Rep. George Santos (screen capture)The House Ethics Committee officially announced today that an investigation into truth-challenged Rep. George Santos (R-NY) has been opened.
The probe will look into a number of alleged unlawful activities including campaign finance issues, conflict of interest laws, and sexual misconduct allegations.
Last month, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy confirmed Santos would be the focus of an ethics probe.
From the House Ethics Committee:
Pursuant to Committee Rule 7, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined to release the following statement:
In accordance with House Rule XI, clause 3, and Committee Rules 10(a)(2) and 16(d), the Committee unanimously voted on February 28, 2023, to establish an Investigative Subcommittee.
Pursuant to the Committee’s action, the Investigative Subcommittee shall have 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 Honorable David Joyce will serve as Chair of the Investigative Subcommittee, and the Honorable Susan Wild will serve as the Ranking Member. The other two members of the Investigative Subcommittee are the Honorable John Rutherford and the Honorable Glenn Ivey.
The Committee notes that the mere fact of establishing an Investigative Subcommittee 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.
In addition to this Ethics investigation, Santos is also being investigated by both local New York state and federal agencies.
Formal House ethics investigation of George Santos begins. (Video: MSNBC) pic.twitter.com/QrqqXz0OxW
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) March 2, 2023