Sunday, 29 Sep 2024

Rep. George Santos’s Summer Reading List: 80,000 Pages of Evidence

While other Republicans prepared to celebrate Independence Day with the traditional red-white-and-blue glad-handing, Representative George Santos found himself in the labyrinth of the American court system, appearing on Friday before a federal judge for the first time since he pleaded not guilty to 13 felonies in May.

Mr. Santos’s case is still in limbo, with no trial date yet set. But in a hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes, the prosecution and defense agreed to reconvene on Sept. 7. Mr. Santos and his lawyer said they would spend Congress’s August recess poring over the evidence provided by prosecutors thus far — 80,000 pages of it.

Mr. Santos, who wore a gray checked jacket and a light red tie, was silent throughout the proceeding. Gone was the pugilistic defiance that had characterized his news conferences and social media posts. After the hearing, he slid on a pair of dark sunglasses and left the courtroom without speaking to reporters.

Mr. Santos — whose misadventures include a stint at a firm purported to be running a Ponzi scheme, accusations of check fraud in Brazil and Pennsylvania, and lies about everything from college volleyball to the Holocaust — is facing up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud, money laundering and theft of public funds. Mr. Santos, who represents parts of Long Island and Queens, was indicted last month and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

As Mr. Santos exited the Alfonse M. D’Amato United States Courthouse in Central Islip on Long Island, a group of five protesters began chanting “resign.” Among them was Richard Osthoff, a veteran who has accused Mr. Santos of pocketing money intended to save the life of his service dog, Sapphire.

“You killed Sapphire, George,” Mr. Osthoff chanted over the crowd as Mr. Santos drew near, adding that he believed Mr. Santos had a “black soul.”

In the months since Mr. Santos helped Republicans clinch control of the House of Representatives, he has faced intense scrutiny. In December, The Times revealed that he had falsified much of his life story, spurring inquiries into his business dealings and campaign finances. And while Mr. Santos, 34, has admitted to embellishing his educational and work history, he has refused to resign and pledged to seek re-election in 2024.

Lies, Charges and Questions Remaining in the George Santos Scandal

George Santos has told so many stories they can be hard to keep straight. We cataloged them, including major questions about his personal finances and his campaign fund-raising and spending.

Prosecutors say Mr. Santos orchestrated three schemes. They say that during his most recent congressional run, he defrauded donors out of $50,000 that he used to buy designer goods and cover personal debts. Authorities have also charged him with collecting unemployment funds while employed and lying on his House financial disclosure forms.

Mr. Santos is also under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, which took the unusual step of releasing a status report last week. In it, the tight-lipped committee announced that it had issued more than 30 subpoenas and 40 voluntary requests for information related to Mr. Santos’s financial disclosure forms, business dealings, 2022 congressional campaign and an allegation that he sexually harassed a prospective congressional aide.

The committee also disclosed that it had expanded its probe to cover the accusation in the indictment that Mr. Santos falsely applied for more than $24,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits while he was working at a Florida-based investment firm.

It is not clear when the Ethics Committee will conclude its work.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who enjoys a five-member majority in the 435-member House of Representatives, has declined to join Democrats and some New York Republicans in calling for Mr. Santos’s resignation, which would force a special election. But he has also said that he does not believe Mr. Santos should seek re-election, and told reporters that he would consider expelling him, depending on the finding of the Ethics Committee.

Last week, Mr. Santos lost a legal battle to stop the release of the names of the two people who guaranteed his $500,000 bond after news organizations, including The New York Times, argued to make their identities public. His guarantors turned out to be his father and an aunt.

Mr. Santos’s father, Gercino dos Santos Jr., and his aunt, Elma Preven, did not have to put up money or property to secure the bond, according to court documents. But they could be financially responsible if Mr. Santos misses a court appearance or otherwise violates the conditions of his release.

Under his bond, Mr. Santos’s travel is restricted to New York, Washington, D.C., and places in between. He must obtain advance permission to travel elsewhere, including for political and campaign events.

Mr. Santos did find some small pockets of support on Friday. As he made his way from the courthouse to a brown S.U.V., a middle-aged woman dressed in red approached and handed him a small American flag.

Mr. Santos took the flag and smiled. Then, he slid into his car and sped away.

Michael Gold is a reporter covering transit and politics in New York. @migold

Grace Ashford is a reporter on the Metro desk covering New York State politics and government from the Albany bureau. She previously worked on the Investigations team. @gr_ashford

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