House Ethics Committee opens Santos probe

The U.S. House Ethics Committee last week announced it had voted unanimously to open an investigation of U.S. Rep. George Santos (R-N. .) over allegations of financial and sexual misconduct.

The 10-member body, divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats, will now put Santos’ fate into the hands of an evenly divided subcommittee of four members led by U.S. Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio).

The subcommittee’s inquiry will evaluate whether the embattled congressman’s required financial disclosures as a candidate contained illegal omissions or conflicts of interest, as well as an allegation by an applicant to his congressional office that Santos made unwanted sexual advances toward him.

Santos did not comment beyond a statement shared on Twitter that was written in the third person: “The House Com- mittee on Ethics has opened an investigation, and Congressman George Santos is fully cooperating. There will be no further comment made at this time.”

Democratic New ork Congressman Ritchie Torres, who, with U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N. .), filed the initial Ethics Committee complaint against Santos, tweeted:

“BREAKING: House Ethics has opened an investigation into George Santos. Rep. Dan Goldman and I filed an ethics complaint against the self-described terrible liar for violating House rules. Now Congress is one step closer to holding its most corrupt member accountable.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) previously said action might be taken with Santos pursuant to the results of an Ethics Committee investigation.