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innovation-hacking2

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shitposting_dataset2

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[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo.." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook.", ">\n\nRussian lapdog" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook.", ">\n\nRussian lapdog", ">\n\nFollow the money!" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook.", ">\n\nRussian lapdog", ">\n\nFollow the money!", ">\n\nMan, it really seems like this sort of thing should be UNBELIEVABLY illegal, but then how would our \"beloved\" pedophiles and human traffickers get \"elected?\"" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook.", ">\n\nRussian lapdog", ">\n\nFollow the money!", ">\n\nMan, it really seems like this sort of thing should be UNBELIEVABLY illegal, but then how would our \"beloved\" pedophiles and human traffickers get \"elected?\"", ">\n\nWonder who been Putin money in there" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook.", ">\n\nRussian lapdog", ">\n\nFollow the money!", ">\n\nMan, it really seems like this sort of thing should be UNBELIEVABLY illegal, but then how would our \"beloved\" pedophiles and human traffickers get \"elected?\"", ">\n\nWonder who been Putin money in there", ">\n\nRussia 🇷🇺 I’m sure" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook.", ">\n\nRussian lapdog", ">\n\nFollow the money!", ">\n\nMan, it really seems like this sort of thing should be UNBELIEVABLY illegal, but then how would our \"beloved\" pedophiles and human traffickers get \"elected?\"", ">\n\nWonder who been Putin money in there", ">\n\nRussia 🇷🇺 I’m sure", ">\n\nWait, so the slime-mold that lied about every single facet of his being, to get elected, has shady financing. I for one, am shocked. /s" ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook.", ">\n\nRussian lapdog", ">\n\nFollow the money!", ">\n\nMan, it really seems like this sort of thing should be UNBELIEVABLY illegal, but then how would our \"beloved\" pedophiles and human traffickers get \"elected?\"", ">\n\nWonder who been Putin money in there", ">\n\nRussia 🇷🇺 I’m sure", ">\n\nWait, so the slime-mold that lied about every single facet of his being, to get elected, has shady financing. I for one, am shocked. /s", ">\n\nIf he is being propped up by some powerful anonymous entity, they’ve gotta be dumb as fuck to pick this guy with such an obviously shady past. \nIf I were a conspiracy theorist I’d think that democratic organizations funded this guy in order to showcase the complete absurdity of the modern republican party. Hanlon’s Razor suggests that this isn’t the case, and that Republican donors really are that stupid." ]

[ "So if you look at his FEC filings, which are public, you see a lot of whole dollar amounts, which stinks of fraud. These are for things like Ubers, convenience stores, gas stations, etc., places you NEVER see whole dollar amounts. \nBut here is where the fraud sits in plain sight. You also can see he has a payment listed to the Capital Hill Club. Problem with that one is that the Capital Hill Club doesn’t accept payment from non-members. Santos was not a member when he claimed payment. This guy is a walking campaign finance fraud indictment.\nEdit: changed FTC to FEC", ">\n\nNot only whole dollar amounts. His campaign had over 40 disbursements between $199 and $200. 37 of which were for exactly $199.99. $200 is the threshold at which receipts must be filed. They aren't even really trying to hid the fact that they were fudging the expense reports.", ">\n\nThey know they'll never be prosecuted....", ">\n\nGarland is limited on prosecuting him due to a memo from the Nixon administration that says you cant prosecute a Republican office holder within two years of a federal election. Otherwise I am sure he would look into it.", ">\n\nI don't know if the memo is a joke or reality is that ridiculous.", ">\n\nIt's a joke but there is am actual memo from the Trump administration that limits the DOJ ability to prosecute sitting \"politicians\". Now all investigations into politicians will now require personal authorization from Garland to be green lit. They decided to keep the memo into the Biden administration however.", ">\n\nThat orange bastard fucked up so much damn shit.", ">\n\nWe have to remember that dozens upon dozens, if not hundreds to thousands, within the government let him do so, whether due to apathy, actual-collusion, or just plain purposefully being rendered powerless to be able to. It's a literal international conspiracy unfolding before our eyes of US citizen catspaws/accomplices being funded with global oligarch money to control and unravel every semblance of actual/legitimate/real control and dignity the US actually has.\nIt's absurd to me that essentially every single regulatory or watchdog across the entire Fed just rolled over to let him do what he wanted (right down to firing staff who wouldn't).\nIn fact, this thing about Top Secret documents being allowed to be taken by sitting Presidents is ridiculous. Trump used it for actual chief-executive-level international espionage if the implications are true (and they probably goddamn are, considering his open greed), and Biden's handling just says they're sloppy about national secrets if you're the fucking President.", ">\n\nI mean, why would the president ever indict a former president for crimes? Theyd just open themselves up to future scrutiny/legal troubles/prison for their crimes (i.e. mostly due to war crimes and corruption tbh). Theyre not going to limit their own powers, and its all about power.\nI dont like it at all, mind you, but i have a feeling that thats whats going on w.r.t doj slow walking on trumps crimes before/during/after his presidency.", ">\n\nSantos' success reads to me like an experiment: \"how unchecked, open, insecure, unenforced, and exploitive is the American political system to push specific candidates into key positions to completely subvert the governing structure of the US.