Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we here at Facts First USA will speak for everyone when we say, we’re grateful Congress won’t spend another week together. Hopefully none of your family members take a cheap shot to your kidneys, which is more than can be said about the current relationship between House Republicans. Several outlets have reported on an exchange between former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett. According to NPR, and the Washington Post, Burchett was shoved by McCarthy and then confronted about it, which McCarthy denied, but one House GOP member referred to as “schoolyard bully bullshit.” Burchett claims McCarthy gave him a “clean shot to the kidneys,” so we have a good idea on whether Kevin holds a grudge. Unfortunately, the former Speakers antics aren’t the most disgraceful thing to happen in the halls of Congress, given that Representative George Santos still holds his seat. A bombshell congressional ethics report was published on Thursday, which detailed egregious and criminal actions taken by George Santos, which included allegations of Santos using some of his campaign funds for Botox, lavish vacations, and OnlyFans subscriptions. Santos took the news well, and announced he will not be seeking re-election.
Representative James Comer was less graceful when confronted about his actions regarding his finances. During a committee hearing, Representative Jared Moskowitz referred to a business deal made by James Comer to potentially enrich his brother. Comer handled the situation like an adult, and told Moskowitz, “You look like a Smurf.” Meanwhile, the Daily Beast published a deep dive into new Speaker Mike Johnson’s finances following reports about his lack of disclosing a bank account. It appears Mike Johnson has been awfully loose with his financial disclosures after a look at state and federal records did not match. Johnson also appears to have omitted the sources and amount of his wife’s total income.
Lastly, let’s check to see how Rudy Giuliani is doing. Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation jailed a Ukrainian lawmaker, and associate of Rudy Giuliani, following his involvement in carrying out a Russian Disinformation Operation during the 2020 election. Two other Giuliani associates have been implicated by SBU in the pro-Russia scheme. As we get ready for the holiday season, House Republicans are going to have to start asking for new sources to smear President Biden, but we don’t think they will be getting off the naughty list any time soon.
Congress Has Descended Into “Schoolyard Bully Bullshit” After Kevin McCarthy Takes A “Clean Shot” To Tim Burchett’s Kidneys
CONGRESS HAS DESCENDED INTO “SCHOOLYARD BULLY BULLSHIT” FOLLOWING KEVIN MCCARTHY’S “CLEAN SHOT” TO TIM BURCHETT’S KIDNEYS
Politico: “Same Clown Car With A Different Driver’: House GOP Goes Off The Rails”
- The House GOP Has Descended, As One Member Put It, Into ‘Schoolyard Bully Bullshit.’” [Politico, 11/16/23]
Washington Post: “An Ugly Scene Highlights House GOP’s Descent Into Childish Infighting”
- An NPR Reporter Witnessed McCarthy Shoving Burchett Causing Him To Lunge Forward. “NPR’s Claudia Grisales reported Tuesday morning that she witnessed McCarthy shoving Burchett, one of eight Republicans who voted to oust him last month and whom McCarthy has criticized strongly since then. She said it caused Burchett to ‘lunge’ forward.” [Washington Post, 11/14/23]
- The Washington Post Reported Burchett Confronted McCarthy Demanding An Explanation, Which McCarthy Denied – Burchett Went On To Tell CNN It Was A “Clean Shot To The Kidneys.” “The Washington Post’s Marianna Sotomayor reported that Burchett asked McCarthy, ‘Why did you walk behind me and elbow me in the back?’ McCarthy denied it and, as Burchett followed him yelling, said, ‘Oh, my god.’ Burchett then slowed his steps so he was no longer directly behind McCarthy and called McCarthy ‘pathetic.’ […] Burchett later told CNN it was a ‘clean shot to the kidneys’ and that he was still in pain.” [Washington Post, 11/14/23]
Rolling Stone: “‘Shot To The Kidneys’: Kevin Mccarthy Reportedly Shoved Republican Who Voted To Oust Him”
The Hill: “Burchett Accuses Mccarthy Of Elbowing Him In Capitol Hallway”
