George Santos 'shadow treasurer' accused of wire fraud by GOP super PAC

Source: The Hill

07/26/24 5:30 AM ET


A conservative political treasurer associated with former Rep. George Santos’s (R-N.Y.) campaign was accused of wire fraud by a GOP super PAC in Nevada, according to a Justice Department complaint. The Conservative Nevada Leadership PAC (CNLP) demanded the Justice Department investigate Thomas Datwyler, who has headed up the financial operations of dozens of Republican candidates and political committees in recent cycles.

Datwyler acted as a “shadow treasurer” for Santos’s brief reelection bid, despite previously disavowing his involvement to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the media. CNLP, a fundraising group formed to back GOP primary Senate candidate Jim Marchant, accused Datwyler of using its funds to write a $500 check after he stepped down as its treasurer.

“Datwyler has a long history of running roughshod over federal campaign finance law and the regulations of the FEC, where he has repeatedly filed or caused to be filed false reports with the [FEC],” the complaint reads. “Datwyler’s knowing, willful, and intentional conduct, which has drawn repeated FEC fines, has and continues to cause substantial harm to our electoral process. As detailed below, Datwyler’s recent conduct has become even more out-of-control.”

According to the complaint, dated Friday, CNLP raised no money while Datwyler was its treasurer, between June and November of last year. The group received its first donation of $5,000 in December, after Datwyler had stepped down, though the group claims Datwyler wrote a check in February to his political compliance firm from the PAC’s account for $500.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4793511-george-santos-shadow-treasurer-accused-of-wire-fraud-by-gop-super-pac/