DECISION TIME

FEC to Santos: Declare Your 2024 Candidacy or ‘Disavow’ Post-Election Funds

Anyone who’s fundraised or spent $5,000 on a federal campaign must officially register within 15 days.

Rep. George Santos (R-NY) must declare whether he’s got plans for a 2024 re-election campaign now that he’s raised more than $5,000 after the midterms. The Federal Election Commission told the controversial congressman in a letter that by March 14 he needs to “either disavow these (fundraising and spending) activities by notifying the Commission in writing that you are not a candidate, or redesignate your principal campaign committee by filing a Statement of Candidacy,” according to CNN. Santos’ campaign has zero debts from the midterm elections and “has accepted contributions and/or made expenditures in support of your 2024 candidacy in excess of $5,000, thus meeting the definition of ‘candidate’ per Federal Election Campaign Laws,” according to the FEC’s review of the embattled politician’s filings. Anyone who’s fundraised or spent $5,000 on a federal campaign must officially register—or hand over a statement in Santos’ case—for their candidacy within a 15-day timeframe.