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Dwayne Johnson says he considered running for office a few years ago but didn't want to be 'pulled away from my little ones'

Despite efforts to draft him into the presidential elections in 2020, actor, entrepreneur and former pro wrestler Dwayne Johnson says he opted instead to focus on his family.

A few years ago, things got very serious and I was having meetings behind closed doors, that werent even necessarily encouraged by me, but they came to me, he said in an on-air interview on CNBC on Thursday. I really had to consider and take my time. Then I realized, in having these conversationsthat the most important thing to me is being a father to my little one.

Johnson has two young daughters, aged 7 and 5, with his wife. Hes also the father of a 21-year-old from a previous marriage and says the lessons learned from his first child make him want to be at home more for his younger children.

I always say we grew up together, he said of his oldest child. I was always away working and didnt want to be in a position where I would be pulled away from my little ones now.

Johnsons comments follow a 2022 interview with CBS Sunday Morning, where he said he would not run in the 2024 election. Afterward, on Instagram, he added: Ive been approached by the most influential in politics on both sides of the aisle asking and supporting that I run for President. Its a humbling, grateful and inspiring feeling to even have these conversations, as Im not a politician nor have I ever aspired to be one.

Not running now doesnt mean he has completely ruled it out, however. Johnson called for a change in leadership following the death of George Floyd and endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 elections, but has referred to himself as a political independent and centrist.

What the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency means for you

Still, both the WHO and the White House have made clear that while the emergency phase of the pandemic has ended, the virus is here to stay and could continue to wreak havoc.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that, over that time, the virus has taken the lives of more than 1 million people in the U.S. and about 7 million people globally based on reported cases, though he said the true toll is likely closer to 20 million people worldwide. While the global emergency status has ended, COVID-19 is still an established and ongoing health issue, he said.

The Conversation asked public health experts Marian Moser Jones and Amy Lauren Fairchild to put these changes into context and to explain their ramifications for the next stage of the pandemic.

1. What does ending the national emergency phase of the pandemic mean?

Ending the federal emergency reflects both a scientific and political judgment that the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis has ended and that special federal resources are no longer needed to prevent disease transmission across borders.

In practical terms, it means that two declarations the federal Public Health Emergency, first declared on Jan. 31, 2020, and the COVID-19 national emergency that former President Donald Trump announced on March 13, 2020, are expiring.

Declaring those emergencies enabled the federal government to cut through mountains of red tape to respond to the pandemic more efficiently. For instance, the declarations allowed funds to be made available so that federal agencies could direct personnel, equipment, supplies and services to state and local governments wherever they were needed. In addition, the declarations made funding and other resources available to launch investigations into the cause, treatment or prevention of COVID-19 and to enter into contracts with other organizations to meet needs stemming from the emergency.

The emergency status also allowed the federal government to make health care more widely available by suspending many requirements for accessing Medicare, Medicaid and the Childrens Health Program, or CHIP. And they made it possible for people to receive free COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines and enabled Medicaid and Medicare to more easily cover telehealth services.

Finally, the Trump administration used the national emergency to invoke Title 42, a section of the Public Health Service Act that allows the federal government to stop people at the nations borders to prevent introduction of communicable diseases. Asylum seekers and others who normally undergo processing when they enter the U.S. have been turned away under this rule.

2. What domestic policies are changing?

An estimated 15 million people are likely to lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage, according to the federal government. Another analysis projected that as many as 24 million people will be kicked off the Medicaid rolls.

Before the pandemic, states required people to prove every year that they met income and other eligibility requirements. This resulted in churning a process whereby people who did not complete renewal paperwork were being periodically disenrolled from state Medicaid programs before they could reapply and prove eligibility.

In March 2020, Congress enacted a continuous enrollment provision in Medicaid that prevented states from removing anyone from their rolls during the pandemic. From February 2020 to March 31, 2023, enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP grew by nearly 23.5% to a total of more than 93 million. In a December 2022 appropriations bill, Congress passed a provision that ended continuous enrollment on March 31, 2023.

The Biden administration defended this time frame as sufficient to ensure that patients did not lose access to care unpredictably and that state Medicaid budgets which received emergency funds beginning in 2020 didnt face a radical cliff.

