NEW YORK — New York Congressman-elect George Santos, who’s set to take office Tuesday despite being caught in a series of lies about his background, used creative campaign finance moves that had his supporters effectively bankroll a $25,000 contribution he funneled to Lee Zeldin’s Republican gubernatorial bid.
According to a Daily News review of federal and state records, Santos made a $25,000 loan in the summer of 2021 to his political action committee, which then made the donation to Zeldin. Months later, Santos reimbursed himself for the loan, once the PAC was flush with money from donors to his own congressional campaign.
There’s no indication that the soon-to-be Republican Long Island congressman’s cash shuffle is illegal. But veteran campaign finance expert Robert Maguire said he has never seen anything like it.
