George Santos Taps New Campaign Donations to Pay Off His Debt

Embattled New York Representative George Santos raised $133,078 in campaign contributions last quarter but remains deeply in debt as his fundraising lagged Democratic and Republican challengers.

(Bloomberg) — Embattled New York Representative George Santos raised $133,078 in campaign contributions last quarter but remains deeply in debt as his fundraising lagged Democratic and Republican challengers.

Most of Santos’s modest campaign haul went to paying off $85,000 of the $615,000 he has loaned to his campaign.

Santos’s report filed with the Federal Election Commission Friday showed that 88% of his support came from outside of New York state, and largely from Chinese-American contributors. Santos, a freshman Republican representing parts of Queens and Long Island, has made opposing the Chinese Communist Party one of his signature issues.

Last quarter, Santos refunded more contributions than he brought in. He’s raised $179,242 since taking office despite controversy over his campaign lies about working for Wall Street firms Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Citigroup Inc.

The 34-year-old from Queens was charged in May with defrauding campaign contributors, fraudulently claiming more than $24,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits and lying in congressional ethics disclosures. The House Ethics Committee is considering a resolution that would expel him from the chamber, and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said he won’t support Santos’s reelection.

Joshua Lafazan, a Nassau County legislator who’s the top fundraiser among seven Democrats in the race for Santos’s seat, raised $202,025 in the three months ending June 30, his campaign said. That brings his total raised so far to $555,128. Democratic activist Zak Malamed raised $417,345, all in the second quarter, according to his campaign.

Kellen Curry, a former JPMorgan Chase & Co. vice president challenging Santos in the Republican primary, has said he raised more than $200,000 since announcing his campaign in April.

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