New York: George Santos Reacts To Report He Used Campaign Funds for Botox, Personal Use

By Rick Martin Nov 16 2023, 19:45 PM EST

The House Ethics Committee has now released the results of its investigation into New York Republican Rep. George Santos and found that he used campaign funds for personal use. These include using it for items like Botox treatments and lavish trips to Atlantic City, New Jersey with his husband.

The investigation into Santos was a bipartisan effort as the embattled New York congressman has his own critics in the Republican Party, especially his fellow New York Republicans. The bipartisan effort found "substantial evidence" that George Santos violated federal criminal laws, which could mean that it may trigger another attempt to expel him from the House, likely from other New York Republicans.

The report did not just show that Santos used campaign funds to pay for his lavish lifestyle but also his efforts to obscure his money trail while trying to build a "fictional" financial narrative on official records, per Politico.

"At nearly every opportunity, he placed his desire for private gain above his duty to uphold the Constitution, federal law, and ethical principles," the bipartisan Ethics Committee report found. "Santos sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit."

However, the House Ethics Committee stopped short of recommending any sanctions against the embattled New York Republican. Ethics Chair Michael Guest, a Mississippi Republican, did admit that evaluating and recommending sanctions "would have taken several more months."

The report was unanimously adopted by all members of the panel, who publicly condemned George Santos's actions and found that his conduct was "beneath the dignity of the office and to have brought severe discredit upon the House."

What Did New York Republican Rep. George Santos Use Campaign Funds On?

Travel took up the most significant portion of George Santos's expenses using funds donated by supporters for his campaign. These included flights, Uber, and meals. The committee found that these trips did not have any political or campaign purpose.

According to CNN, one witness told the panel that Santos traveled at least once a month and added that they were "worried about the look of the campaign spending all this money on ... all these dinners and travel outside of the district."

These trips included a Las Vegas trip that was charged to the campaign credit card, as well as a trip to Atlantic City worth $2,281.52.

Another staffer told the Ethics Committee that Santos also spent thousands of dollars of campaign money for spa, cosmetic services, and "smaller purchases" at Only Fans, Sephora, meals, and parking. He also spent $4,127.80 at Hermes and thousands of donor dollars in Botox.

George Santos Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election Anymore After House Ethics Committee Findings

Shortly after the report came out, George Santos reacted to it on X and announced he would not seek re-election anymore. However, he still tried to remain defiant and denounced the investigation, calling it a "biased report."

"It is a disgusting politicized smear that shows the depths of how low our federal government has sunk. Everyone who participated in this grave miscarriage of Justice should all be ashamed of themselves," he wrote on the site formerly known as Twitter. "I will however NOT be seeking re-election for a second term in 2024 as my family deserves better than to be under the gun from the press all the time."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Breaking down the scathing George Santos ethics report - CBS News