Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics Regarding Representative George Santos
Pursuant to Committee Rule 7, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined on June 22, 2023, to release the following statement:
On February 28, 2023, the Committee voted to establish an Investigative Subcommittee (ISC) with jurisdiction to determine whether Representative George Santos may have: engaged in unlawful activity with respect to his 2022 congressional campaign; failed to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House; violated federal conflict of interest laws in connection with his role in a firm providing fiduciary services; and/or engaged in sexual misconduct towards an individual seeking employment in his congressional office.
The ISC is actively working to resolve this matter in an expeditious timeframe and has issued over 30 subpoenas and more than 40 voluntary requests for information. As required by House and Committee rules, the ISC’s work is confidential and the Committee will not release its findings prior to the conclusion of the ISC process.
On May 9, 2023, Representative Santos was indicted on federal charges in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Most of the charges in the indictment were already in the jurisdiction of the ISC. In accordance with House Rule XI, clause 3(b)(9) and Committee Rule 18(e), the Committee voted to expand the jurisdiction of the ISC’s inquiry to include counts IX-XI of the indictment, allegations that Representative Santos fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits.
The Committee is aware of the risks associated with dual investigations and is in communication with the Department of Justice to mitigate the potential risks while still meeting the Committee’s obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House.
The Committee notes that the mere fact of an investigation into these allegations does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred. No other public comment will be made on this matter except in accordance with Committee rules.
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