George Santos Has Been Charged by the Justice Department

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Also no class.
The man steals clothing .
https://www.businessinsider.com/santos- ... 2023-1?amp

House Republicans on Wednesday blocked a Democratic resolution that would expel GOP Rep. George Santos from Congress, instead voting to refer the matter to a committee while several investigations into his conduct continue.

On Tuesday, Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California introduced a measure to expel Santos from the House as a "privileged" resolution, fast-tracking its consideration under House rules. Republicans moved Wednesday to refer the bill to the House Ethics Committee, which opened a formal probe into Santos in March. That vote, which required a simple majority, succeeded along party lines by a margin of 221 to 204. Seven Democrats voted present.

"I look forward to seeing the process play out, and if the Ethics Committee finds a reason to remove me, that is the process," Santos, who voted to refer the resolution to the panel, said Wednesday evening. "I look forward to continuing to defend myself. Again, innocent until proven guilty."

Republican Rep. Anthony D'Esposito of New York said before the vote that he was in favor of expelling Santos, but "regrettably" there weren't enough votes to oust him.

"I believe that this individual is a stain on this institution, a stain on the state of New York, a stain on Long Island and a stain on the beloved Nassau County," D'Esposito said. "With that said, we believe this resolution should be referred to the Committee on Ethics to ensure a thorough and expedient investigation into this matter. I firmly believe this is the quickest way of ridding the House of Representatives of this scourge on government."

The vote gave other vulnerable Republicans cover from being forced to go on the record with their position on whether the indicted New York congressman should keep his seat. Republicans hold a slim four-seat majority in the House and can ill afford to lose any members.

Expelling a member requires the support of two thirds of the House, meaning dozens of GOP members would need to side with Democrats to successfully expel Santos. Only five House members have been expelled in U.S. history.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he wanted the Ethics Committee to "move rapidly on this."

"We can look at this very quickly and come to a conclusion on what George Santos did and did not do though Ethics — a safe, bipartisan committee, equal number of Republicans and Democrats," he told reporters. "I think they can come back to Congress probably faster than a court case could."

House Democrats called the maneuver a "cop out." Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman of New York, a former federal prosecutor, said he expects the Justice Department will ask the Ethics Committee to pause its inquiry while Santos is prosecuted.

"That is the nature of how these things work," Goldman said. "And traditionally, the Ethics Committee will defer to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution."

Goldman said the referral was an effort by McCarthy "to keep an extra vote for his legislation because he has such a narrow majority." Santos represents a district that President Biden won in the 2020 election.

"We all know that Rep. George Santos is a liar and a fraud and should be expelled from Congress," Garcia, who introduced the resolution, said Wednesday. "Republicans in the House now have an opportunity to stand with the American public and their constituents, or to stand with someone who has been indicted on 13 counts."

The judge overseeing the case against indicted Rep. George Santos agreed Tuesday to unseal the names of the people who put up the New York Republican's $500,000 bond.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Shields kept her order and related filings under seal, however, to give Santos until noon Friday to appeal her decision.

Several news organizations requested that the names of the co-signers of Santos’ bond be released following the lawmaker’s indictment last month. In a letter to the judge on Monday, Santos’ lawyer, argued that unsealing the names of the co-signers would put them in a position to “likely to suffer great distress, may lose their jobs, and God forbid, may suffer physical injury.”

“There is little doubt that the suretors will suffer some unnecessary form of retaliation if their identities and employment are revealed,” the lawyer, Joseph Murray, wrote.

Murray said his client “would rather surrender to pretrial detainment than subject these suretors to what will inevitably come” if their names are publicly released.

Murray also asked the judge to give the co-signers prior notice if she decides to release their names. He cited threats that he, Santos and members of his staff have received after the freshman congressman’s indictment. Murray noted a call that he received last week from a male voice shouting, “Who paid Santos’ bond?” He said he's concerned “they are just waiting to pounce” on the people who backed Santos' bond.

“If this Court is so inclined to unseal the sureties, we truly fear for their health, safety and well being,” Murray wrote.

George Santos, who was expelled from Congress as he faced nearly two dozen criminal charges, reached a plea deal Monday with federal prosecutors in New York on two federal counts.

Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

"A short time ago, after years of telling lies, former Congressman George Santos stood in the courthouse behind me and finally, under oath, told the truth. And that truth is that he is a criminal," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. "Santos pled guilty to serious crimes involving fraud and identity theft. He also admitted to committing all other crimes he was charged with in the superseding indictment. As a result, he will finally be held to account for his actions."

Peace said under the deal Santos will go to prison for at least two years, though the judge said the plea deal may come with an estimated sentencing range between 6-8 years. He's set for sentencing Feb. 7 at federal court in Central Islip.

Under the agreement, Santos will have to repay at least $373,000.

So today, for what may seem like the first time since he started his campaign for Congress, Mr. Santos told the truth about his criminal schemes. He admitted that he lied, he stole, and that he conned people. Santos' countless lies and audacious misrepresentations catapulted him to Congress," Peace said. "But for the victims of Santos' various financial crimes and the community whose falsehoods and fabrications deprived them of honest representation in Congress, he is worthy only of infamy."

Santos spoke in court, acknowledging a series of crimes. He spoke so quickly the judge had to tell him to slow down, CBS News New York's Alice Gainer reported.

He admitted fraudulently using credit cards of at least one other person for his personal benefit, as well as making false statements to the Federal Election Commission. He also admitted to committing wire fraud between Sept-Oct of 2022.

In addition to pleading guilty to those crimes, Peace said Santos also admitted to a "litany" of other crimes, "for which the court will hold him accountable at sentencing."

Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly praised the cooperation with federal partners in the prosecution of Santos.

"Working together to prosecute a liar, a cheat, and a thief, for that's what George Santos is, and that's what his plea of guilty here today proves," Donnelly said.

It's clear to me now I allowed ambition to cloud my judgment, leading me to make decisions that were unethical and pleading guilty is a step I never imagined I'd take, but it is a necessary one because it is the right thing to do," Santos said outside of court.

Among other things, he admitted to giving a list of false donors, writing down the names of family and friends who did not give him permission to do so in order to hide his crimes.

"My actions have betrayed the trust of my supporters and constituents," Santos said in court.

Santos had previously called the investigation a "witch hunt" while maintaining his innocence.