Representatives warn Santos’ clear pattern of lies, fraud, and deceit constitute a severe threat to our national security
Washington, DC—Today, Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) and Congressman Joe Morelle (D-NY) called on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to deny Congressman George Santos the opportunity access to classified information in the House during his tenure as a Member of Congress.
“It is clear that Congressman George Santos has violated the public’s trust on various occasions and his unfettered access to our nation’s secrets presents a significant risk to the national security of this country,” write the Congressmen in their letter to Speaker McCarthy. “We urge you to act swiftly to prevent George Santos from abusing his position and endangering our nation.”
Following his election to Congress, it was revealed Santos had been fabricating falsehoods covering the entirety of his education and career. He is currently under investigation by the Nassau County district attorney, the New York State Attorney General’s office, the federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York, and by law enforcement authorities in Brazil.
“The numerous concerning allegations about his behavior over decades put his character into question and suggest he cannot be trusted with confidential and classified information that could threaten the United States’ national security,” continued Congressmen Meeks and Morelle. “As the newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, we call on you to limit to the greatest degree possible Congressman George Santos’s ability to access classified materials, including preventing him from attending any confidential or classified briefings for the foreseeable future.”
The full text of the letter can be found here and below:
Dear Speaker McCarthy:
We write to express our serious concerns over newly elected Congressman George Santos and whether it is appropriate for him to access confidential and classified information. The Congressman’s race to represent New York’s 3rd congressional district and the months following have unveiled significant and egregious allegations that cannot be ignored. Media reports and investigations detail Mr. Santos’ myriad deceptive actions from his personal and professional life which he used to propel himself into a position of influence and short-lived financial prosperity. The numerous concerning allegations about his behavior over decades put his character into question, and suggest he cannot be trusted with confidential and classified information that could threaten the United States’ national security.
In the United States, Congressman Santos is under investigation by the Nassau County District Attorney, the New York State Attorney General’s office, and the federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York. At the start of the year, Brazilian law enforcement authorities announced their intent to revive a 2008 court case in which Congressman Santos reportedly used a false name to defraud a small business of nearly a thousand dollars worth of products. Additionally, recent allegations regarding Congressman Santos’ campaign donations linked to Andrew Intrater and his cousin, sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, should further raise questions about the wisdom of allowing Representative Santos to access any form of classified information.
As the newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, we call on you to limit Congressman George Santos’ ability to access classified materials, including preventing him from attending any classified briefings and limiting his access to such information through his committee assignments. As it currently stands, Members are not mandated to have security clearances nor sign a nondisclosure agreement, however, that does not entitle them to unlimited access to classified information.
Congressman George Santos was assigned to committees whose jurisdiction may pertain to only a portion of our country’s national security and foreign policy agenda, yet this does not stop or inhibit him from requesting a secure briefing or classified documents regarding a breadth of topics at any time. You publicly expressed that the Congressman has “a long way to go to earn trust”, his untrustworthiness could warrant the Intelligence Community to slow down or limit certain classified information it shares with Congress. This could have profound implications for the Legislative Branch’s ability to perform its legislative, oversight, and investigative duties over the Executive Agencies’ classified programs.
As Members of Congress, we all sign an oath to not disclose any classified information received in the course of our service with the House of Representatives. It is clear that Congressman George Santos has violated the public’s trust on various occasions and his unfettered access to our nation’s secrets presents a significant risk to the national security of this country. We urge you to act swiftly to prevent George Santos from abusing his position and endangering our nation.
Sincerely,
“It is clear that Congressman George Santos has violated the public’s trust on various occasions and his unfettered access to our nation’s secrets presents a significant risk to the national security of this country,” write the Congressmen in their letter to Speaker McCarthy. “We urge you to act swiftly to prevent George Santos from abusing his position and endangering our nation.”
Following his election to Congress, it was revealed Santos had been fabricating falsehoods covering the entirety of his education and career. He is currently under investigation by the Nassau County district attorney, the New York State Attorney General’s office, the federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York, and by law enforcement authorities in Brazil.
“The numerous concerning allegations about his behavior over decades put his character into question and suggest he cannot be trusted with confidential and classified information that could threaten the United States’ national security,” continued Congressmen Meeks and Morelle. “As the newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, we call on you to limit to the greatest degree possible Congressman George Santos’s ability to access classified materials, including preventing him from attending any confidential or classified briefings for the foreseeable future.”
The full text of the letter can be found here and below:
Dear Speaker McCarthy:
We write to express our serious concerns over newly elected Congressman George Santos and whether it is appropriate for him to access confidential and classified information. The Congressman’s race to represent New York’s 3rd congressional district and the months following have unveiled significant and egregious allegations that cannot be ignored. Media reports and investigations detail Mr. Santos’ myriad deceptive actions from his personal and professional life which he used to propel himself into a position of influence and short-lived financial prosperity. The numerous concerning allegations about his behavior over decades put his character into question, and suggest he cannot be trusted with confidential and classified information that could threaten the United States’ national security.
In the United States, Congressman Santos is under investigation by the Nassau County District Attorney, the New York State Attorney General’s office, and the federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York. At the start of the year, Brazilian law enforcement authorities announced their intent to revive a 2008 court case in which Congressman Santos reportedly used a false name to defraud a small business of nearly a thousand dollars worth of products. Additionally, recent allegations regarding Congressman Santos’ campaign donations linked to Andrew Intrater and his cousin, sanctioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg, should further raise questions about the wisdom of allowing Representative Santos to access any form of classified information.
As the newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, we call on you to limit Congressman George Santos’ ability to access classified materials, including preventing him from attending any classified briefings and limiting his access to such information through his committee assignments. As it currently stands, Members are not mandated to have security clearances nor sign a nondisclosure agreement, however, that does not entitle them to unlimited access to classified information.
Congressman George Santos was assigned to committees whose jurisdiction may pertain to only a portion of our country’s national security and foreign policy agenda, yet this does not stop or inhibit him from requesting a secure briefing or classified documents regarding a breadth of topics at any time. You publicly expressed that the Congressman has “a long way to go to earn trust”, his untrustworthiness could warrant the Intelligence Community to slow down or limit certain classified information it shares with Congress. This could have profound implications for the Legislative Branch’s ability to perform its legislative, oversight, and investigative duties over the Executive Agencies’ classified programs.
As Members of Congress, we all sign an oath to not disclose any classified information received in the course of our service with the House of Representatives. It is clear that Congressman George Santos has violated the public’s trust on various occasions and his unfettered access to our nation’s secrets presents a significant risk to the national security of this country. We urge you to act swiftly to prevent George Santos from abusing his position and endangering our nation.
Sincerely,