CNN
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Rep. George Santos’ campaign records filed with the Federal Election Commission show 37 spending on office supplies, hotels, ride-hailing app Uber, restaurants, and more — the exact same amount, $199.99.
These spendings, reported by New York legislators, stood out for important reasons, campaign finance experts say. He is a penny short of what the FEC requires the campaign to keep receipts for.
Those expenditures are one of many oddities included in Republican Santos’ FEC report, which won a seat in Congress in November. He has recently faced scrutiny over a series of false claims regarding his family history, work history, education, and more. .
Santos’ FEC report includes a number of unusual spending, including exorbitant spending on air travel and hotels in Miami, among others, and $10,900 listed as rent payments to company Cleaner 123. . The company’s address is a Long Island home, and the New York Times, which first published an article about Santos’ campaign finance filing, said: report Neighbors said Santos had lived there for months.
Spending, especially the $199.99 payment to Uber, Walgreens, Walmart, Best Buy, Delta Airlines, Il Bacco Restaurante, and others, “definitely stood out to me,” said the campaign finance expert and civic engagement expert. Funders Committee for.
He said the payment may reflect efforts to circumvent the FEC requirement for campaigns to retain receipts for spending over $200. We encourage you to keep it below that threshold, but we only require it for payments over $200.
But Ryan said the consistent seeing of a $199.99 charge effectively showed that Santos knew the threshold he was trying to avoid, which could invite Justice Department scrutiny and criminal penalties. have a nature
“From my point of view, the series of expenditures that fell just under the legal requirement for the commission to keep receipts is evidence that he knew what he was doing,” Ryan said. “If indeed he misused campaign funds, this was a blatant attempt to evade detection.”
FEC records show even more spending is approaching the $200 threshold, but just below it.
In a statement to CNN, Santos’ attorney, Joe Murray, said, “The money was not spent wisely in the campaign because it was fired about a year before Election Day and a new team was put in place. It was just the company,” said Saturday.
“Campaign costs for staff, including travel, lodging and food, are the normal costs of a competent campaign. Any suggestion that the Santos campaign was involved in the illegal expenditure of campaign funds is irresponsible at best,” he added. I got
The biography Santos touted as a candidate appears to be at least partially fictional. He admitted to lying about his employment at Sachs and Citigroup, but claimed he had committed no crime.
Federal prosecutors in New York are investigating Santos’ personal financial situation, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
CNN confirmed a New York Times report that Santos was indicted for embezzlement in a Brazilian court in 2011, according to the Rio de Janeiro court case file. However, according to 2013 court records, the charges were archived after a court subpoena was not answered and Santos was unable to be located.
In an interview with the New York Post, Santos denied having been charged with a crime in Brazil.
“I’m not a criminal here. I’m not a criminal here, in Brazil, in any jurisdiction in the world. Absolutely not. It didn’t happen,” Santos said.
Still, Santos overturned seats held by Democrats and helped Republicans win a narrow House majority. And he is scheduled to take office on January 3rd.
House Republican leaders have not acknowledged the controversy swirling around Santos. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy has not responded to his CNN request for comment on Santos, but is focused on securing a vote for next month’s presidency, which the Republicans hoped he would. After winning a narrow majority, the task became more difficult. Asking Santos to resign could cost him his vote in his already tenuous quest to reach the age of 218.
Many of those who voted for Santos in the Long Island-based New York 3rd congressional district say they will never support him again, as the way Santos lied about his biography is exposed.
Jewish community leader Jack Mandel voted for Santos after meeting him twice, believing him to be kind and a newcomer.
He pointed out that Santos falsely identified himself as Jewish and falsely claimed that his grandparents were Holocaust survivors.
“If someone lies to me, I can never trust that person again,” he said. I think people who use it as a topic are wrong.”
Nassau County mother Theodora Chorfairan said she voted for Santos in part because of his position on Covid-19 measures in schools. asked him to resign. She said Santos was a “scam.”
“The whole human being he created and his ability to deceive us is really troubling,” she said. “This man should not be allowed to run for president and we all know that. I want to assure you that Republicans know it too.
However, some New York Republicans said they have not stopped supporting Santos.
Former congressman Tom Zmich of the neighboring Sixth District said Santos was a friend of his and “had done nothing wrong as far as legality is concerned.”
“He admitted to lying. And most Christians believe in forgiveness. Maybe forget it and move on,” he said. “Let’s wait and see.”
Santos campaign donors also feel shocked and betrayed by the recent revelations.
A key campaign funder, who asked to remain anonymous to speak freely about his experiences with Santos, told CNN Thursday that he had a relationship with Santos after New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik introduced him. . “She asked me to talk to him when he first ran,” he told CNN.
This donor will be speaking to both Santos and Stefanik.
“I liked George,” he told CNN, but “I have to stand up to him — I don’t need skeletons in my closet.”
Stefanik’s office did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Donors initially “felt” Santos came across as an “adornment”, but donors believed Santos’ “heart was in the right place.” Santos is said to have told this donor that he worked for Goldman Sachs and that he “always talks about the big deals he’s made.”
Another person who interacted with Santos at a fundraising event told CNN that when he met Santos, “I thought he was a little fake.” …he was making these claims like he was a financial guru. ”
The person, who requested anonymity to speak freely about Santos, told CNN he was in contact with the incoming president, and sent a text message on Dec. 22 that claimed Santos was in contact with the Congressional Ethics Office. shared.
“I have been in touch with the Congressional Ethics Office and have whatever they want,” Santos said in a text message shared with CNN.
It is unclear if Santos has been in contact with the Congressional Ethics Office, and if so, who initiated it. .
CNN has reached out to OCE for confirmation. The office will investigate public complaints and may refer the matter to the House Ethics Committee. This could be the first step towards a congressional inquiry into Santos.
Santos’ office did not respond to CNN’s repeated requests for comment.
Another campaign funder, who likewise requested anonymity to speak freely, told CNN on Friday that she was “obviously shocked” by the news of the alleged deception of the incoming House of Representatives, adding that she was “betrayed.” I lied.”
The donor explained that she supported Santos because he was the frontrunner in her local race, adding, “There was no reason to think he would do what he did.”
“Usually I have good instincts, but this one was my forte!” she told CNN.
She said she didn’t understand why he was making these claims.
“Decorating is one thing, and work experience alone doesn’t bother me so much,” she said.
This story was updated Saturday to include a statement from Santos’ attorney.
