Santos purportedly raised and spent funds for a nonexistent recount for his failed 2020 campaign to offset costs for his 2022 campaign
End Citizens United filed a new complaint against Congressman George Santos with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Click here to read coverage of the complaint in The New York Times.
The complaint states that Santos illegally reported campaign expenses in connection with a recount effort for his failed 2020 election despite the fact that a recount never occurred. Santos lost by 12.4% in that election. It also alleges that Santos used funds for the recount to pay for campaign expenditures associated with his 2022 campaign, and that he filed a late statement of candidacy.
“Congressman Santos’ corruption knows no bounds,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “Santos deceived his own donors into believing he could initiate a recount for his failed 2020 election, which never took place, and then proceeded to use those funds to pay for staff and consultant salaries, as well as a laptop, for his 2022 campaign. This is a clear-cut violation of federal law. We urge the FEC to immediately investigate this corrupt scheme, and if necessary, refer this information to the Department of Justice as it conducts its own investigation into Santos.”
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On November 4, 2020, the day after Election Day, Santos filed a Statement of Organization for the recount fund, as a separate authorized committee.
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No recount was held; in fact, his 2020 election was not even close. According to the New York State Board of Elections, Santos received 161,931 votes (43.5% of the vote), while incumbent Congressman Tom Suozzi received 208,555 votes (56% of the vote), and a third-party candidate received 2,156 votes.
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New York election law calls for an automatic recount when the margin of victory is 20 votes or less or 0.5% or less. State law does not permit for candidate-initiated recounts.
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Despite this, the recount fund raised $265,662.28 in connection with the nonexistent 2020 “recount,” and spent $260,514.24 on the same. Some of these expenditures overlapped with expenditures made by the campaign.
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For example, on November 12, 2020 – more than a week after Election Day – the Recount Fund purchased a laptop computer at Best Buy for $2026.25, for the stated purpose “Laptop Computer for Recount.” On November 24, the campaign purchased a laptop from Best Buy for the exact same amount.
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Similarly, the recount fund paid a number of the campaign’s consultants and employees for work related to the non-existent “recount.”
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Santos began raising funds in connection with his 2022 candidacy immediately after the 2020 election.
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According to the Campaign’s Pre-General report, Santos raised $153,143.31 in itemized contributions designated for the 2022 election between November 5, 2020 and March 31, 2021. He did not file a Statement of Candidacy for the 2022 cycle until April 21, 2021.
Click here to read the complaint.
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