Rep. Matt Gaetz Has Filed An Ethics Complaint Against McCarthy Following The Altercation
Rep. Matt Gaetz Filed An Ethics Complaint Against McCarthy Following The Burchett Incident. “Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has filed an ethics complaint against McCarthy over the alleged altercation.” [Washington Post, 11/14/23]
Bombshell Congressional Ethics Report Detailed George Santos Used Campaign Funds On Botox, Lavish Vacations, And OnlyFans
A BIPARTISAN ETHICS REPORT FOUND “SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE” OF “CRIMINAL WRONGDOING” BY GEORGE SANTOS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MISUSING CAMPAIGN FUNDS ON BOTOX TREATMENTS AND ONLYFANS
Politico: “Santos Ethics Report Finds ‘Substantial Evidence’ Of Criminal Wrongdoing”
- A Bipartisan Ethics Report Found “Substantial Evidence” That George Santos Violated Federal Crimes, Including The Misuse Of Campaign Funds On Lavish Trips And Botox Treatments. “A bipartisan ethics report concludes there is ‘substantial evidence’ that George Santos violated federal criminal laws, which will almost certainly trigger another attempt to expel him from the House The explosive report released Thursday by the House Ethics Committee found that Santos spent campaign funds on Botox treatments and lavish Atlantic City trips with his husband. It also details the New York Republican’s efforts to obscure his money trail, as he sought to build a ‘fictional’ financial narrative on official records, according to the 55-page report.” [Politico, 11/16/23]
Washington Post: “Santos Says He Won’t Seek Reelection After Release Of Ethics Report”
- The Ethics Report Detailed Santos Stole Money From His Campaign, Deceived Donors, Created Fictious Loans, Engaged In Business Fraud And Used Campaign Funds For Personal Enrichment. “The report detailed an array of alleged misconduct that included Santos stealing money from his campaign, deceiving donors about how contributions would be used, creating fictitious loans and engaging in fraudulent business dealings. Santos, the report alleged, repeatedly used funds intended for his campaign for personal enrichment, including spa charges and paying down his own credit card debt.” [Washington Post, 11/16/23]
- Santos Used His Consulting Company, Redstone, To Transfer Money From His Campaign To His Personal Account Which He Then Used On Luxury Goods, Pay Down Credit Card Bills, And Make Smaller Purchases On OnlyFans. “Some of the more egregious findings were centered on a consulting company called RedStone that was founded by Santos under the guise of being an outside group helping Santos’s election campaign. However, RedStone was not registered with the Federal Election Commission, and documents showed thousands of dollars from RedStone were transferred to one of Santos’s personal checking accounts. The funds were used, among other things, to pay down personal credit card bills, to make a $4,127.80 purchase at the luxury brand Hermes, and to make ‘smaller purchases’ at OnlyFans, a subscription site that contains adult content, according to the report.” [Washington Post, 11/16/23]
Here’s A Useful Round Up Of The Santos Coverage To Make Sure No One Forgets How Big A Fraud Representative George Santos Is
The Guardian: “George Santos Will Not Seek Re-Election After House Details ‘Pervasive’ Fraud”
New York Times: “Santos Won’t Seek Re-Election After House Panel Finds Evidence Of Crimes”
TIME: “House Releases Scathing George Santos Ethics Report”
Axios: “George Santos Says He Won’t Seek Re-Election After Damning Ethics Report”
Associated Press: “Rep. George Santos Won’t Seek Reelection After Scathing Ethics Report Cites Evidence Of Lawbreaking”
Wall Street Journal: “George Santos Won’t Seek Re-Election After House Panel Finds He Stole From His Campaign”
CNN: “George Santos Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection Following Damning Ethics Committee Report”
CBS: “George Santos Says He Won’t Run For Reelection After Scathing Ethics Report”
NPR: “Ethics Report Finds Santos Used Campaign Funds To Pay For Onlyfans, Botox, Sephora”
Financial Times: “Onlyfans And Botox: Us House Panel Claims George Santos Misused Campaign Funds”
The New Republic: “Ethics Report: George Santos Used Campaign Funds On Onlyfans And Botox”