But many people who have Medicaid or who enrolled their children in CHIP during this period may be unaware of these changes until they actually lose their benefits over the next several months.

At least five states already began disenrolling Medicaid members in April. Other states are sending out termination letters and renewal notices and will disenroll members starting in May, June and July.

Only Oregon has set up a comprehensive program to minimize disenrollments. That state is running a five-year federal demonstration program that allows it to temporarily let people stay on Medicaid if their income is up to 200% of the federal poverty level and lets eligible children stay on Medicaid through age 6. Many other states are trying more limited strategies to improve the renewal process and decrease churning.

The array of telehealth services that Medicare began covering during the pandemic will continue to be covered through December 2024. Medicare is also making coverage for behavioral and mental telehealth services a permanent benefit.

The end of the emergency also means that the federal government is no longer covering the costs of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments for everyone. However, in April, the Biden administration announced a new $1.1 billion public-private bridge access program that will provide COVID-19 vaccines and treatments free of charge for uninsured people through state and local health departments and pharmacies. Insured individuals may have out-of-pocket costs depending on their coverage.

The end of the emergency lifts the pandemic restriction on border crossing. Large numbers of migrants have gathered at the Mexico-U.S. border and are expected to enter the country in the coming weeks, further straining already overwhelmed staff and facilities.

3. What does this mean for the status of the pandemic?

A pandemic declaration represents an assessment that human transmission of a disease, whether well known or novel, is extraordinary, that it constitutes a public health risk to two or more U.S. states and that controlling it requires an international response. But declaring an end to the emergency doesnt mean a return to business as usual.

New global guidelines for long-term disease management of COVID-19, released on May 3, 2023, urged countries to maintain sufficient capacity, operational readiness and flexibility to scale up during surges of COVID-19, while maintaining other essential health services and preparing for the emergence of new variants with increased severity or capacity.

Former White House COVID-19 response coordinator Deborah Birx recently warned that the omicron COVID-19 variant continues to mutate and may become resistant to existing treatments. She called for more federally funded research into therapeutics and durable vaccines that protect against many variants.

Birxs warnings come as remaining states have ended their COVID-19 press briefings and shut down their exposure notification systems, and the federal government has ended its free COVID-19 at-home test program.

With the end of the emergency, the CDC is also changing the way it presents its COVID-19 data to a sustainable national COVID-19 surveillance model. This shift in COVID-19 monitoring and communication strategies accompanying the end of the emergency means that the virus is disappearing from the headlines, even though it has not disappeared from our lives and communities.

4. How will state and local pandemic measures be affected?

The end of the federal emergency does not affect state-level or local-level emergency declarations. These declarations have allowed states to allocate resources to meet pandemic needs and have included provisions allowing them to respond to surges in COVID-19 cases by allowing out-of-state physicians and other health care providers to practice in person and through telehealth.

Most U.S. states, however, have ended their own public health emergency declarations. Six states Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Texas still had emergency declarations in effect as of May 3, 2023, that will expire by the end of the month. So far, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey stands alone in having indicated that she will extend key flexibilities provided by the public health emergency related to health care staffing and emergency medical services.

While some states may choose to make permanent some COVID-era emergency standards, such as looser restrictions on telemedicine or out-of-state health providers, we believe it could be a long time before either politicians or members of the public regain an appetite for any emergency orders directly related to COVID-19.

This is an updated version of an article that was originally published on Feb. 3, 2023.

Marian Moser Jones, Associate Professor of Health Services Management, Policy and History, The Ohio State University and Amy Lauren Fairchild, Dean and Professor of Public Health, The Ohio State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Overall job satisfaction among U.S. workers hit its highest levels on record last year

The Great Resignation might have brought consternation to the executive suite, but it also resulted in the happiest work force the U.S. has seen since the late 1980s.

A new study from The Conference Board, a research organization, shows that overall job satisfaction among U.S. workers hit its highest levels on record last year, as wages improved and many people sought out jobs that they found more satisfying.

Last year, 62.6% of the workers surveyed said they were satisfied with their jobs. Thats up from 56.8% in 2020 and well off of 2010s lows of just 42.6%.