\"\nWhat happens to Santos now is irrelevant. The fact that he made it in with next to no resistance has probably given whoever was moving him like a pawn on a chess board invaluable information on the next BIG SHOW STOPPING POWER PLAY in 2024.", ">\n\nI’ve been wondering about this for sometime, but what happened to opposition research? Did the Democrat assume he’d win the position because it was a district in NY?", ">\n\nThey also blew it on Kirsten Sinema. Wolves in Wolf clothing, but the DNC was clueless.", ">\n\nSinema might be worse - she has been an elected official with a public vote history since 2005. \nThe fact that she was campaigning with a platform that contradicted her voting history should have been a major red flag. She's joined some important bills in AZ, sure, but overall her voting record screams corporate pawn - far from a died-in-the-wool progressive.\nThe DNC loves name recognition and a history of being elected, so I suspect they turned a blind eye to her campaign's blatant lying in order to guarantee a win in the district.", ">\n\nShe really misrepresented herself to the voters as well. Her demeanor since being elected has been very revealing about who she was all along. That “Fuck Off” ring she wore told me more about her than anything she ever said.", ">\n\nIf she tried to run again a potato could win the primary over her.", ">\n\nI hope you’re right. She changed to Independent in a pretty transparent attempt to split the vote. I’m hoping she just takes her high dollar consulting gig and disappears.", ">\n\n\nI hope you’re right.\n\nShe pissed off a lot of us locally. Wouldn't be surprised at all.", ">\n\nThis seems more and more of a let's see how dirty we can go and get away with it kinda play. I suspect that Santoss past was not as hidden in republican circles as they claim. This feels to much like a fishing attempt gone well and now they have no coherent plan for how to continue with the scam.", ">\n\nIgnoring it and hoping no consequences come has actually gone very well for Republicans.", ">\n\nNever complain. Never explain. Works for the monarchy.", ">\n\nExcept for the \"never complain\" part. They're constantly complaining all the time, usually about complete nonsense.", ">\n\nSantos was a small time grifter that all of a sudden got access to big money and campaign expertise. That \"all of a sudden part\" bothers me. Makes me feel like he's just a pawn being moved around by outside forces. Forces that would rather see a republican majority and Christian rule in this country.", ">\n\nI've been thinking about Obama's birth certificate, and how many people thought Obama was a foreign asset bred in Kenya for the sole purpose of overtaking America... And this was based on the color of his skin and little else. \nSo people believed believe foreign powers would influence America in that round-about way, but don't seem to care about Santos finding a mountain of money, or even Trump having a bank account in China.", ">\n\nThey never really believed that Obama was a foreign asset. It’s just that they know that while you can’t use the n-word freely in public anymore, coded language can still help you feel all your ludicrous and hateful feelings while also easily identifying like-minded people.", ">\n\nBarack HUSSEIN Obama", ">\n\nI was taking a class on religion in college during the 08 election. The professor, who ironically was from Kenya, also taught political science. So, naturally, we had many discussions about the election. One day, he went around the room and let us voice our thoughts on the candidates. This one classmate of mine said he believed Obama was, “a dang terrorist.” That sounds just as absurd to me now as it did hearing it back then. I recall Fox News was circulating that idea, if not saying it outright and they kept saying his full name to drive that point home.\nOh, another classmate said the best thing for the McCain campaign would have been for the US to suffer another terrorist attack akin to 9/11. Because then people would be scared and vote for McCain and he would win…", ">\n\nThey aren't wrong about scaring people into conservatism. The US might be a Reichstag Fire away from fascism right now.", ">\n\nWell we already had an event akin to a failed beer hall putsch.", ">\n\nGot a golf course putz all lined up", ">\n\nAnd all of this constant corruption, although immoral, often seems to be completely legal in America.", ">\n\nWell, legal, if you're rich or a rich person needs your vote for speaker.", ">\n\nEvery single elected member of government should have immediate, complete and transparent release of their finances. And they shouldn’t be able to trade off their portfolio. Automatically.", ">\n\nWe will never have a conscionable government under late stage capitalism. Greed is the cancer that will ultimately kill humanity if left untreated.", ">\n\nMother Nature is on it.", ">\n\nReminds me of how Kavanaugh mysteriously paid off huge debts right before going up for the Supreme Court.", ">\n\nRemember when Alito said that CU wouldn't cause this sort of thing, and even made a disgusted face at the suggestion? Pepperidge Farm remembers.", ">\n\nUh oh...he broke campaign finance rules. Now he's in trouble! (not)\nI honestly cannot think of anyone who has run afoul of campaign finance rules actually getting in trouble.", ">\n\nThat's because the GOP refuses to staff FEC so they can't punish anyone.", ">\n\nHe is compromised, and probably a Russian agent. The GOP would be dick-brained to give this guy access to any intelligence", ">\n\nThe way they go, he'll be in charge of DHS before years out.", ">\n\nI figured Chair of the House UnIntelligence Committee.", ">\n\nDont be so hard on George. He had it tough growing up - his father was a gay muslim alcoholic who beat George everyday until he found the Lord and converted the family to Judaism. His great grandmother helped mother Theresa on her daily chores, and his grand father fought at Omaha. And his mother helped pen the code that made Apollo 11 mission a success.", ">\n\nHis grandmother also just died for the 15th time last week", ">\n\nTIL there are still rules that govern political contributions. SCOTUS will have to get on that.", ">\n\nYou forgot the /s", ">\n\nSmells like Russia. Cheap spending to undermine democracy.", ">\n\nI think you are spot on. It's a low price to take out the USA.", ">\n\nAnd the US justice system will take 4-5 years to investigate him and ultimately not file charges.", ">\n\nNew York has no recall provisions for Congressman, and it takes a 2/3 majority for the House to kick out a member.", ">\n\nSurely there are 70 republicans who....