New York Republican Rep. George Santos won’t run for reelection following a scathing House Ethics Committee report that referred his case to the Department of Justice.

Stefan Jeremiah/AP

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Stefan Jeremiah/AP

New York Republican Rep. George Santos won’t run for reelection following a scathing House Ethics Committee report that referred his case to the Department of Justice.

Stefan Jeremiah/AP

New York Republican Rep. George Santos, who represents elements of Long Island and Queens, announced today he’s dropping his bid for a second time period after a House ethics report blasted him for legal exercise and mendacity to voters.

“I will continue on my mission to serve my constituents up until I am allowed,” Santos mentioned on X, the social media website. “I will however NOT be seeking re-election for a second term in 2024 as my family deserves better than to be under the gun from the press all the time.”

Santos has already admitted mendacity about a lot of his life story to voters earlier than successful a House seat in 2022.

Two of his marketing campaign aides pleaded responsible to felony fees linked to his marketing campaign and Santos himself has pleaded not guilty to 23 federal felony fees. His trial is predicted to start on Long Island subsequent yr.

The new report by the House Ethics Committee says a congressional probe discovered proof of “alleged violations” by Santos that transcend crimes detailed within the Justice Department’s indictments. The committee referred their report back to the division.

Investigators say money contributed to Santos’s election effort wound up being spent on private bills, together with botox remedy, purchases at Hermes and Sephora and “purchases at OnlyFans.”

“[D]espite his attempts to blame others for much of the misconduct, Representative Santos was a knowing and active participant in the wrongdoing,” the report states. “Particularly troubling was Representative Santos’ lack of candor during the investigation itself.”

Santos, who has aligned himself with far-right members of the GOP caucus, maintains he dedicated no crimes and has described his lies as “embellishments” and “exaggerations.”

Several House members have introduced plans to file resolutions to take away Santos from workplace later this month when Congress returns from a Thanksgiving recess. Santos has already survived two makes an attempt to take away him from workplace after a number of Republicans mentioned they might withold judgment till after the discharge of the ethics report.

The report issued on Thursday concluded that Santos:

• sought to “fraudulently exploit” each facet of his House candidacy for private revenue
• allegedly stole from his marketing campaign, deceiving donors and channeling contributions for private use
• invented fictional loans to his personal marketing campaign to trick donors and Republican committees into contributing to his election warfare chest

While the report is commonly scathing, it proposes no particular actions be taken in opposition to Santos, who has already been stripped of his committee assignments.

Rep. Mike Lawler, additionally a Republican freshman from New York, renewed his name on Thursday for Santos to resign instantly with out ending his first time period.