Rep. George Santos (screen capture)The troubles for truth-challenged Rep. George Santos (R-NY) kicked into gear this afternoon as the Justice Department asked the Federal Elections Commission to pause on any enforcement action against Santos as prosecutors conduct their own criminal probe.
Kitara, girl, you in trouble…
Breaking news: Justice Dept. asks FEC to hold off on investigating George Santos campaign as prosecutors conduct criminal inquiry. The request is the clearest sign to date of an active probe examining the New York congressman’s campaign finances. https://t.co/hxrJZXXY6a
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 27, 2023
From the Washington Post:
The request, which came from the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, is the clearest sign to date that federal prosecutors are examining Santos’s campaign finances.
The Justice Department request also asked that the FEC provide any relevant documents to the Justice Department, according to the knowledgeable people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.
Read the full report here. There’s much more.
More importantly, it’s the DOJ’s way of saying “we’re intimately familiar with the FEC’s track record of ‘less-than-decisive’ action…kindly sit this one out”.
— BruceGoldberg (@bgoldbergpdx) January 27, 2023
In related news, the Securities and Exchange Commission has reportedly interviewed two people about Santos’s work with Harbor City Capital, an investment firm that was forced to shut down in 2021 after the SEC accused it of operating a “classic Ponzi scheme.”
Plus – MotherJones reported today they’d gone through Santos’ 2020 campaign reports and found “donors” who say they never donated to his campaign.
New: We’ve identified more than a dozen top donors to Santos’ 2020 campaign who do not seem to exist.
I also spoke to a friend of Santos’ who says he did not give the $2,800 donation attributed to him.https://t.co/4PdorkPLel
— Noah Lanard (@nlanard) January 28, 2023
A retiree named Stephen Berger at an address on Brandt Road in Brawley, CA, was listed as giving $2,500.
William Brandt and his wife have lived at that home for at least two decades. He did not donate to Santos, nor does he know Stephen Berger. pic.twitter.com/paQ8he8lOV
— Noah Lanard (@nlanard) January 28, 2023
Victoria and Jonathan Regor of 45 New Mexico St in Jackson, NJ, were reported as each giving $2,800.
The issue: There is no record of a Victoria or Jonathan Regor living in the United States. Nor is there a 45 New Mexico St in Jackson. pic.twitter.com/B181rMqsKR
— Noah Lanard (@nlanard) January 28, 2023
It is illegal to donate money using a false name or the name of someone else. “It’s called a contribution in the name of another,” says @SGhoshCLC. “It’s something that is explicitly prohibited under federal law.”
— Noah Lanard (@nlanard) January 28, 2023
Not all of Santos’ donors are fake. I’ve spoken to some of them. One was told to drive an hour to meet Santos.
Santos then stood him up. Santos later called this donor asking for more money. He did not give again. pic.twitter.com/5L9Sok5HG7
— Noah Lanard (@nlanard) January 28, 2023