Scandal-hit Rep. George Santos (R-NY) is due back in court this week to face federal charges relating to wire fraud, money laundering and theft of public funds. However, papers filed yesterday by federal prosecutors suggest Santos is possibly looking to cut a plea deal.
Santos has dismissed the rumor as pure “speculation” and “wildly inaccurate”.
Santos admits telling whopping lies on his résumé. However, he has consistently denied the charges brought against him. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in jail.
Federal prosecutors have charged Santos alongside one of his former campaign aides, Samuel Miele.
Mieile is charged with impersonating a House leadership aide who called donors and asked for cash for Santos’ campaign. Miele denies the charges.
Santos is due back in court tomorrow. Yesterday, prosecutors asked the presiding judge to postpone the status conference. They say they want to give more material to Santos’ team to review. They also wish to discuss alternatives to trial.
“Defense counsel has indicated that he will need additional time to review that material … Further, the parties have continued to discuss possible paths forward in this matter,” they said
They added: “The parties wish to have additional time to continue those discussions,” reports Politico. Prosecutors request the next hearing is kicked back to October 27th.
Miele’s next status conference is due Tuesday. Prosecutors also requested that it be delayed, “to accommodate ongoing discovery review and plea negotiations,” adding “negotiations concerning a potential resolution of this case without the need for a trial are active and ongoing.”
“Wildly inaccurate”
Santos was charged in May with seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives.
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called on Santos to resign. However, he has vowed to fight on and stand for re-election next year.
After news of the request to delay tomorrow’s conference emerged, Santos posted a cryptic tweet.
“Word of the day: Speculation,” he said. “Meaning: The forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence.”
He later messaged a Talking Points Memo reporter and said suggestions he was in talks over a plea deal were “wildly inaccurate”. According to the reporter, Santos “angrily suggested they are finding another ‘path forward’.”
“You’re a real hack of a reporter,” Santos wrote to the reporter via text. “Please do not contact me any longer or I will deem your unsolicited communication as harassment.”
Last month, Santos was asked by NewsNation’s Dan Abrams if he would consider a plea deal. He replied, “Right now the answer is no, but you just never know what life is going to come at you.”
Related*
George Santos compares himself to Rosa Parks
Santos says that as a “Latino gay man”, he’s not going to sit in the back.
George Santos says GOP is full of closet gays … and suggests he has receipts
But will he spill the tea?
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Fahd
This lying a*s, as I believe Mitt Romney called him, shouldn’t be given more negative attention. I wanted to comment to express my disapproval of him, and I do hope the prosecutors/judge won’t let him off easy.
mildredspierce
“….you never know what life is going to come at you.” You talk engish real good Georgie. Getting nervous, are we?
Diplomat
Total waste of skin… didn’t read.
Fname Optional Lname
Ohhhh how long until his name is no longer in a headline?
RIGay
The only reason I even considered reading this article was to see if there has been any movement to perp-walk this POS into custody.
Not yet, but close. I hope to Hell he whatever plea deal he’s lying about gets slammed down and he’s convicted.
edensasp
Fecal matter, wipe and flush already!
barryaksarben
he has damaged our struggles. Do not be fooled he will. be used as an example of what liars all gays are. We need to shun these pos and push to have him pay for his crimes
Kangol2
Kitara Ravache Devolder Santos needs to be on the prosecutor’s hotseat, pronto. Some very good Democrats (and Repugs) lining up to oust him from Congress. His next stop needs to be US federal prison, though, and not some right-wing sinecure in DC or NYC.
Herman75
Did Santos not commit perjury when he appeared in court, claiming to be an executive from Goldman Sachs? Is that one of the crimes he’s facing? Hope so. The Repubs need to stop lying to judges.
scotty
adios, Jorge.