The Independent: “George Santos Won’t Seek Reelection After Ethics Report Reveals Onlyfans Campaign Spending”
Oversight Chair James Comer Called A Fellow House Member A “Smurf” After Being Called Out For A Land Swap Deal That Helped Enriched His Brother
JAMES COMER RESORTED TO NAME-CALLING AFTER A HEATED EXCHANGE WITH REP. MOSKOWITZ DURING A COMMITTEE HEARING
Huffington Post: “’You Look Like A Smurf’: James Comer Rages At Democrat Questioning A Family Business Deal”
Daily Beast: “James Comer Calls Dem A ‘Smurf’ During Meltdown Over Daily Beast Report”
The Hill: “Moskowitz, Comer Get Into Tense Exchange At Hearing: ‘You Look Like A Smurf Here’”
CNN: “‘You Look Like A Smurf’: GOP Lawmaker Clashes With Democrat During Hearing”
USA Today: “’You Look Like A Smurf’: Comer Gets Into Heated Exchange With Moskowitz During Hearing”
- James Comer Told Rep. Jared Moskowitz, “You Look Like A Smurf” Following Moskowitz’s Reference To A Business Deal Between James Comer And His Brother Which Drew Parallels To Comer’s Own Claims Regarding President Biden. “Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., got into a heated exchange with Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., calling him a ‘Smurf’ during a Tuesday hearing on oversight of the General Services Administration. During the hearing, Moskowitz referred to a loan that President Joe Biden gave to his brother when he wasn’t in office. Comer, the chair of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, had previously raised questions about the loan as he leads the impeachment inquiry into the Biden family’s business dealings. ‘It has come out in the public that you also do business with your brother with potential loans,’ Moskowitz continued, referring to a Daily Beast report that said Comer channeled money to his brother as they engaged in land swaps related to a family company that never existed.[…] The two engaged in a testy exchange and when the Florida lawmaker tried to reclaim his time, Comer said ‘You look like a Smurf, here, just going around and all this stuff.’ Moskowitz was wearing a blue suit and blue tie during the hearing.” [USA Today, 11/14/23]
While Serving In Congress, James Comer Engaged In Land Swaps With His Brother – Including One Involving $200,000
Daily Beast: “James Comer, Like Joe Biden, Also Paid His Brother $200k”
James Comer Reportedly Engaged In Land Swaps With His Brother And One Deal Involved $200,000 And A Shell Company. “According to Kentucky property records, Comer and his own brother have engaged in land swaps related to their family farming business. In one deal—also involving $200,000, as well as a shell company—the more powerful and influential Comer channeled extra money to his brother, seemingly from nothing. Other recent land swaps were quickly followed with new applications for special tax breaks, state records show. All of this, perplexingly, related to the dealings of a family company that appears to have never existed on paper.” [Daily Beast, 11/9/23]
- 7/8/19: James Comer’s Brother Bought Out Comer’s Piece Of An Inherited Property For $100,000, Then Five Months Later Comer Paid $218,000 To His Brother To Buyout The Property In Full – A Transaction That Included Comer’s LLC, Farm Team Properties. “For instance, on July 8, Chad Comer bought out his brother’s half of a piece of inherited Kentucky property, paying $100,000, according to deed records in Monroe County. Five months later, James and his wife Tamara ‘TJ’ Comer, bought the property out in full, this time paying Chad Comer $218,000. The buyout netted Chad Comer an unexplained $18,000 above the total value in July. That purchase, however, had a third party in addition to James and TJ—their own shell company, ‘Farm Team Properties, LLC.’ Comer’s financial disclosure that year describes Farm Team Properties, LLC, as a ‘land management and real estate speculation company’ with a range of value between $200,000 and $500,000. In two years, its value had increased to the $500,000 to $1 million range.” [Daily Beast, 11/9/23]