U.S. workers have never been more content, the report read. The largest gains occurred in experience of work components such as work/life balance, workload, and performance review processes. Satisfaction with compensation and benefits components including health plans, bonus plans, and educational and job training programs also significantly improved in 2022.

Its notable that the survey spoke with its 1,680 workers before the current slate of layoffs began, so concerns about job security and the effects of a possible recession are not factored into the results. Neither are increased enforcement of back-to-office mandates by many employers.

That last caveat is a notable one, as workers who had hybrid work arrangements reported the highest levels of job satisfaction in the report. Competitive pay, work/life balance and workload were also big factors in employee happiness.

Workers who left their old jobs to try something new reported the highest levels of satisfaction in almost all aspects of their job. Overall, the Conference Board found, women are significantly less satisfied than men in each of the 26 job satisfaction elements explored.

Despite year-over-year improvements, job satisfaction among women remains below that of men, with large gaps appearing in job security, promotion policy, and bonus plans, as well as across compensation and benefits, including pay, sick day policy, vacation policy, and health plans, the report reads.

Job security showed one fo the biggest gaps, with 61.8% of women saying they were satisfied with their current level, compared to 68.7% of men.

Overall worker satisfaction hit its lowest levels after the last recessionand the Conference Board said that should the U.S. experience another one this year, you can expect a drop in the 2023 results. However, it added, that will likely be a short-term stumble.

The short recession that many anticipate in 2023 may temporarily ease labor shortages, it wrote. We see some signs of softening labor markets with job openings and voluntary quits declining over the last few months after record highs in March 2022. Declining worker mobility could reduce job satisfaction in the coming 12 to 24 months. In the medium and long term, however, changing demographics and restricted immigration will likely expand skill and talent shortages.

A school custodian in Maine is coaching grade school students to chess victory in a plot that echoes the 'Queen's Gambit' Netflix show

David Bishop spends the school day as a mild-mannered custodian, but before the final bell rings, he grabs his chess boards and pieces and begins his second role.

The Queens Gambit is playing out in real life in Maine, where this custodian is coaching his schools chess teams to acclaim.

Bishop, a part-time chess coach and full-time custodian, led his elementary and middle school teams to state championship titles this year, drawing comparisons to the Netflix series about a chess prodigy inspired by a janitor.

Some of his players are good enough to beat their coach, proudly declaring checkmate!

Initially, it was humiliating and demoralizing, but it didnt take long for me to realize thats a good thing. Theyre getting stronger, the 61-year-old said.

Nationwide, chess is riding a new wave of popularity, and its not just because of the popular Netflix mini series based on the 1983 book by Walter Tevis.

During the pandemic, a growing number of kids forced to stay at home for extended periods turned to Chess.com to relieve their boredom. The website and app allows visitors to learn the game, to play against each other or against a computer, and to get chess news.

The website had 1.5 million daily users in February 2020 just before the pandemic hit the U.S. in full force but it grew to 4.5 million by the end of 2020. It had hit 10 million by January of this year. The total number of registered users has nearly quadrupled to 123 million, the company said.

Chess fans are also watching videos of grandmasters teaching strategies and livestreams of high-profile chess players facing off.

What we are seeing is an unprecedented period of boom, like nothing before, said Leon Watson, spokesperson for Chess.com. It definitely feels like chess is having a moment.

In Hampden, Bishops coaching success followed a happy twist of fate.

He was burned out from his job in the telecommunications industry and took an early retirement package at age 50. He was exploring new opportunities in the field and not having much luck when someone told him about a school custodial job. He figured it would be mean less stress.

He didnt even know there was a chess club until after hed begun work in 2013. He began volunteering with the chess club at Reeds Brook Middle School, and later at George B. Weatherbee Elementary School, as well.

Bishop learned chess the old-fashioned way, with a family chessboard and by experimenting with the board pieces: pawns, bishops, knights, rooks, queens and kings. He played with his brothers, sometimes in the familys barn, learning the moves to checkmate his opponents king, the object of the game. At age 10, he followed with keen interest the match in which American grandmaster Bobby Fischer defeated the Soviet Unions Boris Spassky in 1972.

