Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx) visited Great Neck Tuesday to announce that he sent a letter to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) asking it to investigate Rep. George Santos’ (R-Queens/Long Island) campaign finances.
During the news conference, held by the newly-formed group Concerned Citizens of NY-03, Torres also strengthened his calls for Santos to resign, which have been echoed by Long Island Democrats and Republicans alike.
“He must resign because his ability to govern has been crippled by a complete collapse of credibility,” Torres said. “He has no credibility with his colleagues – Democrats and Republicans – and he has no credibility with his constituents. He has no choice but to resign.”
Torres noted that even more concerning than Santos’ lies about his personal and professional life is the mystery surrounding his finances. The Dec. 19 New York Times article first reported that Santos reported making $55,000 in 2020. He soon after claimed that his company, the Devolder Organization, made millions of dollars but it is unclear how. Santos also contributed $700,000 to his campaign and made questionable transactions with other entities shrouded in secrecy, according to the Times and other reports.
When contacted by the Press, an FEC spokesperson said that legally, “all enforcement matters must remain confidential until they are closed.
“We cannot comment on potential enforcement matters,” the FEC spokesperson said.
Torres has also asked the House ethics committee to probe Santos’ finances, and the FEC has heard calls from nonprofit group Campaign Legal Center to investigate.
Concerned Citizens of NY-03, a group of residents living in Santos’ district, New York Congressional District 3, have convened to let their voices be heard that they wish for Santos to resign. They held the news conference and displayed a board laying out the premise of the proposed SANTOS (Stop Another Non Truthful Office Seeker) Act.
“It’s outrageous that you can lie flagrantly to voters and not face repercussions,” Torres said. “So I introduced the SANTOS Act, which would require federal candidates to disclose their education, their employment, and military history, so that fraudulent candidates like George Santos can be held accountable.”
Santos has refused to resign, and his lawyers and campaign have remained silent on the matter of his finances.
