According to a report published on Friday, the Justice Department has urged that the Federal Election Commission refrain from pursuing enforcement action against the disgraced legislator while it continues its criminal investigation.
According to the Washington Post, the directive given by the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section indicates that federal prosecutors may focus their investigation into Santos (R-NY) on his campaign money.
The article says that the DOJ has requested that the FEC give it with any pertinent materials.
The disclosure comes just one day after the FEC issued a letter to the newly listed treasurer of the Santos campaign, requesting confirmation that he is in charge of the campaign’s finances.
“It has come to the attention of the Federal Election Commission that you may have failed to include the true, correct, or complete treasurer information,” the FEC stated in a letter to Thomas Datwyler on Thursday. Datwyler, through his attorney, denied ever agreeing to accept the position.
Mr. Datwyler’s attorney, Derek Ross, issued the following statement: “On Monday, we informed the Santos campaign that Mr. Datwyler would no longer be serving as treasurer.” “It appears there is a disconnect between that conversation and the filings we did not authorize on Wednesday,” the attorney said.
The FEC reminds the Santos campaign that, under federal law, “knowingly and willfully making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation to a federal government agency, including the Federal Election Commission, is punishable” and that the agency “may report apparent violations to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.”
The FEC typically complies with Justice Department pleas to delay enforcement, according to the Washington Post.
This week, the team of the 34-year-old lawmaker has been altering numerous records filed with the FEC.
Wednesday, Santos’ campaign team altered documents to demonstrate that a $500,000 loan he made to his 2022 congressional campaign did not originate from “personal funds of the candidate.” Unknown is the source of the monies he lent to his campaign.
Santos, who revealed to The Post that he lied about his schooling, employment background, and religion, among other things, on his CV during his campaign for office, is facing federal, state, and county investigations as a result of his lies.
»DOJ asks FEC to delay action against Rep. George Santos pending criminal probe: report«