Rep. George Santos Set To Face Federal Criminal Charges
May 9 2023, Published 7:31 p.m. ET
Justice Department prosecutors are set to charge controversial New York Congressman George Santos with federal crimes, RadarOnline.com has learned. Before he was even sworn into office in January, Santos was a source of controversy for the Republican party.
The first-term representative was accused of lying about his credentials, living his past life as a drag queen, and stealing fundraiser money from a veteran for his terminally ill dog that allegedly had to be put down as a result.
Since he took his oath of office, Santos has been at the center of several probes into his financial history.
According to NBC News, at least four sources familiar with the Justice Department's investigation confirmed that prosecutors brought charges against Santos.
One source alleged that Santos could appear at the Eastern District of New York federal courthouse as early as Wednesday morning. Another echoed the claim, sharing the lawmaker was expected to make an appearance by tomorrow afternoon.
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A congressional insider revealed that Santos was informed of the impending charges on Tuesday.
The Justice Department was believed to have been looking at Santos' campaign finances and transaction history with a fine-tooth comb since December 2022.
Reports of federal criminal charges piled on top of mounting pressure for the congressman to resign, given his plethora of allegations.
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But resignation did not appear to be on Santos' mind, despite calls from critics, colleagues, and even fellow Republicans.
In light of multiple investigations, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler doubled down on his position that Santos must resign.
Nonetheless, the congressman announced his re-election campaign last month, a signal that he would not be backing down from the allegations or his political career.
Since taking office amid multiple scandals, Santos was removed from his committee positions. Critics saw his removal from select committees as a slap on the wrist.
In March, the House Ethics Committee announced that they were investigating Santos to determine if the representative "engaged in unlawful activity" while he campaigned for Congress.
The probe also aimed to determine whether or not Santos "failed to properly disclose required information on statements filed with the House."