WASHINGTON (TND) — Rep. George Santos says he will not seek a term following the release of a report by the House Ethics Committee. The report cites “substantial evidence” of “unlawful and uncharged conduct. “
The report includes accusations that Santos blatantly stole money from his campaign, for non-public expenses. In particular, more than $4,000 was spent on Hermes, with more budget going to smaller bills on Onlyfans and purchases at Sephora.
Misuse of the crusade’s budget is not an unusual rate in politics, and the consequences for violating the Federal Election Campaign Act vary, with fines and criminal sentences of up to five years consistent with the violation. In addition, expulsion from the country is on the table, and House is expected to continue this action when he returns from the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) keeps an account of the fines it has imposed since 1977. In fiscal year 2023 alone, the FEC issued at least $2,427,697 in penalties.
Internal rules strictly prohibit the use of the campaign budget for non-public expenditures, in addition to food and travel. In addition, those laws emphasize the importance of separating campaign money from the private budget. »
The Federal Election Campaign Law explicitly prohibits the use of the campaign budget for non-public expenditures, explained as “any commitment, legal liability, or expense that would exist independently of the candidate’s campaign. “In other words, the expense would still exist even if the user were a candidate or a public servant.