Politics

Investigators Clear Rep. George Santos Of Sexual Harassment Allegations: REPORT

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Michael Ginsberg Congressional Correspondent
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Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) investigators have cleared Republican New York Rep. George Santos of sexual harassment allegations, Semafor reported Thursday.

OCE opened an investigation into Santos in February, after a prospective staffer accused the freshman congressman of touching his leg and inviting him over for an implied sexual encounter, The New York Times reported. The allegations were included in a House Ethics Committee investigation announcement in early March. The committee is also investigating Santos for alleged campaign finance violations.

Santos is no longer under investigation for the sexual harassment claims, according to Semafor.

“There is not substantial reason to believe that Rep. Santos sexually harassed or discriminated against the complainant,” OCE investigators wrote to the Ethics Committee, in a letter reportedly viewed by the outlet.

Santos did not respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment. The OCE and House Ethics Committee declined to comment. (RELATED: ‘Deceit, Lies, And Fabrication’: Long Island Republicans Urge Rep. George Santos To Resign)

Santos became a pariah shortly after his election, when a New York Times report found that he fabricated whole swathes of his biography, including his education, work history, and his familial background. He stepped down from his committee assignments in late January, although he is running for reelection.

The Ethics Committee is still investigating Santos for campaign finance violations. The congressman allegedly structured his filings to avoid disclosing various purchases, and is also reported to have disguised the true sources of his campaign funds. Other outlets have questioned whether the person listed as his treasurer was truly a campaign employee.

Brazil, where Santos lived for several years, is also investigating him for fraud. He was initially charged in 2008, but authorities suspended the investigation because they could not locate Santos.