George Santos is still violating campaign finance laws even after getting expelled from Congress

More than a month after being expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives, disgraced former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) is still flouting the rules that came with his election in 2022. His latest violation could cost the notorious scofflaw as much as $71,316.

Before his removal by fellow U.S. representatives in December, Santos was the only current member who failed to file an annual financial disclosure for the 118th Congress. Last weekend, despite his status as one of only six U.S. reps to be expelled in the institution’s 200+ year history, Santos missed yet another legal deadline to do so.

Related:

George Santos will get paid to participate in documentary on his “human side”

The disgraced former congressman will profit yet again from his lies.

While he could have filed for a 30-day extension to meet the requirement, the federally indicted ex-congressman — already facing charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, false statements, falsification of records, aggravated identity theft, and credit card fraud — didn’t bother.

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“As a member of Congress leaving office — even one who was forced out — Santos is required to file a final financial disclosure, or at least request an extension, within 30 days of leaving office,” reports watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). Santos’ “last disclosure was his 2022 candidate report, and he’s missed four deadlines since then.”

After a previously missed deadline in October, Santos brushed aside queries over the delay, stating he’d “rather be late, accurate, and pay the fine than be on time, inaccurate, and suffer the consequences of a rushed job.” 

Weeks later, he suffered the humiliation of a historic expulsion.

Instructions from the House clerk’s office for members filing annual financial reports spell out in detail the repercussions for not following the rules.

“The Attorney General may pursue either civil or criminal penalties against an individual who knowingly and willfully falsifies… or fails to file” an annual financial statement, among other required filings, the instructions read. According to the clerk’s office, the maximum civil and criminal penalty in Santos’ case would be $71,316. It would be his second such offense.

Since his expulsion from Congress following a damning report from the House Ethics Committee in November, and despite a looming 23-count federal indictment, Santos has continued to bask in a diminishing spotlight.

In the weeks following his defiant exit from Congress — “To hell with this place!” he exclaimed on the Capitol steps — Santos has joined the formerly famous with a Cameo account, traded jabs with Jimmy Kimmel, and claimed he’ll be the star of a new documentary revealing his “human side” and get paid for the effort.

In a December YouTube interview with Santos, comedian Ziwe asked what the American public can do to get the clowning ex-congressman to just “go away.”

“Stop inviting me to your gigs,” Santos advised. “But you can’t, cause people want the content.”