An aide to Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who impersonated Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) former chief of staff, has been charged with wire fraud and identity theft.
The aide, Samuel Miele, was arraigned Wednesday morning in Brooklyn federal court and released on $150,000 bond. He has pleaded not guilty.
He was accused by federal prosecutors of sending “fraudulent fund-raising” emails to more than a dozen potential contributors to an unnamed candidate.
In those messages, he claimed to be a “high-ranking aide to a member of the House with leadership responsibilities,” the indictment said. When Mr. Miele successfully solicited campaign contributions, he received a 15 percent commission, according to the indictment.
George Santos had an aide impersonate McCarthy’s former chief of staff in order to fraudulently fundraise, and he is STILL a member of the Republican caucus in the House. Kevin McCarthy is such a doormat that even when members of his caucus commit an act of identity theft and wire fraud against one of his former top staffers, McCarthy responds by doing nothing.
Rep. Charged is charged with numerous federal crimes. After the voters in his district bounce him from Congress next year, it is likely that he could end up in prison.
The George Santos crime wave is one of the weirdest crime waves in recent congressional history and it speaks volumes about Kevin McCarthy’s weakness that he has done nothing about it.
