Santos has consistently refused calls to resign amid investigations into false claims about his personal and professional history.
An ethics panel in the United States House of Representatives is investigating a Republican congressman over a laundry list of falsehoods about his education, profession, cultural background and financial dealings that have come under scrutiny since his election in 2022.
The House Ethics Committee made the announcement on Thursday, and its investigation appears to be broad in scope. Santos has consistently said he will not heed calls to step down from office.
The investigation will seek to determine whether Santos “engaged in unlawful activity related to his 2022 congressional campaign; failed to properly disclose required information on depositions submitted to the House; violated federal conflict of interest laws in connection with his role in a company that provides fiduciary services; and/or engaged in sexual misconduct against a person seeking employment in his congressional office,” the committee said in a rack.
The congressman has previously admitted to fabricating important details about his professional and personal background. Based on its findings, the panel could recommend punishments, such as a fine or formal censure.
The commission’s statement notes that “the mere fact of establishing an investigative subcommittee does not in itself indicate that any violation has occurred.”
Santos falsely claimed that he had a degree from Baruch College in New York and that he had worked at financial groups such as Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. He also stated that his grandparents had “fled the persecution of the Jews in Ukraine, settled in Belgium and again fled persecution during World War II”.
A Jewish news outlet, The Forward, questioned those claims, prompting Santos to say he never claimed to be Jewish, only “Jewish,” in a widely circulated commentary.
The congressman also faces questions about his financial history but has consistently resisted calls to step down from office despite pressure from Democrats and members of his own party.
Earlier this month, Santos announced he would be temporarily stepping down from his two commission assignments: one on small business and one on science, aerospace and technology.
In a statement at the time, Santos said he remained “committed to serve the district and deliver results for both New York’s Third Congressional District and for the American people.”
