In a series of identical apology
letters to the Federal Election Commission on Oct. 26, the lawyer, Derek Ross, rescinded correspondence and “other communications” that he’d
submitted in January on behalf of his client, professional Republican political accountant Tom Datwyler. Ross is now telling the FEC that he acted as an unwitting middleman, ferrying false information from his client and
inaccurately disavowing Datwyler’s campaign role. The letters cited
The Daily Beast’s recent reporting that Datwyler had in reality operated as a shadow treasurer for Santos—despite disavowing that role to the public, to the FEC, and apparently even his own lawyer.
“Regrettably, recent public reporting has caused me to lose confidence in the accuracy and veracity of the information provided by Mr. Datwyler at the time I submitted those communications on his behalf,” Ross wrote in the letters, which were posted to the FEC pages for
half a dozen Santos committees over the weekend, including the
campaign.
Upon “careful review of the new information and a reevaluation of the facts,” Ross wrote, “it has become evident that the content of the original communications may no longer accurately represent the situation described in my correspondence.”
That original correspondence, which Ross submitted to the FEC on Jan. 26, requested that Datwyler—a veteran political accountant whose client list boasts hundreds of GOP campaigns and political groups—be “removed from the public record” for those half-dozen Santos committees. The letters, which prompted the FEC to
fire back at the campaign, also asked the FEC to “refer this matter to the appropriate law enforcement agency to determine whether a crime has occurred.”
But now Ross has apologized, emphasizing his commitment to provide the FEC “the most accurate and up-to-date information in all matters that concern it.” He added that he was “currently evaluating my ethical obligations in regard to future representation of Mr. Datwyler.”
A lawyer representing one of George Santos' former treasurers says he was also lied to—and the false information he provided to the media wasn't his fault.
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