Stefanik Latest to Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge on Santos Money

Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge may be how you win in dodgeball, but it’s also the Republican playbook on questions about the thousands of dollars they’ve taken from George Santos.

Elise Stefanik is the latest member to ignore repeated questions about the $5,000 she took from George Santos. So far, all of the Republicans with tainted Santos money listed in ECU’S letter have refused to donate it to charity.

See below for how House Republicans are dodging, ducking, dipping, diving, and dodging questions about the money they took from George Santos:

• Congresswoman Elise Stefanik: Refusing to respond to multiple requests for comment
  
  • The Post Star:
    • End Citizens United, a political action committee focused on campaign finance reform, on Jan. 19 urged E-PAC, the political action committee of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, to donate to charity a $5,000 contribution from Rep. George Santos, R-Long Island, who has been criticized for fabricating much of his resume and accused of campaign finance and personal financial indiscretions.

    • Stefanik’s campaign did not return repeated requests to comment that The Post-Star left via email and voicemail over several days.

• Congressman Max Miller: Dodging questions about donating his Santos money
  • The American Independent:
    • The political action committee End Citizens United called on Tuesday for 12 Republican lawmakers to divest themselves of donations they received from scandal-plagued New York Republican Rep. George Santos. At least five of those recipients have already called on Santos to resign from Congress.

    • In an emailed statement, Max Miller responded: “I contributed to the campaigns of dozens of Republican nominees for the U.S. House, including Santos’s campaign. Had I known then what we’ve learned in the last few weeks, I would never have supported Santos, and I doubt his voters would have either.” His office did not comment on a follow-up question about what he would do with the $5,800 he received from Santos or the $5,000 he took from GADS PAC.

    • The others did not immediately respond.

• Congresswoman Harriet Hageman: Deflecting and feigning ignorance
  • WyoFile:
    • The group End Citizens United said it mailed Hageman a letter Jan. 19 asking her to donate to charity a $2,900 campaign contribution from GOP Rep. Santos, accused of fabricating his life story while campaigning to represent parts of Long Island. “Given the long list of lies, likely criminality, and blatant disregard for ethics, transparency, or the truth, we are calling on you to donate George Santos’ tainted money to charity,” the letter said. “Keeping the money or returning it to Santos would be an endorsement of his deception and corruption.” 

    • Asked whether she would donate a $2,500 contribution, she deflected, saying she wasn’t aware he had donated that sum.

• Congresswoman Mary Miller: Still sitting on $5,000 from George Santos
  • IL Capitol Fax:
    • End Citizens United today issued an open letter to Republican members of Congress who took money from disgraced Congressman George Santos. The letter calls on the members to donate the money to charity.

    • According to the release, Rep. Miller received $5,000 from Kitara Ravache…. er… Rep. Santos.

• Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: No comment on returning Santos money 
  • Oswego County News:
    • A political action committee in the nation’s capital is calling on U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, among other Republican members of Congress, to relinquish money donated by controversial freshman Congressman George Santos.

    • End Citizens United — a D.C. political PAC concerned with getting dark money out of politics — penned a letter to 12 members of Congress Wednesday, asking them to donate to charity any campaign contributions made by Santos.

    • Tenney’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Congressman Marc Molinaro: Still has $1,000 from Santos in his bank account
  • The River Reporter:
    • End Citizens United (ECU) issued an open letter to Republican members of Congress who took money from Congressman George Santos (NY-3), calling on them to donate the money to charity. The freshman senator Santos has come under scrutiny for campaign-trail lies about his accomplishments and his heritage, and for alleged improprieties with his finances. “Keeping the money or returning it to Santos would be an endorsement of his deception and corruption,” wrote ECU.

    • Congressman Marc Molinaro (NY-19) took $1,000 from Santos, according to ECU. Molinaro has signaled his belief that Santos should resign in published reports.

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