James Comer Reportedly Engaged In Land Swaps With His Brother That Were Followed By New Applications For Special Tax Breaks. “According to Kentucky property records, Comer and his own brother have engaged in land swaps related to their family farming business. In one deal—also involving $200,000, as well as a shell company—the more powerful and influential Comer channeled extra money to his brother, seemingly from nothing. Other recent land swaps were quickly followed with new applications for special tax breaks, state records show. All of this, perplexingly, related to the dealings of a family company that appears to have never existed on paper.” [Daily Beast, 11/9/23]
- April 2019: James Comer Gifted His Brother His Share Of Two Inherited Tracts Of Land In Clay County, TN For $1 With The Value Of Comer’s Share Being Stated As $175,000, The Same As The Value Of The Full Property When It Was First Acquired In 1994. “In another swap—this one in April, 2019—James Comer gifted his brother, via a $1 transaction, his share of two inherited tracts in Clay County, Tennessee, with a share value being $175,000, according to the deed of sale. The value of James Comer’s share matches the value of the full property in 1994, when the brothers and their father first acquired it for $175,000, according to the deed.” [Daily Beast, 11/9/23]
- On The Clay County, TN Land, James Comer’s Brother Applied For A Special Tennessee Agricultural Tax Break That Assesses Property Taxes At Its “Use Value” Rather Than Fair Market Value As Long As The Land Generates A Certain Amount Of Annual Agricultural Income. “It’s not immediately clear why James Comer listed that same specific dollar amount for his share—either to match what was already on the books, or to reflect a neatly coincidental increase in value. But in September, Chad Comer applied for a special Tennessee agricultural tax break on that property, according to Clay County records. The tax break, called a ‘Greenbelt Assessment,’ assesses property taxes at its ‘use value’ instead of fair market value as long as the land generates a certain amount of annual agricultural income. (James Comer made that move this year after buying a $10,000 parcel from his brother, tax records show.)” [Daily Beast, 11/9/23]
- April 2019: Chad Comer Gave James Comer A More Valuable Piece Of Property In Macon County, TN, But Comer Redacted The Value Of Property In The Documents. “The same day that James Comer gave his brother that land, Chad Comer reciprocated with an apparently more valuable piece of property in Macon County, Tennessee—except James Comer didn’t disclose that value in the sale. Instead, Comer appears to have whited that number out, writing ‘exempt’ in its place on the deed, then signing below. However, the land’s value can still be ascertained from the deed history in Macon County, where records show that their father had originally purchased the tract for $203,000 in 2015. That means that, while Comer appears to have netted a value of roughly $30,000 in the swap, he did not put that in the public record.” [Daily Beast, 11/9/23]
Mike Johnson Has Some Shady Discrepancies In His Financial Disclosure That He Must Clear Up Or Risk Potential Conflicts Of Interest
MIKE JOHNSON HAS A SHADY HISTORY OF VAGUENESS IN HIS FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES AND SOME THINGS AREN’T ADDING UP
Daily Beast: “Mike Johnson’s Shady Finances Are Already Coming Back to Bite Him”
End Citizens United Filed An Ethics Complaint With The House Ethics Committee Citing Potential Violations In Speaker Johnson’s Financial Disclosures, Which The Daily Beast Also Uncovered And Reported On. “A number of these findings also appear in a new ethics complaint from left-leaning nonprofit and transparency advocacy group End Citizens United. That complaint, which was filed with the House Ethics Committee on Monday, lays out multiple potential violations in Johnson’s financial disclosures, including undisclosed gifts and blind spots in his spouse’s income. The Daily Beast has uncovered other inconsistencies about her income, along with new irregularities regarding the source and timing of Johnson’s own earnings as a lawyer for right-wing causes. He has also filed contradictory financial statements about those earnings.” [Daily Beast, 11/13/23]