While Bishop enjoyed chess and was good at it, he didnt join his high school chess club, worrying he would be typecast as a nerd. He regrets that now.

These days, thanks to its growing appeal, those stereotypes no longer apply.

On a recent day, there was a buzz in the air at the Reeds Brook Middle School library where the chess club meets. Bishops team had just represented Maine at the the national championships in Texas, and they came in eighth place out of 52 teams. The elementary school team competes this weekend in its national championships in Maryland.

The students quickly tossed their backpacks aside, sat down at library tables and launched into matches. Those who werent actively playing watched others moves intently.

Eli Marquis, 12, said the chess players are constantly learning new skills and tactics like opening and closing moves allowing them to improve and ensuring they dont get bored.

You can never run out of things to learn and to practice and to do, and you can just keep on getting better as long as you practice. Theres no end to it. Really, he said.

Eddie LaRochelle, 13, compared chess to other competitive team sports. A strong work ethic and practice improve individual skills, and those individuals work together to achieve victory.

You dont need to work out every single day in the gym. To get stronger, you can exercise your brain with puzzles, chess and other things, he said.

Lessons from the chess board often carry into life.

Team members said chess has taught them to think ahead, be strategic and consider the ramifications of decisions. And it helps with keeping on task and staying organized.

Chess is so good for them, and most of them dont know it, their coach said. Theyre just playing chess, but its like a workout for the brain.

Bishop understands comparisons to the janitor in The Queens Gambit William Shaibel, played by actor Bill Camp and he thinks its an entertaining series. The chess play is accurate and exciting, he said.

Camp, the actor, has heard of the teams success and hopes to pay a visit to the school to offer his congratulations. He had high praise for Bishop.

What hes doing is about as noble as one can do hes a teacher, Camp said from Los Angeles. Hes doing the greatest service.

Unlike the Netflix seriess janitor, Bishop is helping not just one girl in an orphanage, but dozens of kids of all skill levels and socioeconomic backgrounds.

His one worry is that there arent as many girls taking up chess.

Chess continues to be dominated by men and boys from the top level of grandmasters down to the grade school level. Theres only one female on his middle school champion team right now, but hes hoping to change that by getting kids hooked at earlier ages, starting in kindergarten.

For now, Bishop looks forward to seeing how far his teams can go. As the teams get better, hes getting used to losing chess matches more frequently.

Riley Richardson, who placed 14th out of 386 competitors at the nationals, said the first time he beat his coach, he thought Bishop was letting him win. But now, he has beaten his coach a few times.

Hes watching for vulnerabilities.

A while ago, I actually beat him because I just started learning his weaknesses, Richardson said. That weakness? He smiled and said: Sometimes, hes overthinking.

Bob Iger to fix streaming by gutting Disney content

Bob Iger hatched a costly new plan to turn around Disneys loss-making streaming businessgutting content.

The launch of Disney+ three and a half years ago sought to insulate the media giant from declining profits at its traditional cable business as more consumers cut the cord.

To give it the best chances of success against entrenched incumbents like Netflix, he wanted to flood the new service with as much content as possible to lure subscribers.

We realized that we made a lot of content that is not necessarily driving sub growth, and were getting much more surgical about what it is we make, he told his investors during the companys second-quarter earnings call on Wednesday.

This led to content costs ballooning to nearly $30 billion in the last fiscal year.

While almost a third of that is related to sports, such as distribution rights, Iger aims to lower spending by $3 billion over the next few years as part of a restructuring plan first revealed in February.

Now that Disney is beginning to better understand what kind of programming drives subscriber growth, the Mouse House is going to take a more aggressive approach to thin out or curating what films and TV series are offered on its Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) divisioneven if it results in additional headwinds of close to $2 billion.

Its critical we rationalize the volume of content were creating and what were spending to produce our content, said Iger.

Shares in Disney are expected to open nearly 6% lower after fiscal Q2 numbers revealed its flagship Disney+ service actually lost 4 million subscribers in the past three months amid expectations it would add more than 1 million through the introduction of a new lower-priced offer partly financed through advertisements.

