NEW YORK (AP) — Embattled freshman U.S. Rep. George Santos, a Republican from New York charged with a number of monetary crimes, together with embezzling cash from his marketing campaign, withdrew $85,000 from his marketing campaign to lend a hand pay off masses of hundreds of bucks he loaned himself to get elected in 2022.
Congressional marketing campaign information launched Friday display Santos raised a quite paltry $138,000 all over the closing 3 months for a reelection bid this is anticipated to be probably the most nation’s most-watched and hotly contested races in 2024.
The information display he spent just about $118,000, the majority of it to start out repaying the greater than $700,000 he loaned himself for his a hit however unexpected victory closing 12 months.
The underwhelming fundraising suggests possible struggles in keeping off a problem from fellow Republican Kellen Curry, an Afghanistan conflict veteran and previous J.P. Morgan banker, who raised greater than $200,000 and spent $36,000 all over the similar length.
In the meantime, the highest Democrat vying for New York’s 3rd Congressional District, Nassau County legislator Joshua Lafazan, has raised greater than $345,000, with a lot of it nonetheless within the financial institution.
Santos pleaded now not accountable in Would possibly to a 13-count federal indictment charging him with looting his marketing campaign coffers, fraudulently receiving unemployment and mendacity to Congress about being a millionaire. He faces as much as twenty years in jail if convicted.
An afternoon later, he signed an settlement with Brazilian officers that allowed him to steer clear of prosecution for forging two stolen assessments in 2008.
Regardless of his criminal woes, Santos has vowed to combat to stay his congressional seat, which most commonly encompasses the western suburbs of Lengthy Island but additionally straddles portions of the Queens borough in New York Town.
AP Picture/J. Scott Applewhite, Report
Fellow Republicans in his house district and somewhere else, together with some fellow GOP individuals within the state’s congressional delegation, have instructed him to desert his reelection plans.
Complicating issues is whether or not congressional districts will once more need to be redrawn, which might imply hassle for some Republican incumbents if congressional strains are moved to make districts extra favorable to Democrats.
Santos introduced his reelection bid in April, in spite of a gradual drumbeat calling for his resignation on account of his many deceptions all over his closing marketing campaign, together with mendacity about his schooling, Wall Side road pedigree and different resume fabrications.
Critical questions on his budget additionally surfaced — together with the supply of what seems to be a temporarily gathered fortune in spite of contemporary monetary issues, together with evictions and owing hundreds in again hire.
Santos could also be going through investigation by means of the Space Ethics Committee, in addition to by means of native government having a look into whether or not he has violated any regulations all over his earlier marketing campaign.