- Johnson Repeatedly Failed To Include Gift Travel On His Financial Disclosures Despite Receiving Tens Of Thousands In All-Expenses Paid Trips, While Johnson Disclosed Two Trips To House Ethics Officials He Did Not Disclose A Third Trip Entirely. “For instance, Johnson did not report gift travel on two financial disclosures, as required. In 2020, Johnson and his wife received an $18,000 all-expenses paid trip to Israel, staying at a five-star hotel on the dime of the 12 Tribes Film Foundation. And in 2022, Johnson spoke at a religious conference in Kentucky, an April Fool’s Day trip covered by the fundamentalist Christian group Answers in Genesis. (Johnson once represented that religious group in a lawsuit.) Johnson disclosed those gifts to House Ethics officials, as required. But when those officials approved the trips, they sent letters reminding Johnson that he needed to include the gifts on his financial disclosure that year. In both cases, he failed to report them on his annual disclosures. A third trip—where Johnson addressed a secretive and highly influential right-wing organization, previously reported by The Daily Beast—was never disclosed at all.” [Daily Beast, 11/13/23]
- Johnson Received Compensation From A Louisiana Right To Life Group For Legal Services Despite Being Told Not To Take Compensation From Them By The Louisiana State Legislature Due To Conflict Of Interest. “For instance, take Johnson’s first federal disclosures. Johnson’s candidate report, submitted and then amended in June 2016, shows three sources of earned income in 2015: a $128,000 salary from Kitchens Law Firm, a $25,000 state legislature salary, and $18,000 in legal fees via his private law firm. But in a separate section for single-source outside compensation, Johnson also claims he received more than $5,000 from two additional groups. One of those groups was the state’s largest anti-abortion nonprofits, called Louisiana Right to Life, where Johnson served as director and legal counsel. Johnson attributed his earnings to ‘legal services.’ However, the state legislature had ordered him not to take compensation or ‘anything of economic value’ from that organization in February 2015, citing a conflict of interest.” [Daily Beast, 11/13/23]
- Johnson’s State Disclosures Do Not Match His Federal Financial Disclosures, Where He Disclosed Income From Louisiana Right To Life For Years, Despite The Legislature’s Conflict Of Interest Warning. “But it gets murkier when his congressional disclosure is contrasted with his state disclosures covering the same time period. Unlike his federal forms, Johnson’s state disclosures list no income at all from Louisiana Right to Life in 2014, 2015 or 2016. And the group’s appearance on his federal disclosure doesn’t appear to be a mistake, because Johnson reported the earnings on his original form as well as an amended version a few days later.” [Daily Beast, 11/13/23]
Johnson Also Appears To Have Omitted Sources Of His Wife’s Income And Her Stake In Her Private Company
Johnson’s Disclosures Omit Sources Of His Wife’s Income, Despite Ethics Rules Enforcing Otherwise. “The complaint notes that Johnson’s disclosures sometimes appear to omit sources of his wife’s income, in violation of ethics rules. The complaint also alleges that Johnson omitted his wife’s stake in her private company, another potential violation.” [Daily Beast, 11/13/23]
- The Daily Beast Reported Johnson’s Wife Received 85% Of A Non-Profit’s Total Expenses As Her Salary For Over Four Years, Without Providing Information On Who is Funding The Non-Profit. “The Daily Beast found other discrepancies. For instance, Johnson’s 2019 disclosure says his wife received $36,400 from her nonprofit, ‘Onward Christian Education Services.’ However, the group’s tax filing covering that same calendar year says that her OCES income was $50,026. […] Over the last four years, she has earned $162,076 from Onward Christian Education Services, tax filings show. Kelly Johnson’s salary accounts for 85 percent of the group’s total expenses. The group has reported between $50,000 and $70,000 in donations annually, but because the nonprofit does not disclose its donors, it’s unclear who is funding her salary.” [Daily Beast, 11/13/23]