Heavy writedown for removing content

Finance chief Christine McCarthy said the company had launched a review of what was offered across its various DTC platforms like Disney+ and Hulu in line with the new strategy of culling content.

Exactly what that means is unclear.

In theory, this could entail everything from letting unfavorable deals to license third-party movies and series expire, to even removing some of Disneys own proprietary content made by its Pixar, Marvel or Lucasfilm studios.

There are infrastructure costs related to keeping anything in the cloud.

This move will not come cheap, however.

We will be removing certain content from our streaming platforms and currently expect to take an impairment charge of approximately of $1.5-$1.8 billion.

The writedown will primarily be booked in the third quarter once Disney finishes deleting whatever films, specials and TV series from the libraries of its streaming apps it no longer wants to host on its platforms.

The company will treat this effectively as a one-off item that wont flow through its segment results.

This has the nice side-effect that it spares itself ugly headlines of uncontrolled red ink at DTC again.

In talks with Comcast over its Hulu stake

Reported Q2 operating losses at its streaming business narrowed to $659 million, its lowest level in five quarters.

This was flattered in part due to spending on some projects being pushed back by a few months.

As a result, DTC losses are expected to widen by roughly $100 million into the current fiscal third quarter.

Going forward we intend to produce lower volumes of content in alignment with this strategic shift, McCarthy assured investors.

Iger was hopeful however that substantial growth in digital ad spending at next weeks so-called upfront presentation to advertisers will help him turn around Disney+ more swiftly, especially now that he is actively and intentionally pushing more premium subscribers to downgrade their service.

A higher number of lower-paying ad-tier subscribers counterintuitively will drive average revenue per user thanks to all the money he expects to make as companies compete to buy up available ad time on his streaming services.

He also revealed he was in exploratory talks with Hulu minority owner Comcast to buy its one-third stake in the platform.

CD rates have been skyrocketing. So will they go up even more?

A certificate of deposit (CD) has long been considered a safe place to store cash. But CD interest rates havent exactly been impressive. That is, until recently.

Now, the best CD rates hover around 5% APY for a 12-month term. And many savers are wondering whether theyll continue to go up.

Knowing what rates may do in the future can help you decide the best CD investment strategy today. So if youre thinking about putting your money in CDs, find out if rates are expected to go up first.

What causes CD rates to go up or down?

In general, CD rates are affected by changes to the Federal funds rate (also known as the Feds benchmark rate). This is the interest rate that commercial banks charge each other to borrow money overnight, as banks are required to maintain a reserve of cash equal to a percentage of their deposits at all times (known as a reserve requirement).

The Federal Open Market Committee (FMOC), which is made up of 12 Federal Reserve members, meets eight times per year to review the current state of the economy and make decisions related to monetary policy. That may include the decision to raise rates, often in response to rising inflation. And when the Fed raises its target rate, banks typically follow suit and increase their interest ratesincluding those on CDs.

Thats because when the Feds target rate goes up, the cost of borrowing from other banks increases. To cover the higher costs and maintain profitability, banks may raise the interest rates they charge on loans. And to fund these loans, they often need to attract more customers and grow their deposit base, which they do by increasing the rates they offer on deposits, such as savings accounts and CDs.

CDs are ideal deposit products for banks for managing their cash reserves because they have a fixed maturity date and cannot be as easily liquidated as a checking or money market account, according to Gregory Garcia, executive vice president and chief operating officer of First Commerce Bank. Locking in deposits helps banks manage their cash flow expectations, and they are willing to pay higher rates in order to reduce cash flow uncertainty, he says.

In addition to moves by the Fed, many banks have also been forced to raise CD rates to offset competition from higher rates paid by money market mutual funds and higher U.S. Treasury yields, says Anthony Chan, an economist and public speaker. He adds that rising CD rates have also been exacerbated by concerns that some banks are less safe because of an undiversified loan portfolio, a high proportion of uninsured deposits, or a high proportion of depositors that were inclined to withdraw money. Banks were forced to raise rates to avoid an evaporation of deposits, Chan says.

Finally, CD rates may also go up when the economy is growing and demand for credit increases. This can lead to higher interest rates across the board, including CD rates, as banks compete for deposits to fund their lending activities.

