Former New York Rep. George Santos is expected to plead guilty to federal charges related to fraudulent activity during his 2022 midterm campaign. Santos, who was expelled from the House last year, had previously pleaded not guilty to 23 federal charges, including fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, misusing campaign funds, and lying about his personal finances on House disclosure reports. His campaign fundraiser and former campaign treasurer have already pleaded guilty to federal charges as part of plea deals.
Santos, a former Republican representative from New York’s 3rd Congressional District on Long Island, is the sixth lawmaker ever to be expelled from the chamber. He is also the first House member to be expelled without having been convicted or having supported the Confederacy. Momentum to expel Santos mounted after the House Ethics Committee released a report concluding that he had “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.” The resolution to expel him passed with 311 votes in favor and 114 against, with a significant number of Republicans also voting in favor of his expulsion.
Despite his expulsion from the House, Santos briefly attempted a congressional comeback earlier this year. He announced in March that he would leave the Republican Party to run as an independent in New York’s 1st District. However, he dropped his bid in April, citing concerns about splitting the ticket with the incumbent GOP representative and potentially handing the seat to Democrats. The expected guilty plea from Santos comes after his campaign fundraiser and former campaign treasurer both admitted to federal charges, suggesting a widening investigation into his campaign activities.
CNN has reached out to Santos, his attorney, and the US Eastern District of New York prosecutor’s office for comment on the expected guilty plea from the former New York representative. Santos’ legal troubles began with allegations of fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits and misuse of campaign funds. The guilty pleas from his campaign fundraiser and former campaign treasurer signal a potential unraveling of the fraudulent activities that led to Santos’ expulsion from the House. It remains to be seen how Santos’ guilty plea will impact his political future and whether he will face further consequences for his actions.
