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For those keeping an eye on Rep. George Santos’ cringe-worthy political career, yesterday offered unexpected news. The public finally learned the names of the people who co-signed the New York Republican’s post-arraignment bond, but the news he fought to keep secret proved underwhelming: Santos’ father and aunt were the suretors for the bond.
Soon after, however, the GOP congressman confronted another round of discouraging headlines that, unlike the news about his financial benefactors, no one knew to expect. NBC News reported:
The Republican-led House Ethics Committee said Thursday that it has issued dozens of subpoenas and requests for information in connection with its investigation of Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., who was indicted last month on 13 counts, including making materially false statements to the House. In a statement, the committee, which has been investigating Santos since early March, said ... it had issued over 30 subpoenas and more than 40 voluntary requests for information.
And while that probably wasn’t what the prolific liar wanted to hear, it wasn’t the only discouraging information he received from the ethics panel.
Complicating matters for Santos is that the House Ethics Committee, which has traditionally paused investigations when members are facing criminal investigations, is expanding its scrutiny of the New York Republican to include one of the criminal allegations that led to Santos’ recent arrest.
In a written statement from the committee’s bipartisan leadership, Republican Rep. Michael Guest and Democratic Rep. Susan Wild said the panel “voted to expand the jurisdiction of the ... inquiry to include counts IX-XI of the indictment, allegations that Representative Santos fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits.”
The statement added, “The Committee is aware of the risks associated with dual investigations and is in communication with the Department of Justice to mitigate the potential risks while still meeting the Committee’s obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House.”
Punchbowl News did a good job summarizing why all of this was deemed “fascinating” on Capitol Hill yesterday:
First, the Ethics Committee released the statement, which is unusual. It did so because the jurisdiction of the investigative subcommittee was expanded. ... But Ethics never discloses in the midst of an investigation that it’s “issued over 30 subpoenas and more than 40 voluntary requests for information.” Never. Second, Ethics expanded its probe to include something Santos was indicted for, namely unemployment insurance fraud. ... Third, Ethics acknowledges that it is coordinating with DOJ to “mitigate the potential risks” of “dual investigations.” Again, to have the secretive panel say this publicly is eye-opening.
Santos has pleaded not guilty. Watch this space.