The pit of Santos continues to deepen:
A member of George Santos’ political team had a plan to raise money for the Republican congressman’s campaign: Impersonate the chief of staff of now House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Wealthy donors received calls and emails from a man who said he was Dan Meyer, McCarthy’s chief of staff, during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles, according to people familiar with the matter. His name was actually Sam Miele, and he worked for Santos raising money for his campaign, according to one GOP donor who contributed to Santos’ campaign. This financier and some others in this story declined to be named in order to speak freely about private discussions.
The impersonation of the top House Republican’s chief of staff adds to an emerging picture of a winning congressional campaign propelled by fabrications and questionable tactics. Santos now finds himself in the sights of investigators and in danger of losing his political career even after he’s been sworn into office. In raising money for his campaign, Santos fed donors the same falsehoods he gave voters, campaign fundraisers and others say. [CNBC]
Ethical? Nope.
Will McCarthy do anything about it? Expediency will outweigh outrage when the GOP’s House advantage is so slim.
But flattering donors with someone claiming to be SOON TO BE SPEAKER McCarthy’s chief of staff is not surprising, and nor that it worked. It might work on Democratic donors as well.
Still, where there’s smoke there’s fire, and between moderate Republicans mortified by the tactics, and anti-gay GOP activists, Santos may end up being pushed out before the depths of his electoral immorality is fully plumbed.
Which would be a pity.