Johnson’s Wife Had An LLC Website Which Boasted About Her “Busy Speaking Schedule” For “Church Groups, Women’s Conferences And Large Public Events,” But No Disclosure On The Amount She’s Received Was Filed. “For years, the LLC’s website—which was taken down late last month—boasted that she ‘maintains a busy speaking schedule.’ Those engagements have included ‘addressing church groups, women’s conferences and large public events on a variety of relevant and timely topics,’ the site said. ‘Contact us today to book your next event. (Fee may varies [sic] depending upon event size, length and topics.)’ The suggestion that she has earned money for speaking through her private company raises ethics concerns, according to the End Citizens United complaint. Congressional filers must disclose the source, type, and amount of their spouse’s ‘honoraria’—including speaking fees—if it totaled $200 or more in a year. But Mike Johnson has never disclosed honoraria payments to his wife.” [Daily Beast, 11/13/23]
- 2021: Johnson No Longer Disclosed His Spouse’s Income. [2021 Financial Disclosure Report, filed 8/19/22; 2022 Financial Disclosure Report, filed 8/11/23]
Newsweek: “Mike Johnson Comes Under Pressure Over His Finances”
The ReidOut Blog: “Liberals urge an ethics inquiry into Mike Johnson’s finances”
Rudy Giuliani’s Dirt-Digging Associates Have Been Implicated In A Russia-Backed Plot To Meddle In The 2020 Election
A UKRAINIAN AGENT WHO HELPED RUDY GIULIANI SMEAR JOE BIDEN IN THE 2020 ELECTION WAS JAILED IN UKRAINE ON SUSPICION OF TREASON
CNN: “Ukraine Implicates 3 Giuliani Allies In Plot To Help Russia Meddle In 2020 US Election”
- Oleksandr Dubinski, A Ukrainian Lawmaker, Was Jailed By Ukraine’s State Bureau Of Investigation Following His Involvement In Carrying Out A Russian Disinformation Operation – Dubinsky Aided In Rudy Giuliani’s Attempt To Smear Joe Biden During The 2020 Election. “A sitting Ukrainian lawmaker who helped Rudy Giuliani smear Joe Biden during the 2020 US presidential campaign has been jailed on suspicion of treason, Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday, in a statement accusing him of carrying out a Russian disinformation operation. The statement did not name the lawmaker, but a source with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed it was investigating Member of Parliament Oleksandr Dubinsky on suspicion of treason.”[CNN, 11/6/23]
Politico: “Ukraine Charges Rudy Giuliani’s Top Local Ally With Moscow-Linked Treason”
- Dubinsky Met Giuliani During His Visit To Kyiv In December 2019 While Giuliani Was Filming A Documentary Aimed To Discredit An Impeachment Probe Into Donald Trump. “Dubinsky met Giuliani during his visit to Kyiv in December 2019 while the former New York City mayor and failed U.S. presidential candidate was filming a documentary aimed at discrediting an impeachment probe into Trump.” [Politico, 11/13/23]
TWO OTHER GIULIANI ASSOCIATES WERE IMPLICATED BY THE RECENTLY JAILED UKRAINIAN, BOTH HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY SANCTIONED BY THE US AND PEDDLED MISINFORMATION ABOUT BIDEN DURING THE 2020 ELECTION
Ukraine’s State Bureau Of Investigation Implicated Two Other Giuliani Associates Who Aided In Peddling False Information About Biden And His Family’s Dealings In Ukraine During The 2020 Campaign. “The SBU has also implicated two former Ukrainian officials in the pro-Russia scheme: ex-lawmaker Andrii Derkach and former prosecutor Kostiantyn Kulyk, who coordinated closely with Giuliani and other allies of former President Donald Trump to peddle false information about Biden and his family’s dealings in Ukraine during the 2020 campaign.” [CNN, 11/6/23]
- The US Government Already Sanctioned Dubinsky, Derkach, And Kulyk After Being Accused Of Affiliating With A “Russia-Linked Foreign Influence Network.” “The US government previously sanctioned Dubinsky, Derkach and Kulyk, accusing them of being affiliated with a ‘Russia-linked foreign influence network’ that tried to interfere in the 2020 election in favor of Trump and to undermine Biden. That sanctions announcement came during the final weeks of the Trump administration.” [CNN, 11/6/23]
The Hill: “Ukraine Arrests Officials On Treason Charges Over Giuliani Effort Against Hunter Biden”
The New Republic: “Uh-Oh: Giuliani’s “Biden Sources” Charged With Being Putin Agents”