\nNever mind, suggesting any of them have ethics is just too ridiculous.", ">\n\nwhy would they want to kick him out? he's going to do exactly what he is told otherwise there will be consequences for his actions.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nThey won't say it because they can't prove it but the implication is that RedStone is Santos. He set up his own fake organization to do off the books \"fundraising\" so he could donate that money to the entity that is his campaign.\nIt's a fraud all the way down.", ">\n\nNYT was talking about this in the Daily podcast. They tracked down friends, roommates, boyfriends, etc. and learned that up to just a few years ago Santos was frequently getting evicted from apartments and failing to pay back small personal loans from friends.\nSuddenly in 2021 he runs a company that allowed him to give himself a $700K salary. And he will not admit who the company’s clients are or even what the company does.", ">\n\nThis must be why Republicans blocked the bill that allowed campaign donors to be known to the public", ">\n\nHe’s definitely a foreign asset. If he’s not currently already an asset, he’s the easiest blackmail asset for foreign interests in all of government. He’s compromised, he’s a criminal, and he belongs nowhere near a seat in the federal government.", ">\n\nWhy foreign? We're talking about relative peanuts here. Could just as easily be domestic. He'll it could even be a single person bankrolling it.", ">\n\nI'm so fucking sick of these shitty people", ">\n\nDitto. Just shitty white collar criminals reminding everyone that there is no such thing as law and order any more.", ">\n\nThis guy is a poster child for the repeal of Citizens United. He's totally funded by dark money.", ">\n\nHe’s a patsy that thought he was the smarter con man. The pack of wolves he got involved with are about to eat him alive .", ">\n\nMan, I really hope so... He looks like the guy who's upset he didn't make employee of the month at the Men's Warehouse.", ">\n\nIt all worked out because the very next week he won the Nobel Prize so he's good", ">\n\n\nAnother potential area of concern about RedStone Strategies was the way it was described in its donor solicitation email as a 501c4 — a type of tax-exempt group organized for the promotion of social welfare. These entities pay no federal taxes and may engage in politics so long as their major purpose is not electing candidates to office. But while the donor email describes the group as a 501c4, it also pledges to dedicate “all its resources” to electing Mr. Santos — language that Mr. Ryan suggested was troubling.\n\nThey’re just…doing it right in front of us. And no one cares.", ">\n\n\nAnd no one cares.\n\nPeople need to stop saying this - \nPeople do care. Lots of us.\nThe problem is that the systems and processes and organizations that are supposed to do something about this... aren't.\nOr the ones perpetrating these violations aren't afraid of the consequences, because they come too late (or never) or are a pittance compared to what they profit from the schemes. \nThe whole notion of shame - being publicly outed and embarrassed - does not exist for the GOP anymore. They are proud, damn proud of the things they get away with and even more so for the ones they're caught doing. It's a cancer within that party that goes to their core and likely won't ever be healed.", ">\n\nThis goes far beyond politics. People who constantly lie, cheat, steal, and systematically violate other established social norms used to be called psychopaths. They were ostracized from society, and either imprisoned or just straight up killed depending on what period of history you look at. Today, we all just kind of tolerate it, or even treat those traits with admiration if someone becomes successful using them. Just look at how people remember Steve Jobs.", ">\n\nDoes the law even fucking WORK AT ALL anymore? Fuck this guy.", ">\n\nBoot\nHim\nOut !", ">\n\nMoney questions aside for a moment, here’s possibly the worst part….’What don’t we know about Santos’ sordid past’?", ">\n\nMy money is it’s from Russia. Though it’s pretty surprising they even have any money left.", ">\n\nPshaw, 700k is peanuts. Not even a 10th or even 1% of the confiscated assets of an Oligarch that fell out of a window and landed on some bullets in the back of his head. Shiiiit, even the guy that was the head of Russias shipyards probably had that laying around before he “mysteriously” died. Pootie poot can lay his hands on a lot of cash still. Common Russians? Nope, they’re fucked.", ">\n\nLook how easy it was for somebody to blatantly lie, get caught lying and then still win his election. What’s stopping a foreign agent from running on a totally fabricated platform if there is no accountability to the truth? Apparently the GOP cares about winning over truth. Otherwise this fraud would have been ousted day one", ">\n\nThank kind Redditor !", ">\n\nGee, I fucking wonder. It's a goddamn Scooby Doo mystery.", ">\n\nI think it was more underhanded stuff from lowlife Republicans and not Russia that funded this guy. I just don't see any known connection with Russia here. It looks like most of it is connected to that Ponzi scheme he was involved with and probably an attempt to grift by influence peddling. \nThe real question is \"who gave Santos the $700+k that he self-funded the campaign?