RespawnRanger
Well-known member
US President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of George Santos, a former Republican congressman serving seven years in prison for fraud and identity theft. In a post on social media, Trump said Santos "has been horribly mistreated", adding: "Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!"
The former lawmaker was only the sixth in US history to be expelled from Congress, after a damning ethics report in 2023. Santos, who admitted to stealing the identities of 11 people, including his own family members, was released on Friday night, US media reported.
He served less than three months of a seven-year sentence. "God bless President Donald J Trump," said one of Santos's lawyers, Joseph Murray, following Trump's announcement.
Santos's downfall began in 2022, after the New York Times published an investigation revealing the freshman congressman had lied about his CV, including having a university degree and working for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. From there, the lies continued to pile up, including allegations that he stole money from a fundraiser for a dying dog and that he lied about his mother surviving the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
A report from the House ethics panel accused him of misusing campaign funds for personal benefits, including Botox and subscriptions on the OnlyFans website. Santos defeated a Democratic incumbent in 2022, flipping the district that encompasses parts of New York's Long Island and Queens, where he grew up.
Earlier this week, Santos published an open letter to Trump in the South Shore Press newspaper in Long Island, repeating his plea to be pardoned. The letter, which was titled a "passionate plea to President Trump" asked for "the opportunity to return to my family, my friends, and my community."
Santos began serving his sentence in July at a minimum-security jail in New Jersey. Trump has issued pardons to at least two other former Republican lawmakers since returning to office in January.
In May, he pardoned former congressman Michael Grimm, who pleaded guilty in 2014 to tax crimes. He also pardoned former Connecticut Governor John Rowland, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to corruption and fraud charges. Commutations do not void criminal convictions, unlike a pardon.
The former lawmaker was only the sixth in US history to be expelled from Congress, after a damning ethics report in 2023. Santos, who admitted to stealing the identities of 11 people, including his own family members, was released on Friday night, US media reported.
He served less than three months of a seven-year sentence. "God bless President Donald J Trump," said one of Santos's lawyers, Joseph Murray, following Trump's announcement.
Santos's downfall began in 2022, after the New York Times published an investigation revealing the freshman congressman had lied about his CV, including having a university degree and working for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. From there, the lies continued to pile up, including allegations that he stole money from a fundraiser for a dying dog and that he lied about his mother surviving the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
A report from the House ethics panel accused him of misusing campaign funds for personal benefits, including Botox and subscriptions on the OnlyFans website. Santos defeated a Democratic incumbent in 2022, flipping the district that encompasses parts of New York's Long Island and Queens, where he grew up.
Earlier this week, Santos published an open letter to Trump in the South Shore Press newspaper in Long Island, repeating his plea to be pardoned. The letter, which was titled a "passionate plea to President Trump" asked for "the opportunity to return to my family, my friends, and my community."
Santos began serving his sentence in July at a minimum-security jail in New Jersey. Trump has issued pardons to at least two other former Republican lawmakers since returning to office in January.
In May, he pardoned former congressman Michael Grimm, who pleaded guilty in 2014 to tax crimes. He also pardoned former Connecticut Governor John Rowland, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to corruption and fraud charges. Commutations do not void criminal convictions, unlike a pardon.
. Seven years is a long time, you know? Maybe this means Santos gets a second chance at making things right in his community? Plus, it's always good that people like Santos get the help they need (or think they do 
). And let's be real, Trump's commuted some other convicts too – like Michael Grimm and John Rowland. That's, like, super cool of him, you know? I mean, not saying he's a saint or anything 
, but at least he's trying to help people out. Santos might have been a bad guy in the past, but now he's got another chance at being a good guy 
. Who knows, maybe this is all part of some bigger plan for him? Stranger things have happened, right? 
that's some pretty questionable decision making if you ask me. i mean, what's next is he gonna pardon someone who stole a pizza or something? 
?! so trump is just gonna commute george santos's sentence after all the drama he put everyone through? like, i get that we're supposed to be forgiving and all, but 7 years in prison for ID theft & fraud? that's a pretty big deal 
. and it's not like santos didn't have plenty of chances to come clean or apologize... he just kept lying and lying until he got caught 
. i'm not saying trump is the best president ever, but can we at least try to hold our public figures to a higher standard of integrity? 
just saw that Trump commuted George Santos's sentence from 7 years to 0 days out of prison 
meanwhile Trump is over here like "God bless" this is just another example of him showing favoritism to his buddies 
. And let's be real, Santos didn't exactly have the most impressive track record of honesty 
. I mean, Santos was super wrong for all those lies he told about himself and stealing people's identities... but at the same time, Trump was really right to give him a second chance, you know? I don't know, maybe Trump just has a better sense of justice than I do 
. It's all about politics and personal connections at the end of the day 
.
! 7 years in prison for some fake CV and OnlyFans subs 
? Easy peasy, right? 
Meanwhile, Trump's tweeting about it like he's Santa Claus 
️ "Ho ho ho, George got a free pass!" 
I mean, can we really say Trump's decision to commute Santos's sentence is without merit? It's like, one thing: Santos did some messed up stuff, but it's another to assume Trump's got no idea what he's doing 
. And honestly, who does this guy think he's helping by releasing him now? The guy was already serving less than three months of a seven-year sentence... it's not like he was in for life or anything 
. and now he's just walking out of jail with a smile on his face? i dont think so 
. its crazy to me how trump is doing this for one of his friends in congress... like doesnt he have better things to do than just pardon people who messed up big time?