A House Ethics Committee report released on Thursday indicates that there is "substantial evidence" that Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) knowingly violated a number of ethics and criminal laws. The report, compiled after months of investigation, includes over 170,000 pages of documents and testimonies from numerous witnesses.

The committee found that Santos sought to exploit his House candidacy for personal financial gain, including by diverting funds from his campaign for personal use. He deceived donors into contributing to his campaign under false pretenses. The report stated that his conduct warrants public condemnation and has brought severe discredit upon the House.

While the report did not recommend expulsion or other disciplinary actions, it suggested that the allegations be referred to the Justice Department for further investigation. However, the committee Chairman, Michael Guest (R-Miss.), stated that these additional measures would have required significant more time.

Santos responded to the report, calling it a "disgusting politicized smear" and claiming that he was being unfairly targeted. He also announced that he will not seek reelection in 2024, contradicting a previous statement made in April.

The release of the report is expected to reignite efforts to expel Santos from the House. Expulsion, a rare occurrence, would require a two-thirds majority vote in favor. Supporters of expulsion believe that the report's findings will persuade more lawmakers to back the effort.

Santos currently faces separate federal charges, including fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, misusing campaign funds, and lying on House disclosure reports.