\" Dude couldn't pay his own rent.", ">\n\nYeah, it's sort of incredible that he's gone from being evicted to a multi-million biz owner. I know can happen in America, but it's usually not in a combo of a web of lies.", ">\n\nall of a sudden? \nTHIS IS THE THE SECOND TIME HE HAS RUN!!!!.\nHe ran in on the R ticket in 2020 against Suozzi. \nNo one seems to be talking about this . This is far from the begining of his story", ">\n\nUnchecked money flowing to our politicians is a good thing \n-SCOTUS, actually", ">\n\n\nThe donor, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was told by the Queens Republican operative that the $25,000 that he gave to RedStone in October would be used as part of a large ad buy for Mr. Santos.\nBut the donor said he did not hear anything back on how the funds were spent.\n\nA fool and their money . . . .", ">\n\nRepel Citizens United!!!", ">\n\nI am shocked that a white supremacist grifter in congress has connections to… bad people with money.", ">\n\nHe’s a spy", ">\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.", ">\n\n\nI’ll bet $1,000 he is funded by the Kremlin.\n\nHere is thing about this whole situation. It doesnt matter if he was or not originally. They sure as hell now know he is available for purchase. So he is compromised whether he took payments from them or not.", ">\n\nNot just Russia or China. Every corporation that needs something passed now knows who to pay off. He just may be cheaper than some of the others.", ">\n\n\nAccording to financial disclosures that he filed as a candidate, Mr. Santos claimed that he went from earning $55,000 to running a company worth more than a million dollars in just a few years. That ostensibly enabled him to lend his campaign more than $700,000 — slightly less than the amount that RedStone Strategies claimed to have raised.\n\nAnd of course it’s slightly less. I’m assuming that went to his rainy day in a no extradition country fund.", ">\n\nRussian money", ">\n\nRussian or Chinese for sure.", ">\n\nSpoiler Alert: It's Russian.", ">\n\nOr Saudi", ">\n\nHow is this guy still in office?", ">\n\nRu$$ian", ">\n\nHe’s a plant. Get rid of him.", ">\n\nTypical Republican. They gladly accept him in spite of (or because of?) the constant lies.", ">\n\nWhy does he always look like a creepy priest who’s about to get busted in a Dateline sting", ">\n\nObviously bought by China and or Russia.\nRemove this fucker from the office.", ">\n\nToo lazy to read the article, but I'll bet they don't even mention the 2010 Citizens United ruling that led to all this mess.\nTime to stack the SCOTUS folks!\nIt's that or full on fascism.", ">\n\nWatch, my fellow Americans, as fascism and corruption proceeds to fester and grow in our government while we can't do anything about it.", ">\n\nDude is probably a Nazi or foreign asset.", ">\n\nHow much you want to bet if he gets away with all this that more GOP will start following in his footsteps?", ">\n\nNone of this matters anymore, because Republicans will not turn on other Republicans. You can't prosecute him because it would be \"political\".", ">\n\nPathological\nLiar thief and criminal. On brand for GOP", ">\n\nHe lost. Up to someone with research time to look at those campaign finances", ">\n\nHe is a threat to national security, but R's are fine with this because they want to keep a locked in vote rather than risk the seat going to a Dem.", ">\n\nThe poster-child for Republicans power grabbing mechanics right there. Citizens United v. The United States open the floodgates to this shadowy machinations—Santos using it the way he did just goes to show the shamelessness by which it operates", ">\n\nDude’s a straight up clown 🤡", ">\n\nThis dude fucking blows and needs to be removed from office and sent out of the country. Full stop", ">\n\nThis is why we need bills to abolish lobbying and insider trading in congress. Once the big money stops flowing we will find out who’s in their seat for the right reasons and who is there to get rich and stay out of trouble.", ">\n\nDoes anyone have a link that isn't behind a paywall?", ">\n\nForeign governments have learned that the GOP is for sale for a very low price.", ">\n\nI wonder if that same fund is tied to McCarthy given his support of a clearly unethical actor.", ">\n\nI wonder if McCarthy will protect this guy when it comes out he’s being funded by foreign agents.", ">\n\nAll signs point to yes.", ">\n\nMan Ruzzia is everywhere, fucking crazy. And the gop sold out America to them. Great job owning the libs guys, you’ve surrendered to Ruzzia.", ">\n\nHe's up for sale, he will go far in that party.", ">\n\nAnd Kevin McCarthy was just on TV stating that \"we have a constitution\" and Santos was \"elected by the people\", yadda yadda... ignoring the part about the lies being what got him elected. (but in the next breath complaining about stored documents that Biden didn't disclose publicly before the mid-terms).", ">\n\nIt always goes back to the fact this will continue to happen as long as those doing it are the ones setting the rules. There is no punishment because they’re all complicit.", ">\n\nAh yes the “definitely not Russian money” fund", ">\n\nSantos is a Russian plant", ">\n\nHe's like their token black guy pawn and shouldn't be there. They are trying to not look like an oil and gun funded white nationalists group, who want to remove human/voter rights systematically.", ">\n\nThis dude is gonna go to jail, if he doesn’t get suicided first.", ">\n\n2024: George Santos didn’t kill himself", ">\n\nWe all know that it's Russia", ">\n\nI swear to god this is Kirsten Sinema in disguise.", ">\n\nNothing suspicious here at all. \nWouldn't it be great if there was like a group for oversight of such events?