by Embattled New York Republican Congressman George Santos has been accused of sexual harassment by a former aide.
Related: George Santos’ lies are so big you almost have to admire them | Emma Brooks
Santos is already facing local, state, federal and international professional and personal behavior investigations, campaign finance documents, and a campaign resume that has proven to be largely fabricated.
He admitted to embellishing his resume but denied making a mistake and said he will not resign, as members of his own party and the Democrats have repeatedly urged.
Republican leaders who are expected to govern with narrow House majorities have stood by him, though he has retired from two committees.
Friday, former aide, Derek Myers, published on Twitter a letter to the House ethics committee in which he claimed that he had been put to work in Santos’ office as a volunteer, in violation of ethical standards, and that he had been harassed.
“Today”, he he wrote“I have filed a complaint with the Capitol Police and a complaint with the House Ethics Committee regarding ethics violations and sexual harassment by Congressman George Santos during my time at his office.
Myers added: “These matters will not be contested on social media or through the media. These are serious crimes and the evidence and facts will speak for themselves if the commission takes up the matter. This tweet has been made public in light of transparency.”
In his letter, Myers wrote that he was “alone with the congressman” in his personal office on Jan. 25, checking constituents’ mail.
“The congressman earlier in the day had asked me if I had a Grindr profile,” Myers wrote, “which is widely known as an LGBTQ+ social networking app, most commonly used for sex.”
Santos told him he had a profile, he said.
In the personnel office, Myers said, Santos “called me ‘friend’ and insisted I sit next to him on a small couch.”
The congressman, Myers said, put a hand on his knee and asked him if he wanted to go to karaoke. Myers said he declined, after which Santos moved his hand to Myers’ inner thigh and groin.
Myers claimed Santos said, “My husband is out of town tonight if you want to come.” Myers said he pushed Santos away and left the office.
Five days later, he wrote, he was asked, as he had been during his hiring process, about his background as a reporter in Ohio, where he faced wiretap charges after publishing taped testimony in court. The next day, Myers says, he was “informed that my job offer would be cancelled.”
The New York Times reported that a spokesman for the ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee confirmed receipt of Myers’ letter. The newspaper said Capitol Police did not acknowledge receipt of a report.
Santos’ attorney declined to comment, the newspaper said.
On Thursday, Santos told Semafor he did not hire Myers because of the Ohio allegations. Santos’ chief of staff told Talking Points Memo (TPM) the same, to which Myers provided a recording of the conversation with Santos in which he was fired.
Santos said Myers’ allegations in Ohio were “not about us, they were about this institution.” Myers told TPM that as Santos spoke, “he thought to himself, ‘I’m a threat and a concern to this institution — George Santos, you’re George Santos!'”
