US' Santos May Be Removed From Congress If Finance Law Breach Proved - Lawmaker

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2023) Republican US Congressman George Santos, who previously admitted to fabricating portions of his background prior to his election to the US House of Representatives, may be removed from his post if found in breach of campaign finance laws, lead Republican on the House of Representatives Oversight Committee James Comer said on Sunday.

In December, Santos admitted to lying on the campaign trail about parts of his biography, including his professional and educational experience. Earlier on Wednesday, the Nassau County Republican Committee, who backed Santos' campaign, said the congressman disgraced the lower chamber and called on him to resign. Santos has repeatedly refused to do so.

"In the end of the day, it's not up to me or any other member of Congress to determine whether he could be kicked out for lying. Now, if he broke campaign finance laws, then he will be removed from Congress," Comer told CNN's "State of the Union" show.

Comer called his fellow Republican lawmaker a "bad guy" and stressed that he disapproved of how Santos made his way to the Congress. Still, Santos is not the first politician who was not truthful about parts of his biography, Comer noted.

"He's going to be under strict ethics investigation, not necessarily for lying, but for his campaign finance potential violations," Comer said.

In December 2022, federal prosecutors launched a probe into the claims against Santos. This past Monday, the Campaign Legal Center, a non-partisan government watchdog group, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission claiming Santos and his 2022 campaign committee also violated campaign finance laws.