Former Rep. George Santos, throughout a Friday evening social media tirade, vowed to file a slate of ethics complaints towards the lawmakers who had been most vocal about ousting him.
Mr. Santos promised to lodge the complaints Monday towards Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, Mike Lawler and Nick LaLota, all fellow New York Republicans, together with one towards Robert Menendez, New Jersey Democrat and son of embattled Sen. Bob Menendez.
The disgraced former lawmaker accused the group of various wrongdoings, together with insider inventory buying and selling, abusing taxpayer cash and marketing campaign finance violations. Mr. Santos himself faces 23 federal prices for related alleged misconduct, in addition to wire fraud and cash laundering.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to oust him Friday, regardless of warnings from celebration management of the darkish precedent the transfer may set.
Mr. Santos first took intention at Mrs. Malliotakis, accusing her of “questionable inventory buying and selling” since becoming a member of the highly effective Home Methods and Means Committee.
“Let’s discuss hypocrisy. Can somebody ask Nicole MalioStockTips when did she grow to be a savant in inventory buying and selling?” he wrote on X.
The previous lawmaker alleged that Mrs. Malliotakis’ buying and selling practices “reek” of insider buying and selling “very like Paul Pelosi,” the husband of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, who has been accused of utilizing info from Congress to bolster his portfolio.
“Earlier than becoming a member of the committee, the congresswoman didn’t have an energetic buying and selling behavior or a excessive quantity stake,” Mr. Santos mentioned of Mrs. Malliotakis. “The query is, what set of knowledge is she buying and selling with?”
He then pivoted to Mr. Lawler, accusing the lawmaker of utilizing an organization he owns a stake in, Checkmate Methods, to pay for “providers associated to his marketing campaign.”
“The regarding questions are: Is Mr Lawler participating in laundering cash from his marketing campaign to his agency, then into his personal pocket?” Mr. Santos mentioned. “I’ll let the Workplace of Congressional Ethics be the decide of that.”
Will Kiley, a spokesperson for Mr. LaLota, fired again at Mr. Santos.
“George is simply mad the Congressman has three precise levels whereas he lied about having one,” Mr. Kiley advised The Washington Instances.
Mr. Santos then accused Mr. LaLota of skipping out on his taxpayer-funded job on the native board of elections to attend regulation college whereas nonetheless getting paid.
His ultimate promised grievance was towards Robert Menendez to find out what the lawmaker knew about his father.
The elder Mr. Menendez has been hit with federal prices regarding a bribery scheme. He has been accused of peddling affect and favors to pursuits in Egypt.
“I feel it’s a good level to verify we weed out the doubt surrounding Rep. Menendez and his enterprise associations together with his father,” Mr. Santos mentioned.
The Washington Instances reached out to every lawmaker for touch upon Mr. Santos‘ accusations.
