George Santos failed to share money from joint fundraiser, GOP congresswoman says

WASHINGTON — Rep. George Santos failed to share any of the proceeds of a joint fundraiser he held in New York last year with Texas Republican Rep. Beth Van Duyne, her campaign manager said this week.

Santos (R-Nassau/Queens), who was elected in November, reported to the Federal Election Commission in October that a joint committee sponsoring the event raised $11,600 from two Long Island donors and split funds equally between Van Duyne and him.

But Van Duyne campaign spokesman Chris Homan told The Dallas Morning News in a story published Monday: “With regard to the donations, the Beth Van Duyne campaign did not receive a distribution of funds following the New York trip.”

Homan said the Devolder Santos Van Duyne Victory Committee was set up for a single New York trip by Van Duyne and that it has not been used since or will not be in the future. Van Duyne’s campaign fund did not report any proceeds from the event in its FEC filings.

Santos, the target of ethics and criminal investigations for fabricating his resume and other possible violations, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Emails to his press account bounced back.

The joint fundraising committee, set up by Santos’ treasurer at the time, Nancy Marks, reported to the FEC on Oct. 15 that Josh Eisen, a consultant who lives in Harrison, and Virginia Knott, a retiree who lives in Mill Neck, each contributed $5,800 to the committee on Aug. 15.

The committee reported it spent $2,033.33 on expenses that included use of the Capital Grille in Garden City, and then gave Van Duyne and Santos each $4,783.

Both the former and current treasurer of the joint fundraising committee have filed reports seeking to terminate its operation.

Neither Homan nor other Van Duyne campaign officials responded to Newsday requests for comment.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) may be protecting Santos from efforts by some members of Congress to expel him but new campaign filings show McCarthy is not going out of his way to help Santos win reelection.

In papers filed with the FEC Tuesday, McCarthy set up a joint fundraising committee, called Protect the House New York 2024, which will help raise money to reelect the New York Republicans whose victories in 2022 gave their party the majority in the House.

Among the beneficiaries of the new committee are first-term Long Island Republican congressmen Anthony D'Esposito of Island Park, who flipped a seat long held by Democrats, and Nick LaLota of Amityville, along with Andrew Garbarino of Bayport. Santos is not included.

D'Esposito also is included in McCarthy's national joint fundraising committee, Protect the House 2024, aimed at helping Republicans retain the House majority in the next election.