State legislators promoted a Santos inspired bill that would create more transparency in candidate disclosures.
Photo by Iryna Shkurhan
Following the expulsion of George Santos from Congress, officials gathered outside his now empty office in Douglaston to rally support for “common sense” legislation inspired by his deceit of voters.
The bill, introduced by state Sen. John Liu and Assemblymember Gina Sillitti, calls for greater transparency in candidate disclosures. The state lawmakers were joined by Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, outside the Northern Boulevard office on Friday, Dec. 8, to rally support.
If passed, Senate Bill S5884 would require candidates to file a sworn statement attesting that they meet residency requirements, as well as claims about their military service, educational background and employment history, if the experience is touted as part of their campaign platform.
“We have to build back the voters’ trust. Over the years, people have lost faith in our democratic process,” said Sillitti, whose Nassau County district is entirely in Congressional District 3, which Santos represented for almost a year. “Our job is to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Our job is to restore the constituents’ confidence in this political process.”
The freshman Congress member was plagued with scandals after it was revealed that he fabricated most of his resume. But on Dec. 1, the House voted for his expulsion following an ethics report that revealed he broke federal campaign finance and spending laws. Despite his exorbitant lies made public, the Santos refused to step down.
While officials hope that a case like Santos is a rarity, the legislation would add another layer of accountability for candidates. The disclosure process would not be that different from filing a petition forms, which candidates swear by an affidavit.
“It’s our responsibility as legislators to help our constituents not be…
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