Conversely, CD rates tend to fall when the Fed lowers its target rate or the economy slows, as the demand for and cost of borrowing money decreases as well.

CD rates from 2010 to 2023

CD rates have been relatively flat for the past decade; interest rates were at historically low levels because of rate cuts by the Fed following the Great Recession.

At the end of 2010, the average 12-month CD rate was just 0.53%. By 2012, it had fallen to 0.23% and hovered around that level through 2017.

Just as rates were beginning to pick up again, the pandemic hit, and rates were back at rock bottom. By the end of 2020, the average 12-month CD rate was just 0.16%.

However, things changed mid-2022 when the Fed began increasing rates to combat rampant inflation. CD rates have accelerated at a much faster pace in 1Q 2023, Garcia says.

Today, the average 12-month CD rate is 1.54%, according to the FDIC. However, many banks are offering rates of 4%5% or more, especially for longer terms.

Will CD rates continue to rise?

Over the course of its year-long battle against rising inflation, the Fed has raised rates 10 timesmost recently to a target range of 5.00%5.25%. However, Fed chairman Jerome Powell has hinted that rate hikes may be coming to an end soon. And that could spell the end of rising CD rates.

For now, we can probably expect rates to tick up a bit more. CD rates should continue to climb in the near future as demand for deposits continues and while the Fed continues to raise interest rates, Garcia says.

Chan adds, "Rates on core bank deposits will only stop rising when the Fed begins to reverse course and start lowering interest rates, and the current fear in some regional banks begins to ease.

How to make the most of todays CD rates

Regardless of whether CD rates go up or not, you can take advantage of todays rates and maximize your savings.

Stick with shorter terms: Garcia notes that weve been experiencing a prolonged inverted yield-curve environment, meaning short-term rates are actually higher than long-term rates. So purchasing short-term CDs (e.g., no longer than two years) will get you the best yield. Plus, its impossible to predict exactly what CD rates will look like in the next few years, so its a good idea to avoid locking in your money for too long. Sticking with terms of six to 18 months will let you take advantage of todays high rates, but give you the ability to move your money elsewhere (without paying early withdrawal penalties) if rates fall in the future.
Build a CD ladder: Alternatively, you can consider putting your money in a CD ladder, which allows you to take advantage of long-term CD rates while maintaining some liquidity in the short-term. A prudent CD investor may want to ladder their investments across multiple terms so that market timing doesnt significantly impact their repricing investment upon maturity, Garcia says.
Hedge your savings: Deposit rates are up across the board. So depending on your financial goals and cash flow needs, you might also want to park some cash in similar low-risk investments, such as a high-yield savings account or T-bill, just to ensure you have your bases covered in case CD rates change dramatically.

The takeaway

If youre looking for a safe place to store your savingsand earn a competitive rate so your money can grow fasterits hard to beat a CD. Interest rates are the highest theyve been in about a decade, and are likely to stay elevated as long as the Fed continues raising its rate (or at least, keeps it at its current target).

However, even though we can make educated guesses about how CD rates will move in the future, its impossible to predict exactly what will happen. For that reason, its a good idea to stick with shorter CD terms of one year or less so you can easily pivot if things change. Alternatively, you can create a CD ladder if you want to take advantage of the higher rates that come along with longer terms.
Also, remember that you have to keep your money on deposit until maturity to enjoy the full benefits of a CD. Withdrawing money early will result in an early withdrawal penalty, which can easily wipe out interest earnings. So if you have em e rgency savings that you may need to access, consider putting those funds in a high-yield savings account instead.

George Santos pleads not guilty to litany of charges including unemployment fraud, money laundering, lying to Congress

U.S. Rep. George Santos, infamous for fabricating his life story, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges he duped donors, stole from his campaign and lied to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didnt deserve.

Afterward, he said he wouldnt drop his reelection bid and defied calls to resign.

Santos 13-count federal indictment was a reckoning for a web of fraud and deceit that prosecutors say overlapped with the New York Republicans fantastical public image as a wealthy businessman a fictional biography that began to unravel after he won election last fall.

