclosure form did not list assets and only had a salary of $55,000.
In response to the controversy, Santos said he earned money through his firm, The Devolder Organization. His claims come as he did not list any Devolder clients on the financial disclosure he was required to file last year when he was a candidate.
House Ethics Committee Investigation
The House Ethics Committee will create a subcommittee consisting of two Republicans and two Democrats. According to USA Today, they will be responsible for looking into whether or not Santos engaged in unlawful activity last year.
Chairperson Rep. David Joyce and Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democratic member, will fill the subcommittee. The other members would be Florida Republican Rep. John Rutherford and Maryland Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey.
The situation comes as Santos continuously refuses to abide by his colleagues' calls for resignation after acknowledging his lies. He has also been facing near-constant criticism from activists from his district demanding that he be expelled from Congress.
The House Ethics probe is related explicitly to Santos allegedly failing to "properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House." and violating "federal conflict of interest laws in connection with" his position at a firm that provided fiduciary services, said Fox News.