George Santos criminally charged by Justice Division

Scandal-plagued Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., has been criminally charged by the Division of Justice, NBC Information reported Tuesday, citing sources accustomed to the matter.

The character of the federal costs in opposition to the freshman congressman, who has admitted to mendacity about his background, was not instantly recognized. One supply informed NBC that Santos may give up in courtroom in Lengthy Island, New York, as early as Wednesday.

Santos’ lawyer and spokesperson didn’t instantly reply to CNBC’s requests for remark. A spokeswoman for the U.S. District Court docket for the Japanese District of New York declined to remark.

Information of the costs got here simply weeks after Santos introduced his 2024 reelection marketing campaign.

Santos has been underneath scrutiny for a number of scandals which have outlined his temporary time in Congress.

Earlier than being sworn into workplace, Santos admitted that he had “embellished” his training credentials and his work expertise. He denied committing any crimes. However he’s reportedly underneath a number of investigations as authorities at quite a few ranges of presidency probe his marketing campaign funds and different subjects.

Rep. Mike Lawler, a fellow GOP freshman from New York, gave NBC a one-word response to the reported costs in opposition to Santos: “Resign.”

Lawler is the most recent Republican to name for Santos’ resignation. However Santos has to this point rebuffed his critics, saying solely the voters of his district ought to determine whether or not he stays in Congress or not. Some polls have discovered that voters in Santos’ district view him overwhelmingly unfavorably throughout occasion strains.

Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who has a really tight majority and may’t afford to lose greater than a handful of votes, has not joined his colleagues’ requires Santos to step down.

Requested about Santos’ authorized hassle Tuesday, McCarthy mentioned, “I will take a look at the costs.”

A Home ethics panel in March appointed a subcommittee to analyze potential illegal exercise by Santos’ congressional marketing campaign. The subcommittee can be wanting into an allegation of sexual harassment made earlier this yr by Derek Myers, a journalist who says Santos groped him in his workplace whereas the 2 males have been alone going by constituent mail. Santos has denied the allegation.

CNN first reported the costs earlier Tuesday afternoon.