By Karen Rubin, News-Photos-Features.com
In the wake of nonstop revelations questioning the veracity of Republican Congressman-elect George Santos’ credentials, Nassau County Legislator Josh Lafazan (D-Woodbury), together with civic leaders from NY’s 3rd Congressional District gathered at the Federal Court Building in Central Islip to submit an official letter asking the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York to investigate potential federal crimes leading his election.
The Republican is under fire for widespread reports of lying about his education, his work, his business, but most significantly, about his finances and his campaign spending.
“These are not about harmless embellishments of credentials, but federal crimes,”Lafazan stated, listing voter fraud due to falsely listed residency; potential conspiracy to defraud the US arising from campaign donations connected with Russian oligarchs; lies on his FEC candidate financial disclosures, and questionable use of campaign funds for lavish travel and personal use.
Lafazan noted that in the many days since the first New York Times expose was published, Santos failed to produce any evidence to refute any of the allegations – not a property tax bill, a pay stub, a diploma, or any receipt.
Based on what the New York Times and others have exposed, Lafazan is calling upon the U.S. Attorney to investigate these possible crimes:
Voter fraud due to a falsely listed residency. It’s illegal to register to vote at an address where you don’t live. You have to gather petitions from thousands of neighbors – and give your legal name and address. He defrauded them, including my constituents who signed the petition.
Conspiracy to defraud the US arising from donations connected with Russian oligarchs. Santos reportedly received nearly $56,000 in campaign donations from Andrew Intrater, money manager to his cousin, Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg. Vekselberg, whose net worth is $7.65 billion, is a high-echelon ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Blatantly lying to the FEC on his candidate financial disclosures. Lafazan noted that when Santos first ran for Congress, in 2020 (he lost to Democrat Tom Suozzi), he reported earning $55,000 in salary and almost no financial assets. But in 2022, he reported up to $5 million in savings, and enough to loan his own campaign $700,000. This despite the fact he was subject twice to eviction proceedings and a small-claims court suit over nonpayment of a loan.
“Newsday asked what was the source of this newfound wealth, who his clients were. He claims to own three mansions and 13 other properties with his family. But the New York Times reported was nearly evicted two times, yet had financial ability to loan himself $700,000.”
Misuse of campaign funds. Lafazan charged the Santos used his campaign fund to bankroll a lavish lifestyle. “He spent $43,000 on travel, with over 70 hotel stays in 2022, including The Breakers, W South Beach, Trump international; $3300 to an AirBnB in California, even hotels in Long island like the Garden City Hotel.
“You can be indicted and convicted on this specific charge alone, or any one of these, but taken together..That’s why asking for federal investigation,” Lafazan said. “It’s not partisan. If Santos steps down, his seat can be filled by a Democrat or a Republican, the people decide. But Santos lied and took away the chance people had to decide based on honest facts.”
Santos also apparently lied about having four of his employees die in the Pulse Nightclub, and about his grandparents escaping to Brazil to flee the Holocaust.
Meanwhile, he happily appeared at a New York Young Republicans Club gala in Manhattan alongside white nationalists, neoNazis and right-wing conspiracy theorists.
Among Santos’ claims is that he attended the January 6 rally at the Ellipse and that he wrote a “sizeable” check to the insurgents’ legal fund.
Joining Lazafan at the Federal Court Building were NY-03 civic leaders including Kieran Kelly of Syosset, a Harvard sophomore; State Assemblywoman Taylor Darling, Ravin Chetram, Vice President of the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce, Syosset High School senior Sabrina Guo, Jonathan Rudes and Shelly Rudes who expressed how they have been harmed by the deception, feeling cheated out of representation, and the harm to trust in government, in the political process, and democracy.
“Accountability is important. Constituents care. Integrity is important in the democratic process,: said New York State Assemblywoman Taylor Darling (Hempstead, Uniondale, Freeport). “We have to insure have people with best intentions running for office. If these allegations are true, Santos deceived voters. How can we continue to trust intentions when we don’t even know who he is? We must do what we can to maintain trust. Democracy depends on that.”
Ravin Chetram, Oyster Bay-East Norwich Chamber of Commerce VP, stated “I am disturbed by his actions. If he committed these things to get into office. I am concerned about what he will do in office, if he will stay in office. A con man. The last thing they need in Washington is another liar.”