\nYou know, maybe we could call it like an Ethics Committee or something like that?", ">\n\nDisgusting that these GOP scumbags are voted in just because some won’t vote Democrat ever!", ">\n\nAny other career, you’d likely be terminated real real quick. But not the American government.", ">\n\nEVERY ONE OF THESE STORIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ELECTION.\nThis is all data that was available well before the election. The fact that it's only being reported now is an indictment of the US media ecosystem, where this obvious fraud was never covered until it's too late.\nThe FEC is 4-4 tied between Republicans and Democrats, and will never do anything about this fraud. The GOP in the House will never do anything about this fraud.\nThis is closing the barn door after the horse got out. Actually, it's more like pointing out the open door, but not actually doing anything to make sure the next horse doesn't get out.", ">\n\nSo are there other George Santos' hiding in the current congress ranks? \nIs anyone digging into the others to make sure Santos is an isolated incident?", ">\n\nWhere was all this ace investigative reporting during the campaign?", ">\n\nThe thing is, nothing's gonna happen. Accountability is for the powerless and nothing in the last six years indicates that will change anytime soon.\nOur justice system is designed that way. Until we tear it down and rebuild it, we should expect nothing different going forward.", ">\n\nThis guy is so wildly corrupt, and likely insane, that he is my new political idol.\nI’m going to make a linked in that says harvard then Yale law, svp at google and apple, add a few social justice themes and then I’ll run for my town council. Get me some of that lifetime pension and healthcare!", ">\n\nSomething weird, but I can't Putin my finger on what it is.", ">\n\nI feel like This is a direct result of Citizens United decision.", ">\n\n╔═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╗ \n         The GOP is a bona fide, de facto, corporatized\n                     Organized Crime Syndicate. \n╚═════════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ════════════════╝\nAnd a cult.\n(☝˘▾˘)☝", ">\n\nFollow.the.Money everytime", ">\n\nReverse Citizens United.", ">\n\nIt’s gonna be right wing and Russian backed…100% foreign national and illegal.", ">\n\nThe Republican controlled Congress will absolutely investigate Santos to see how he was able to do this to add to the playbook. It might work a few more times in Nassau County but it's a definite playbook in the South for grifters.", ">\n\nThe website for the “mysterious, unregistered fund” is comically amateurish. From the punctuation errors, made-up words (“ … individuals who have been experters in marketing …”), weird syntax, frequent use of exclamation marks, inconsistent tense, basic template layout and repetition of content on every page. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it himself.", ">\n\nIt's called Russia", ">\n\nHe is a Trump puppet! Planted yes man", ">\n\nMy new favorite politician to hate. Fuck this lying asshole.", ">\n\nIs it any wonder the internet is essentially a right wing propaganda machine when all the crazy right wing shit is free, but anything with actual journalistic standards is locked behind a paywall?", ">\n\nDoes anyone else think this mysterious third-party ran him as a candidate to litmus test the fragility of our democracy? \nAlso, the balls on those in NY who did not call him out from day one. How can the head of Nassau County GOP go on live TV and deflect responsibility when he himself vetted Santos yet did not bother to confirm the details? It’s absurd. I mean I get that he’s a boomer but doesn’t someone in his office know how to use the internet?", ">\n\nObviously nobody vetted Santos. A simple check of his resume would have shown he didn’t attend the schools he claimed to have attended. That should have been the minimum. But a gay male immigrant who’s Republican? That was enough for the Repub Party to grab power", ">\n\nRight?! He said he interviewed him. A simple google search would have derailed every claim. NY is purple enough to pull it off so I have to wonder if this specific house seat was a venue for whatever agenda is at play here. \nAlso not a conspiracy theorist whatsoever— this just seems too unreal to be real.", ">\n\nLemme guess....Russian Olys.", ">\n\nAnd there's no way the GOP leadership will hold him accountable. My guess is he was told that he will never vote against any GOP initiative and as long as he doesn't they won't press him on his lies. \nAnd can you imagine if this had been a DEMOCRAT? The GOP members of the House would be apoplectic.", ">\n\nSince day 1 I was saying he couldn't of came up with this scheme alone there were others involved that helped him say and do whatever he needed to win. He just seems like a aggitative character to get clipped and plastered all over the place the same way MTG is or any other performative politician. He claims being jew-ish Flys a WP sign gets clipped gers articles he's a literal jester for people to write about shifting the focus. How he slipped through everyone's fingers to get where he is I find interesting it's not that too much reporting on Trump or the Govenor race was sucking all the air out of the room it just seems he told the right lies that eventually caught upto him after winning.", ">\n\nSantos is a loser but pretty much every politician uses SuperPACs and 501(c)s to get secret donations from corporations. How else would the be able to pay for the exorbitant cost it takes to be on a congressional committee???", ">\n\nI wish the media had this coverage on Santos before the election.", ">\n\nHis name isn’t even George Santos.", ">\n\nObviously he is a pawn. \nBut what I'd like to know is who is the man behind the curtain? Someone is devising these grifting schemes, and there's a lot here that supports a bigger network of money and influence. \nWe need an Erin Brockovich to blow this wide open.", ">\n\nWhite nationalists. They are funding him.", ">\n\nThis dude has more controversies than Trump did within his first week. And that’s saying something. What a