Santos, 34, was released on $500,000 bond following his arraignment, about five hours after turning himself in to face charges of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress. He surrendered his passport and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

This is the beginning of the ability for me to address and defend myself, a cheerfully combative Santos told reporters swarming him outside a Long Island federal courthouse. He said hes been cooperating with the investigation and vowed to fight the prosecution, which he labeled a witch hunt.

His lawyer, Joseph Murray, was more circumspect, saying: Any time the federal government comes after you its a serious case. We have to take this serious.

Santos said he planned to return to Washington, where the indictment is amplifying doubts about the freshmans ability to serve. House Republican leaders are taking a wait-and-see approach, saying Santos is innocent until proven guilty. Others are reiterating previous calls for Santos to step aside.

I think were seeing that the wheels of justice grind slow, but they grind fine, said Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican who confronted Santos on the House floor at President Joe Bidens State of the Union address in February.

Asked about Santos on Wednesday, Biden said, Im not commenting, adding that anything he said would be construed by some interfering in the investigation. Asked if Congress should expel Santos, Biden said, Thats for Congress to decide.

Among the allegations, prosecutors say Santos created a company and then induced supporters to donate to it under the false pretense that the money would be used to support his campaign. Instead, they say, he used the money for personal expenses, including designer clothes and credit card and car payments.

Santos also is accused of lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms and obtaining unemployment benefits while he was making $120,000 as regional director of an investment firm that the government shut down in 2021 over allegations that it was a Ponzi scheme.

The indictment seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself.

Santos didnt directly address the specifics of the charges to reporters, but when asked why he received unemployment benefits while employed, Santos cited a job change and confusion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Santos, sporting his usual crewneck sweater, blazer and khakis, said little during the arraignment, which lasted about 15 minutes. Reporters spilled from the gallery to the jury box, joined by a handful of constituents.

He should be thrown out of Congress and put in prison, declared Jeff Herzberg, a Long Island resident who spent hours waiting to see Santos arraignment. I hope that day comes soon.

Santos was elected to Congress last fall after a campaign built partly on falsehoods. He told people he was a wealthy Wall Street dealmaker with a substantial real estate portfolio who had been a star volleyball player in college, among other things.

In reality, Santos didnt work at the big financial firms he said employed him, didnt go to college and struggled financially before entering politics. He claimed he fueled his run largely with self-made riches earned from brokering deals on expensive toys for wealthy clients, but the indictment alleges those boasts were also exaggerated.

In a House financial disclosure form, Santos reported making $750,000 a year from a family company, the Devolder Organization, but the charges unsealed Wednesday allege that Santos never received that sum, nor the $1 million and $5 million in dividends he listed as coming from the firm.

Santos has described the Devolder Organization as a broker for sales of luxury items like yachts and aircraft. The business was incorporated in Florida shortly after Santos stopped working for Harbor City Capital, the company accused by federal authorities of operating an illegal Ponzi scheme.

In November 2021, Santos formed Redstone Strategies, a Florida company that federal prosecutors say he used to dupe donors into financing his lifestyle. According to the indictment, Santos told an associate to solicit contributions to the company and gave the person contact information for potential donors.

Emails to prospective donors falsely claimed the company was formed exclusively to aid Santos election bid and that there would be no limits on how much they could contribute, the indictment said. Santos falsely claimed the money would be spent on television ads and other campaign expenses, it said.

But a month before his election, Santos transferred about $74,000 from the company to bank accounts he maintained, the indictment said. He also transferred money to some of his associates, it said.

Santos legal troubles date to his late teens, when he was investigated in Brazil for allegedly using stolen checks to buy clothes a case that authorities say theyve since reopened.

In 2017, Santos was charged with theft in Pennsylvania for allegedly using thousands of dollars in bogus checks to buy puppies from breeders. That case was dismissed after Santos claimed his checkbook was stolen and someone else took the dogs.

Federal authorities have separately been looking into complaints about Santos fundraising for a group that purported to help abused pets. A New Jersey veteran accused Santos of failing to deliver $3,000 he raised to help his dog get needed surgery.

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Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim in White Plains, New York, Farnoush Amiri in Washington and Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston contributed to this report.