D21 Urges House Ethics Committee To Expeditiously Conduct Investigation Of Rep. George Santos
Democracy 21 today urged the House Ethics Committee to expeditiously and “on its own initiative” conduct an investigation of Representative George Santos (R-NY), who will be sworn in today.
“An expeditious investigation of Rep. Santos will show beyond any reasonable doubt that because of his duplicitous campaign and his egregious, massive deception of the voters of the 3rd Congressional District in New York, Rep. Santos’ continued service as a Member fails ‘to reflect creditably’ on the House,” Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer wrote in a letter submitted to the House Ethics Committee.
“Democracy 21 believes that, based on the public record already in existence, an expeditious investigation by the Committee will lead to the conclusion that the Committee should recommend that the House act to expel Rep. Santos from the House of Representatives,” according to the letter.
“We further believe that the House should act to expel Rep. Santos,” the letter continued.
The Democracy 21 letter provides details from recent news stories of Santos’ multiple and repeated statements about his personal background, including his educational background, employment background, heritage, and experience, that were lies and serious distortions of the truth during his campaign.
In addition, Santos’ 2022 campaign funding and expenses also have come under scrutiny, including questions raised about the source of a $700,000 loan Santos made to his campaign.
“The citizens of New York’s 3rd Congressional District are entitled to be represented by a real person that they chose in an election, not by a fictional person presented to them during the campaign who is no more than a figment of Santos’ imagination,” according to the Democracy 21 letter. “The House Ethics Committee and Members of the House have the duty and responsibility to the House of Representatives as an institution to provide the citizens of New York’s 3rd Congressional District with that right.”
The letter concludes: “Democracy 21 believes the record makes clear that Rep. Santos engaged in pervasive and egregious misrepresentation of his background during the campaign and thereby was elected to the House under massive false pretenses.
“Democracy 21 calls on the Committee to recommend to the House, under Rule 24 of the Committee Rules, that Rep. Santos be expelled.”
Read the letter here or below.
January 3, 2023
Committee on Ethics
U.S. House of Representatives
1015 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Re: Conduct by Rep. George Santos that fails to “reflect creditably” on the House
Dear Chair and Ranking Member:
Representative-elect George Santos (R-NY3) is due to be sworn in today as a first-term Member of the House of Representatives.
The voters of the 3rd Congressional District of New York, however, did not elect the person who is going to be sworn in. They elected a fictional creation of Santos that did not and does not exist. Rep. Santos did not, as he now says, “embellish” his life story. He invented a life story out of whole cloth — an apparently unprecedented act of deception by a Member of Congress that constitutes nothing short of a fraud on the electorate of his district.
The citizens of New York’s 3rd Congressional District are entitled to be represented by a real person that they chose in an election, not by a fictional person presented to them during the campaign who is no more than a figment of Santos’ imagination. The House Ethics Committee and Members of the House have the duty and responsibility to the House of Representatives as an institution to provide the citizens of New York’s 3rd Congressional District with that right.
Rule 14 of the Ethics Committee Rules states that the Ethics Committee has the authority to undertake an investigation of any matter “on its own initiative.”
Democracy 21 calls on the Ethics Committee to expeditiously and “on its own initiative” conduct an investigation of Rep. George Santos.
Clause 1 of Rule XXIII of the “Code of Official Conduct” of the Rules of the House of Representatives provides that a Member of the House “shall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.”
An expeditious investigation of Rep. Santos will show beyond any reasonable doubt that because of his duplicitous campaign and his egregious, massive deception of the voters of the 3rd Congressional District in New York, Rep. Santos’ continued service as a Member fails “to reflect creditably” on the House.
Article I, section 5 of the United States Constitution provides the House with authority to “punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.”
Rule 24 of the Rules of the Committee on Ethics provides the sanctions that the Committee may recommend for a Member, including “expulsion from the House of Representatives.”
Democracy 21 believes that, based on the public record already in existence, an expeditious investigation by the Committee will lead to the conclusion that the Committee should recommend that the House act to expel Rep. Santos from the House of Representatives.
We further believe that the House should act to expel Rep. Santos.
This would allow the voters of the 3rd Congressional District of New York an opportunity to elect a real Representative, not a fictional creation that bears little resemblance to the person who is currently serving as their Representative.
