George Santos waves to reporters and protestors as he leaves the federal courtroom in Central Islip on Oct. 27.
Michael Malaszczyk/Lengthy Island Press
[Editor’s note: The following is an interview with former U.S. Rep. George Santos and his defense attorneys conducted by New York City attorney Cary London.]
Simply six months earlier, the previous congressman from New York’s third District had been sentenced to 87 months in federal jail for wire fraud and aggravated identification theft — the tail finish of a saga that included misusing marketing campaign funds, fraudulent unemployment claims, and extra aliases than a Netflix con artist. He was ordered to pay $373,000 in restitution and, for a short second, appeared destined to spend the remainder of the last decade as inmate #92471-054.
Then got here the sudden plot twist: a presidential commutation by President Donald Trump. By Halloween, George Santos was a free man once more, returning to a world that had lengthy since written him off.
So what does a newly liberated ex-congressman do subsequent? I sat down with Santos and his three protection attorneys (Joseph Murray, Andrew Mancilla and Robert Fantone) for a wide-ranging dialog that touched on constitutional principle, commissary snacks, ethics and AI.
“You’re Going Home!”
After I requested Santos how he realized of his commutation, he grinned like a person who nonetheless couldn’t fairly imagine his luck.
Santos: I used to be within the pc room, subsequent to the cafeteria the place all of the TVs are. I used to be filling out my commissary sheet when one other inmate got here in and stated, ‘Hey George, you’re on TV!’ I ignored him. I used to be on TV lots in jail. Then, about 20 minutes later, I heard this roar from the cafeteria. Somebody yelled, “You son of a b***h, you’re going home!’ I ran over and saw the headline: “President Trump Commutes Sentence of Former Congressman Santos.” I referred to as my husband — he stated: “It’s true! I just got off the phone with President Trump.” After which I simply cried. For an hour straight. It was over. I used to be going house.
What does rehabilitation appear like for a person who made fabrication his model? Santos insists he’s reformed.
Santos: I’m centered on two issues: jail reform and public engagement. What goes on inside jails on this nation is medieval — I’m working with advocacy teams to vary that. And I’m additionally doing speeches, appearances, and PR work. If individuals need to hear from me instantly, they will ebook me on Cameo.
When requested what he realized concerning the justice system from the opposite facet of the aisle, Santos pivoted from regret to rhetoric.
Santos: We’ve let judges legislate from the bench and prosecutors act like politicians. The feds have a 92% conviction charge, and never as a result of they’re sensible, however as a result of they stack the deck. “Innocent until proven guilty” is a joke when the media convicts you first. Judges have approach an excessive amount of discretion in sentencing. I met a 72-year-old in jail doing 9 years for tax evasion. It was his first offense and he paid full restitution — and nonetheless obtained 9 years in jail. That’s not justice.
If Santos is the headline, his protection workforce is the nice print — and it’s within the nice print the place the regulation truly lives. I requested his attorneys if the federal government overcharged on this case to coerce a plea — or if the details have been as egregious because the indictment urged?
Robert Fantone: The case was completely overcharged. They misused 18 U.S.C. § 1028(a) [identity theft] to weaponize the indictment. A lot of the so-called ‘stolen money’ have been Republican Nationwide Committee expenditures to assist elect him. The funds went into marketing campaign operations — polling, outreach — not George’s pocket. There was no sufferer. [The Justice Department] made one as much as inflate the case. Joseph Murray: It’s “Trump style” prosecution — cost the person, then discover the crime. The issue was it was a victimless crime.
It’s a daring declare that’s fashionable amongst white-collar protection attorneys: prosecutors too typically mistake unhealthy optics for unhealthy intent. When requested if they’re apprehensive a couple of state prosecution by the [Nassau County District Attorney’s] workplace for a similar underlying fees – Santos attorneys didn’t balk for even a second.
Murray: The Nassau County DA has no case. The state statute they’re eyeing applies solely to executive-branch pardons — not commutations, and never legislators. George was in Congress, not the Cupboard. Double-jeopardy and federal preemption bar any re-litigation.
“Since first learning of George Santos’ actions, I have been at the forefront of bringing him to justice. I am proud of the work my office has done, and the conviction achieved in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s office. While the office cannot comment on ongoing investigations, suffice it to say that I remain focused on prosecuting political corruption wherever it exists regardless of political affiliation.”)
Andrew Mancilla: We have been up towards a prosecution and a courtroom that had stopped listening. The case wasn’t about regulation anymore — it was about optics, politics, and energy. Selections felt pushed by legacy, not justice. After the plea, I constructed an AI litigation platform referred to as OurFirm.ai to research decision-makers’ behavioral patterns and form simpler advocacy. It labored. OurFirm AI drafted the primary model of our pardon utility that finally led to the commutation.”
You don’t have to love George Santos — and many don’t — to confess he’s a uniquely American character: audacious, adaptable, allergic to disgrace. From Congress to conviction to commutation, his story reads like a civics lesson crossed with a actuality present. He insists he’s centered on reform. His critics say he’s chasing relevance. His attorneys name him a survivor. Perhaps he’s all three.
In an period when fact itself appears negotiable and public belief is on life help, Santos is probably not the hero democracy requested for — however he’s a vivid cautionary story about what occurs when regulation, politics, and efficiency artwork collide. As a result of if Washington is a stage, George Santos is proof that even after the curtain falls… some actors nonetheless discover their highlight.
(When requested by amNew York Regulation to touch upon Murray’s concerning the Nassau County DA’s workplace about the potential for state fees being introduced towards Santos, a spokesperson referred to a press release that District Legal professional Anne Donnelly issued after Santos’ Oct. 17 pardon:
Cary London is a civil rights lawyer in New York Metropolis.
