Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 311-114 to expel Representative George Santos of New York after a House Ethics Committee investigation found substantial evidence that he committed serious legal and ethics violations. Rep. Santos also faces a 23-count federal indictment that includes campaign finance crimes. Adav Noti, Senior Vice President & Legal Director at Campaign Legal Center, released the following statement in response to today’s vote: “No one is above the law. The expulsion of Rep. George Santos after a House Ethics Committee investigation revealed substantial evidence that he engaged in criminal and unethical activity vindicates the voters’ right to financial transparency from their representatives and demonstrates that oversight bodies in Congress are critical to accountability. The House Ethics Committee’s monthslong investigation into the Santos campaign was triggered by a referral from the Office of Congressional Ethics – the only independent ethics investigatory body in Congress. Findings by the Committee released in mid-November detailed substantial evidence that Santos violated a slew of federal election laws, including conspiracy to commit perjury in filings with the Federal Election Commission. The Committee also noted Santos’s refusal to cooperate with the Committee’s investigation. Santos’s expulsion shows the power and potential of ethics enforcement. While it should not take violations as egregious as those committed by Santos for this system to work effectively, it is also further proof that an independent investigatory body for the Senate is long overdue. All Americans have the right to financial honesty from members of Congress, and to effective enforcement against any elected official who deprives the voters of that right.” --- On January 9, 2023, Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Rep. George Santos, his 2022 campaign committee and treasurer Nancy Marks violated federal campaign finance laws. The following day, CLC referred the complaint to the Department of Justice. CLC’s complaint alleged, among other things, that Santos’s campaign falsely reported $705,000 in “personal loans” from Santos, and the information underlying Marks’s guilty plea appears to support that allegation: Prosecutors in Marks’s case have reportedly indicated that Marks and Santos conspired to fabricate $500,000 in loans made to the campaign in order to meet fundraising benchmarks. The superseding indictment against Rep. Santos includes new charges related to the loans.

Today, the House voted to expel Rep. George Santos (R-NY) from Congress for ethical and criminal violations uncovered by in-depth reporting, federal criminal investigations, and an explosive House Ethics Committee report released earlier this month. Anti-corruption advocates and Santos’ own constituents have called for Santos’ expulsion since his lies about his background and resume were first uncovered in January. Lisa Gilbert, the executive vice president of Public Citizen and co-leader of the Not Above the Law coalition, issued the following statement in response: “George Santos’ expulsion from the House of Representatives is long overdue. His removal is a testament to the tireless advocacy of ethics advocates and his constituents. Residents of NY-03 were lied to throughout his campaign and denied competent representation in Congress for nearly a year. They now have a chance for honest representation. “What should have been an open-and-shut case of defrauding voters became a year-long MAGA circus as former Speaker McCarthy, current Speaker Johnson, and other extreme House leaders shielded Santos from accountability — abandoning ethical responsibility in favor of one additional vote for their dangerous and unpopular agenda. “We are all better off now that Santos no longer holds a seat in Congress, and we applaud the bipartisan group that put ethics above party and voted for his removal.”

In an announcement today, the COP28 Presidency with investment giants BlackRock and Brookfield announced to establish a $30 billion fund dedicated to renewable energy in Emerging and Developing Economies. While scaling up investment in renewables is much needed, 350.org raises concerns regarding the accuracy of fund claims and the absence of critical safeguards against potentially harmful investments. “In the pursuit of a greener tomorrow, we must scrutinize the COP28 fund’s bold claims. While in principle a step in the right direction, we would need to check that the claims by the presidency are not overblown. It seems that safeguards against dangerous distractions and projects that harm communities are missing” says Andreas Sieber, Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns of 350.orgThe majority of the $30 billion fund is expected to operate at market rates rather than through concessional finance or grants – a financial approach deemed essential for the substantial upscaling of renewable deployment in the Global South.Presently, the fund stands at a mere $6.5 billion, not $30bn and is only “expected” to attract additional funds, leaving the timeline for achieving the full “commitment” of $30 billion unclear. Of the total sum, $5 billion is planned to be designated for “risk mitigation capital,” in principle a positive step. Yet, this can be expected to come in the form of concessional loans which can help in particular to unlock private capital. However, 350.org expresses apprehension about the lack of safeguards to prevent the accumulation of unsustainable debt, for both market rate and concessional finance instruments.“What we can take at face value right now is a fund of $6.5bn which will lend at market rates ‘for global investments, including the Global South’ – this isn’t wrong per se, but as such not a game changer and certainly not an adequate response to the financing needs of countries in the Global South” says Andreas Sieber, Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns of 350.orgWhile acknowledging the potential of concessional loans to attract additional private investment, 350.org questions the bold claim of unlocking $250 billion by 2030, deeming it potentially exaggerated and urging a closer examination of the fund’s feasibility.The composition of the fund’s leadership raises further concerns, with three out of four members having a documented history of involvement in fossil fuel investments or having led fossil fuel companies. This has prompted 350.org to highlight concerns about the potential exclusion of essential renewable investments, such as Carbon Capture and Storage, and the need for a strategic shift away from fossil fuel-related endeavors.350.org calls for a transparent and comprehensive assessment of the fund’s governance, ensuring it aligns with principles of responsible and ethical investment to effectively drive the transition towards a sustainable, green energy future.Zaki Mamdoo, 350.org Campaign Coordinator, StopEACOP said:“History shows that when rich countries extract fossil fuels in poorer countries there are usually consequences, like worsening social and economic inequalities on top of deepening the climate crisis. 30 billion USD of climate funds managed by the likes of these companies risk replicating the same systems that worsen inequalities. We must support affordable and energy-saving solutions. We also need to put decision-making power in the hands of the many, instead of bankers. People should be actively involved in making decisions. Community-centered, community-led, and community-owned wind and solar energy projects are the models that will bring us to an energy transition rooted in justice.”