Sabrina Guo, 17-year old senior at Syosset HS, activist, who has only known Trump as president, said “Power needs responsibility and accountability. When an elected official falsifies details, not just their character is in question, but their good will (to uphold) representative democracy is questioned. We need leaders who respect democratic values. When I can vote, want to be able to vote for someone who embodies ideals.
Kieren Kelly of Syosset, a sophomore at Harvard, where he is studying government, pointed out the obvious: that every person applying for a job is scrutinized for their credentials. If we make statement by not investigating someone elected to Congress – his entire resume in question – what does it say about integrity of political system? “If we set a standard that you don’t need to prove anything about yourself to run for political office, what does it say to the average person” who has to undergo intense vetting for any job?
“In addition to Mr. Santos' fully concocted resume, his unearthed criminal record abroad, his growing trail of misleading home addresses, his political and financial ties to Russian oligarchy, his undisclosed and otherwise inexplicable origin of wealth that helped self-finance two campaigns, along with his presence as a protester on January 6, bear warning signs of a potential national security risk,” asserted Brad Schwartz, a 3rd district constituent and a doctorate candidate of international affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of international studies who studies disinformation.
“Unfortunately, in the current House environment, the ambition to secure every last vote for the GOP speakership and upcoming majority appears to be keeping George Santos insulated even at the expense our best national and security interests. We now find ourselves at a dangerous juncture if partisan and personal politicking is permitted to supercede what is an ethically unambiguous step. No one from either party believes Mr. Santos is qualified to serve in Congress, where his mere presence will further dilute the institutions prestige and integrity to say nothing further of the security danger it may pose.
“George Santos is a detriment to our democracy. There is no reasonable, legitimate excuse to allow him near the Capitol he tried to subvert in 2021 - let alone seat him there as an exposed criminal, con artist and potential national security threat,” Schwartz stated.
Santos’ lawyer, Joe Murray, was dismissive of the allegations raised by the New York Times, while not offering any evidence to refute any of them, or producing Santos. Murray issued a short statement that it was “no surprise that Congressman-elect Santos has enemies at The New York Times who are attempting to smear his good name with these defamatory allegations.”
And Joseph G. Cairo Jr., chairman of the Nassau County Republican Party, told the Times that the allegations raised “serious” issues that he believed Santos should address. “Every person deserves an opportunity to clear his/her name in the face of accusations,” Cairo said in a statement. “I am committed to this principle, and I look forward to the Congressman-elect’s response to the news reports.”
And while people seem to be blaming the Democrats, including Santos’ Democratic opponent, Robert Zimmerman, for failing to do adequate opposition research (Zimmerman said that some of the allegations had been presented to reporters), and blaming the New York Times and Newsday for failing to do adequate investigation before the election, the fault for Santos’ candidacy lies squarely with the Republicans who propped him up without vetting, or if any of this had been known, they are co-conspirators in defrauding the United States and 3rd District constituents.
“Trust in our democracy is at all time low,” Lafazan declared. “People are demoralized. Government doesn’t work. If Santos can ignore, ride out, be sworn in, it sends a message that some people are above the law. But our democracy is all about equality. We are calling on the Eastern District for prompt, thorough investigation.”
Lafazan announced on December 23 his intention to propose a first-of-its-kind "Campaign Honesty Bill" to ensure that no candidate or elected official in Nassau County is able to defraud voters.
This bill would make it a misdemeanor in Nassau County for a candidate or elected official to lie about their registered address, employment history, education, and income.
Legislator Lafazan will also be calling on elected representatives in Albany and Washington to pass similar pieces of legislation to protect residents from future election fraud.
Back in the district, petitions are circulating to force Santos to resign.
One of them, directed at Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who is salivating to win election as Speaker of the House, states, “We deserve to know who our Congressman is and he had a chance to tell us at any point during his campaign. Instead, he lied about major aspects of his life, and seemingly committed fraud, to win public office. Even now he continues to deflect and distract instead of telling us the truth.
“The investigation also revealed troubling new information about Mr. Santos’ financial situation, omission of key information on his personal financial disclosures, and criminal charges for check fraud in another country. How can we trust someone who constantly lies, who evidently steals from animal rescue fundraisers, and who has unresolved fraud charges in another country, to fight for us?
“Residents of New York’s 3rd district and all Americans deserve answers on these fundamental questions before Mr. Santos can serve in Congress. We respectfully ask that you take the appropriate actions as is required by the severity of his actions and launch a Congressional investigation of George Santos immediately.” (To sign the letter, go to www.whoisgeorgesantos.com)
A rally is scheduled for Thursday, December 29.
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