clusterfuck GOP is.", ">\n\nIt's crazy that the party of the GOP, with the largest population of skepticism for government honesty and ethical decision-making, would literally have a lying criminal than a Democrat or independent just in the name of holding onto power. They don't even need his vote.", ">\n\nNew York Times really aggravates me. How did I reach my limit on free articles when I have seen that message every single time lol.", ">\n\nSantos says he fought Chuck Norris and won.", ">\n\nAckshully , he’s Chuck Norris’s grandfather.", ">\n\nI feel like every day I wake up now, I see this guy’s face and the article is headlined “but wait there’s more”", ">\n\nCongress members allowed to trade stocks, Super PACs and secret groups. The corruption in American politics is hiding in plain sight and you know it because every member of congress pretends none of it is a problem. And we know that they only ignore the real problems and pay attention to things they create that they want you all to follow along, instead of seeing the obvious. \nOutlaw all congress from stock trading. \nOutlaw SuperPACs and secret money donating. \nOutlaw gerrymandering. \nHey US, why not join the 21st century like the rest of the democracies?", ">\n\nCheating republicans", ">\n\nNone of this would of came up if he had lost as planned. Lol these people are idiots.", ">\n\nHe looks like a duck that has had a “bill job”", ">\n\nhow did all these not coming out during the campaign? i can a draw conclusion that his Dem opponent (and his team) must be extremely incompetent.", ">\n\nI bet this dude wears fashion glasses.", ">\n\nTHE FRAUDULENT SCAM, just like him?", ">\n\nits really not that mysterious. it's just rich people and maybe a few Russia oligarchs.", ">\n\nWhy do I hear music when I opened this post?", ">\n\nWorst case: Russian spy or something like that", ">\n\nIs there something NOT shady about this guy?", ">\n\nWe should seriously start a new line of jokes about George Santos. They should be like the Chuck Norris jokes but involving a ludicrous lie.", ">\n\nSantos has been a joke involving lies all along, way before Chuck Norris.\nIn fact he mentored Norris on how to be an internet meme", ">\n\nCan everyone please quit pretending this is a mystery.", ">\n\nI smell Mayo..", ">\n\nPretty sure Obama didn't lie like Santos has. Is this the usual whataboutism or am I missing something?", ">\n\nYes, let’s focus our investigative energies on this guy after he’s elected and after everyone already knows he’s a complete fraud. \nWell done NYT. 🙄", ">\n\nAt what point do we acknowledge that the two party system has bred the conditions for one of the parties, or both, to basically become the villain?", ">\n\nNot to be the old guy here, but I remember a time where you only believed a politician was lying and he wasn’t so open and in your face about it.", ">\n\nWild guess - Russia", ">\n\nFTX maybe 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️", ">\n\nOnly question, is it still lawnboy?", ">\n\nTbh Santos is my favorite thing in politics rn\nHe can't accomplish anything, and it's just enthralling to watch him lose everything he lied so much for\nI don't like true crime documentaries usually, but I'd binge watch one about his downfall. He's like if trump tried to be trump without having 30 years of fake news to brand him as successful.\nKeep going, George, you're an inspiration to those of us who love watching politicians crash and burn.", ">\n\nHave you been asleep since 2016? No one is prosecuted for campaign finance crimes beyond low level players…", ">\n\nThis guy is so much trouble.", ">\n\nHe is a criminal. Republicans will protect him to protect themselves. They will do what is best for the party and those they serve and that isn't us or most of the people who are stupid enough to vote for them.", ">\n\nThe system is being hacked by outside forces folks. \nInstall, destabilize and conquer.", ">\n\nAgree wholeheartedly. This is about making it difficult to do business and govern effectively. It’s working", ">\n\nIs he even gay at this point?", ">\n\nWinning an election is usually not the challenge. Gerrymandering has ensured that in most cases, the REAL race is winning the primary - which is way less transparent, and voted on only by complaint party insiders.\nIn the actual election, pablum brained voters usually go down the ticket by party affiliation and don’t know anything about the candidates. This is how you get frauds and hucksters in. They agree to be compliant agenda supporters, dark money gets them in. \nFollow that money.", ">\n\nRussia?", ">\n\nLemme guess, Russia?", ">\n\nIt all traces back to one Brazilian checkbook.", ">\n\nRussian lapdog", ">\n\nFollow the money!", ">\n\nMan, it really seems like this sort of thing should be UNBELIEVABLY illegal, but then how would our \"beloved\" pedophiles and human traffickers get \"elected?\"", ">\n\nWonder who been Putin money in there", ">\n\nRussia 🇷🇺 I’m sure", ">\n\nWait, so the slime-mold that lied about every single facet of his being, to get elected, has shady financing. I for one, am shocked. /s", ">\n\nIf he is being propped up by some powerful anonymous entity, they’ve gotta be dumb as fuck to pick this guy with such an obviously shady past. \nIf I were a conspiracy theorist I’d think that democratic organizations funded this guy in order to showcase the complete absurdity of the modern republican party. Hanlon’s Razor suggests that this isn’t the case, and that Republican donors really are that stupid.", ">\n\nCan it please 🙏 be Sacha baron Cohen in a “santos suit” so it makes more sense?" ]

