George Santos campaign lost more than $3K in three months as he faced calls to resign
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The campaign of Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., lost more than $3,000 in the first three months of 2023, kicking off an attempt at reelection in 2024 with a thud.
The loss came as Santos fended off ongoing criticism and calls for his resignation after he lied about his educational and employment background, and drew legal scrutiny for financial dealings in both his campaign and the companies he worked for.
Santos, whose campaign did not respond to USA TODAY's inquiries, announced Monday he's running for reelection after he filed paperwork to fundraise for his 2024 campaign in mid-March. He will face a primary challenge from Afghanistan veteran Kellen Curry, who advertises he will "restore honesty and integrity" to the office. Curry entered the race after the FEC reporting deadline, so his fundraising numbers are not available.
From Jan. 1 to March 31, Santos' campaign took in about $5,300 and refunded another $8,400 to donors, according to a filing Saturday with the Federal Election Commission. He started the quarter with about $28,000 in cash and ended it with about $25,000.
The filing does not say why donors had their money refunded, and donors did not return calls from USA TODAY. Donations can be returned for many different reasons, such as if the campaign offers when the candidate changes parties, according to the nonpartisan watchdog Open Secrets.
Politico first reported the news of Santos' first quarter loss.
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Santos faces scrutiny over campaign finances
Santos is under investigation by multiple entities over his financial dealings, including those related to his campaign. The Department of Justice, which has the power to bring criminal charges related to campaign finance violations, is looking into him, and so is the House Ethics Committee. The Federal Election Commission also has sought information about issues in his campaign's filings.
One issue is how Santos was able to pour $705,000 into the congressional campaign in 2022 while reporting significantly less in income and assets to Congressional watchdogs. The Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit watchdog, told the FEC in a letter it later forwarded to the DOJ that Santos must have received the money from someone else and served as an illegal straw donor.
His 2022 campaign reported dozens of expenses just below the $200 threshold that would have required them to provide receipts to the Federal Election Commission. In its complaint, the Campaign Legal Center cited a $199.99 expense listed for an upscale hotel that regularly rents rooms for more than $700 a night.
In January, the FEC raised questions about donations to his 2022 campaign for $26,000 and $25,000. Federal law limits donations from people to $5,800, split evenly between a primary and general election.
Santos' lawyer, Joe Murray, told CNN in January: "The suggestion that the Santos campaign engaged in any unlawful spending of campaign funds is irresponsible, at best."
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Santos 2024 campaign lost $3,000 in three months
