Former GOP Rep. George Santos said Friday that he plans to file to run as an independent in New York’s 1st District this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I am officially suspending my petitioning in #NY01 to access the ballot as a Republican and will be filling to run as an independent,” Santos wrote on X.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n He cited \u201ctoday\u2019s embarrassing showing in the House\u201d as his reason for switching to an independent run. The Republican-led House earlier Friday voted to pass a $1.2 trillion spending bill<\/a> hours ahead of a government shutdown deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Santos was previously elected and sworn in to serve in New York’s 3rd District, but he was expelled<\/a> in December amid federal criminal charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Santos was first charged in May with 13 counts including wire fraud and money laundering. In October, Santos was hit with a 23-count superseding indictment. He has ple<\/a>a<\/a>d<\/a>ed<\/a> not guilty<\/a> to all charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before his expulsion, a 56-page House\u00a0Ethics Committee report<\/a>\u00a0concluded that there was \u201csubstantial evidence\u201d that Santos \u201cviolated federal criminal laws,\u201d including using campaign funds for personal purposes and filing false campaign reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a letter to his House colleagues before the vote, Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, claimed Santos personally defrauded him<\/a> and his mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a February special election, Democrat Tom Suozzi defeated Republican Mazi Pilip to succeed Santos in the Long Island district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n