[]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new.", ">\n\nI think they make plenty of money. At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new.", ">\n\nI think they make plenty of money. At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb.", ">\n\nIt's such a weird mindset, too. Nothing in existence is infinite, why do we expect constant growth?" ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new.", ">\n\nI think they make plenty of money. At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb.", ">\n\nIt's such a weird mindset, too. Nothing in existence is infinite, why do we expect constant growth?", ">\n\nUnchecked growth only occurs with cancer..." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new.", ">\n\nI think they make plenty of money. At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb.", ">\n\nIt's such a weird mindset, too. Nothing in existence is infinite, why do we expect constant growth?", ">\n\nUnchecked growth only occurs with cancer...", ">\n\nI live close to Orlando, & I know people who are addicted to Disney. They spend half their paychecks and almost every weekend at those stupid parks and then complain about being broke. It has simply never occurred to them that they could stop doing to Disney. \nSqueezing customers is a shitty practice, but at the same time it's absurd that people don't just...stop visiting. People act like this company is a basic need like food or water, I'll never understand it." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new.", ">\n\nI think they make plenty of money. At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb.", ">\n\nIt's such a weird mindset, too. Nothing in existence is infinite, why do we expect constant growth?", ">\n\nUnchecked growth only occurs with cancer...", ">\n\nI live close to Orlando, & I know people who are addicted to Disney. They spend half their paychecks and almost every weekend at those stupid parks and then complain about being broke. It has simply never occurred to them that they could stop doing to Disney. \nSqueezing customers is a shitty practice, but at the same time it's absurd that people don't just...stop visiting. People act like this company is a basic need like food or water, I'll never understand it.", ">\n\nFile this under \"No shit Sherlock\"" ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new.", ">\n\nI think they make plenty of money. At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb.", ">\n\nIt's such a weird mindset, too. Nothing in existence is infinite, why do we expect constant growth?", ">\n\nUnchecked growth only occurs with cancer...", ">\n\nI live close to Orlando, & I know people who are addicted to Disney. They spend half their paychecks and almost every weekend at those stupid parks and then complain about being broke. It has simply never occurred to them that they could stop doing to Disney. \nSqueezing customers is a shitty practice, but at the same time it's absurd that people don't just...stop visiting. People act like this company is a basic need like food or water, I'll never understand it.", ">\n\nFile this under \"No shit Sherlock\"", ">\n\nAlso look under \"Any day that ends in 'y'\"" ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new.", ">\n\nI think they make plenty of money. At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb.", ">\n\nIt's such a weird mindset, too. Nothing in existence is infinite, why do we expect constant growth?", ">\n\nUnchecked growth only occurs with cancer...", ">\n\nI live close to Orlando, & I know people who are addicted to Disney. They spend half their paychecks and almost every weekend at those stupid parks and then complain about being broke. It has simply never occurred to them that they could stop doing to Disney. \nSqueezing customers is a shitty practice, but at the same time it's absurd that people don't just...stop visiting. People act like this company is a basic need like food or water, I'll never understand it.", ">\n\nFile this under \"No shit Sherlock\"", ">\n\nAlso look under \"Any day that ends in 'y'\"", ">\n\nMy goodness! Is that so?\nActually, what amazed me wasn’t the ridiculously overpriced food or the insane princess dresses, but just how terrible the quality of some of the official Disney merchandise was. If it weren’t literally front and centre in one of their Main Street stores (with prices to match) I would’ve sworn blind that it was some hilariously cheap knockoff." ]

[ "\"However, we suspect it is short-term thinking that puts the brand value and long-term health of the business at risk.\" \nFinally someone of note putting their head above the parapet and pointing out the exceedingly obvious, which applies to so many businesses.", ">\n\nThat's a big part of why Chapek is gone. A lot of the pricing issues came under Iger, but folks would always point to Disney as being a higher quality vacation. A lot of that flipped under Chapek, with folks pointing out that the quality was taking a nosedive as the prices continued to go up. The parks were visibly trashed. Rides were obviously in need of repair. Things literally caught on fire more than once.\nBut Iger's recent announcement and the reaction among Disney fans made me chuckle. They're rolling back overnight parking fees at the hotels, after hiking hotel prices. That's a $15-25 savings after a $100 mark up, some real \"JC Penny sale\" energy there. And it's still hundreds of dollars more than staying in a nicer hotel off-site. \nThe other big announcement was that APs would no longer need park pass reservations to park hop after 2pm. Firstly, park hopping used to be all day rather than after 2pm. Park passes were never required at all until 2020, and no other theme parks currently have any such ridiculous requirements.\nI've had a Disney pass myself. Loved Disney. But I'm looking at this shit show and fully aware of what it is. But some of these folks are eating it up.", ">\n\nI dip into the Disneyland sub every now and then and it's insane how many users there defend the high costs. If you compare ticket costs to past years, they shout at you that it's both inflation and the rising quality of the parks. And if you bring up the current quality issues, as you did, then you're told that you're exaggerating. People make posts about how many attractions are going down at the same time, and they get downvoted for it and told it's just anecdotal evidence--even though these posts are becoming more frequent, along with posts about everyone constantly getting stuck on rides.