‘Have not heard of him’: George Santos has a new campaign treasurer but questions persist

More than a week after embattled Rep. George Santos called his brand-new project treasurer, concerns continue over the identity of the individual who has actually filled that function and the project’s filings with federal regulators.

Andrew Olson, noted as treasurer of Santos’ federal political committees on February 21, does not act as treasurer for any federal committees beyond those related to the Republican congressman who represents parts of Nassau County, New York City. And election authorities in New york city state no one with that name is signed up as treasurer of any political committee in the state. The address related to Olson and Santos’ project is that of a mixed-use home and business structure in Elmhurst, New York City, where the congressman’s sibling lived till previously this year.

” Do not understand him. Have actually declined him,” Nassau County Republican politician Celebration representative Mike Deery informed CNN. County GOP chair Joseph Cairo “is not familiarized (with) him,” Deery included.

On Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Santos did not respond to any concerns about his treasurer positioned by CNN’s Manu Raju. Concerns to Olson through an e-mail address supplied on the Federal Election Commission filing have actually gone unanswered. And Santos’ individual legal representative has actually not reacted to queries.

Santos– who has actually lied about his bio, household background and school and work history– is the topic of federal and regional examinations into his financial resources.

This year, concerns emerged about who works as treasurer. On January 25, Santos’ project noted a Wisconsin political expert as changing the congressman’s long time treasurer Nancy Marks. However the expert’s legal representative states the project had actually done so without his permission, and his customer had actually declined the task.

On January 31, Marks notified the FEC that she had actually resigned. Later on that day, Olson’s electronic signature appeared on a Santos filing that detailed the project’s activity in the last weeks of 2022 together with a note that stated it been “submitted based upon the restricted info supplied to the project from the previous treasurer Nancy Marks.”.

Marks did not react to CNN’s ask for remark today. Her assistant stated they do not understand who Olson is.

Confusion long has actually swirled around Santos’ filings with the FEC, which has actually sent out more than 2 lots letters asking for extra info from his project given that he initially ran for Congress in the 2020 election cycle.

Today, the FEC sent out yet another such letter, buying the project to repair the declaration of company that noted Olson as the brand-new treasurer, due to the fact that the documentation improperly explained Santos’ project committee as a nationwide Republican politician Celebration committee. The project has actually remedied the mistake.

However Saurav Ghosh, a previous FEC enforcement legal representative who now deals with the Project Legal Center guard dog group, stated the preliminary report “shows a total absence of elegance and absence of diligence with the information about what they are submitting.”.

” It appears like his project has actually never ever done any of type of sensible task of filing precise and total declarations, which is why the FEC has actually asked a lot of concerns and why the general public, justifiably, is asking a lot of concerns,” Ghosh included.

Election guard dogs state they have actually been stymied when they have actually looked for to read more about Olson. “I have actually never ever seen this prior to: Having a total secret as a treasurer for a sitting member of Congress,” stated Jordan Libowitz of People for Obligation and Principles in Washington.

The address noted for Santos’ committee and his treasurer on Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst, New York City, is that of an apartment that has actually been related to Santos and his sibling Tiffany Devolder Santos.

The congressman’s sibling abandoned her home because structure in January, court records reveal, and just recently reached a contract with her previous property owner to pay back more than $19,000 in back lease.

Her previous home lies in a six-story property and business mixed-use structure on Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst– the exact same structure that Santos has actually noted as his address on project files. In the most current FEC filing designating Olson as treasurer, no information are provided about a workplace or home number.

Staff members at the 3 organizations on the 2nd flooring– a Department of Labor workplace, beauty parlor and financing company– stated the name Andrew Olson was unknown. CNN was unable to access the flooring, however the owner of the beauty parlor stated there were no other organizations or running workplaces on the flooring.

The congressman’s sibling and her lawyer did not react to CNN queries today.

State election records reveal Tiffany Santos manages a New York-based political action committee, Increase NY PAC, that has actually explained itself on social networks as working to improve citizen registration and interest. She was paid almost $26,000 by the PAC throughout the 2022 election cycle, according to filings with the New york city State Board of Elections.

State elections records likewise reveal that Marks has actually kept her position as treasurer of Tiffany Santos’ PAC.