(WASHINGTON) — Embattled New York Rep. George Santos said Friday that he will comply “100%” with the House Ethics Committee, which is probing numerous allegations against the freshman Republican.
The committee voted unanimously Thursday to establish an “Investigative Subcommittee” to look into the claims made against Santos, which is the panel’s first move toward formally investigating him.
Among the accusations the subcommittee will look at are whether Santos “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,” according to a news release from the House Ethics Committee.
“I’m going to comply 100% with them,” Santos told ABC’s Gabe Ferris on Capitol Hill Friday, though he declined to answer a question about any information he may have already supplied to the committee.
Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, will serve as chair of the subcommittee, and Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., will serve as the ranking member.
In a brief statement on Twitter, Santos wrote that he was cooperating and that “there will be no further comment made at this time.”
Santos has previously acknowledged lying about some parts of his background, specifically about graduating from college — which he did not — but he has insisted his behavior was similar to routine resume embellishment.
He has denied any criminal wrongdoing, and he vowed before he took office that he would be “effective” for his constituents.
“If for some way when we go through Ethics [Committee] that he has broken the law, then we will remove him, but it’s not my role,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in January. “I believe in the rule of law. A person’s innocent until proven guilty.”
If a majority of the Ethics Committee determines Santos has done something wrong, they can then file a recommendation to the full House for one or more punishments, including: expulsion, censure, reprimand, fine, denial of various responsibilities or any other sanction determined to be appropriate.
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