\nAnyway, while I love Disney and still enjoy the parks, I just don't get how people go to the mat for them when it comes to their crazy series of recent price gouging. They're charging $30 friggen' bucks to park these days. There's just no excuse for that, especially with the low wages they give to employees.", ">\n\nI used to have an annual pass for Disneyland and went about monthly and it is insanely expensive now. I used to grumble at the idea of dropping 400 bucks on an annual pass, but now that tier is like 1100 bucks. \nMy dad worked there, my family went for seriously 4 generations, shit my grandfather used to write screen treatments for Walt Disney, Disney always felt like an extended relation to my family going back to the 50s. \nI don't think I'll ever go back again. It's just too expensive now.", ">\n\nI had a SoCal pass a decade ago, went monthly. Was totally reasonable. Even the little price bumps they did over the years weren’t too bad. Now it’s just absurd. The only way I can go now is when my cast member friend checks me in, and they’ve also been more stingy with her perks. Even if I could afford a pass, I wouldn’t bother because the reservation system seems like it makes it a waste.\nAnd same here on the family front. I’ve been going since I was a toddler, my mom went with her parents and grandparents. But I have no idea how a family of 4 could do it these days. It’s a shame that the greed is ruining what’s basically a family tradition for many people.", ">\n\nI went with my family of 6 once back in 2005, and that was only cause my dad’s uncle used to be a pretty important guy at the Engineering Studio that does all the parks Animatronic stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, the one named after a Mary Poppins reference. \nAnother visit has literally never been feasible for my family. I’m super jealous of my dad who lived close to the parks growing up and went all the time, for birthdays and shit, or just cause my grandparents had the time to take them. Now just going with my girlfriend and me seems just as prohibitively expensive as it did for my mom and dad trying to take four kids.", ">\n\nAt some point, shareholders, be it, for those who invest in Disney or whatever else are going to need to realize that \"yearly growth\" is impossible. There are only so many people in the world to take so much money from. They are going to have to settle with \"steady profit.\" I am old enough to remember when \"steady profit\" was a good thing. That you, as a shareholder, were happy with your million dollar \"steady profit\" investment every year. Now shareholders are more, \"Okay, we made a million dollars five years ago. Then two million the next. Then four million the next. Then eight million the next. We should be making sixteen million now or else we are a complete failure!\" You can't think that way. You are setting yourself up to fail as well as setting the entire world around you to fail as you are willing to burn down the whole house in the pursuit of growing profits.", ">\n\nYou invest in stocks for growth or return. Once the growth trails off and the business becomes mature and steady, they should be offering dividends rather than unrealistic expectations, but big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.", ">\n\n\nbut big corps are addicted to hoarding cash for themselves.\n\nBig corps are burning cash reserves to do billions annually in stock buybacks to buoy stock prices because that directly impacts C-Suite compensation.", ">\n\nThere is a tax advantage to all investors. Dividends are taxed when they happen, rising stock prices aren’t taxed until the stock is sold. Investors want to gain value without moving money around so they don’t pay taxes.", ">\n\nThey've always done this, its not new.", ">\n\nI think they make plenty of money. At some point, wall Street expectations that you must have infinite growth or else your stock will tank is dumb.", ">\n\nIt's such a weird mindset, too. Nothing in existence is infinite, why do we expect constant growth?", ">\n\nUnchecked growth only occurs with cancer...", ">\n\nI live close to Orlando, & I know people who are addicted to Disney. They spend half their paychecks and almost every weekend at those stupid parks and then complain about being broke. It has simply never occurred to them that they could stop doing to Disney. \nSqueezing customers is a shitty practice, but at the same time it's absurd that people don't just...stop visiting. People act like this company is a basic need like food or water, I'll never understand it.", ">\n\nFile this under \"No shit Sherlock\"", ">\n\nAlso look under \"Any day that ends in 'y'\"", ">\n\nMy goodness! Is that so?\nActually, what amazed me wasn’t the ridiculously overpriced food or the insane princess dresses, but just how terrible the quality of some of the official Disney merchandise was. If it weren’t literally front and centre in one of their Main Street stores (with prices to match) I would’ve sworn blind that it was some hilariously cheap knockoff.", ">\n\nDisney merch has been shit for decades. You could get some higher end stuff that was okay in the early 00's but like, when I was in middle school the magic shop was still high quality and classy. My mom still has the card to make perfume for her from waaaay back in the day when there was a perfumery on Main Street and they'd make a perfume or cologne that was tailored to you. My dad and I still have the Indiana Jones fedoras they sold, those are nearing 30 years old now. I think I still have the 8 ounce pirate ~~shot glass~~ \"bud vase\" that they sold in the early 00's at Pirates. Hell even California Advenutre had a period where they had good merch, for a few years I got my mom hand-drawn sketches of her favorite disney characters, she's got a room full of them framed and up on the wall." ]