President Trump Commutes George Santos' Prison Sentence Amid Allege of MisTreatment.
In a surprise move, President Trump announced on Friday that he has commuted the prison sentence of former New York Republican Congressman George Santos, who was serving over seven years for wire fraud and identity theft charges. According to the president's statement, Santos had been "horribly mistreated" in prison and would be released immediately.
Santos surrendered himself to a federal prison in New Jersey on July 25 to start serving his sentence after pleading guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud and identity theft. The former congressman was sentenced to 87 months in prison, with an additional fine of $373,949.97 to pay for restitution.
Trump's decision has been met with criticism from some lawmakers who argue that Santos' crimes warrant harsher punishment. Rep. Nick LaLota called Santos "an embarrassment" and argued that he should have stayed in prison longer. Others, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and former Congressman Matt Gaetz, expressed support for Trump's decision.
Santos' attorney, Joseph Murray, praised the president for showing compassion towards his client, who had been held in solitary confinement due to threats against his life. "I am forever grateful to President Trump for seeing the human side of the suffering that Congressman Santos went through," Murray said in a statement.
The commutation does not constitute a pardon, meaning that Santos' record will still reflect his conviction and sentence. However, it marks a surprise reversal by Trump, who had previously expressed support for Santos' prosecution. The decision raises questions about Trump's use of executive power and his willingness to intervene on behalf of prominent Republicans facing legal challenges.
In a surprise move, President Trump announced on Friday that he has commuted the prison sentence of former New York Republican Congressman George Santos, who was serving over seven years for wire fraud and identity theft charges. According to the president's statement, Santos had been "horribly mistreated" in prison and would be released immediately.
Santos surrendered himself to a federal prison in New Jersey on July 25 to start serving his sentence after pleading guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud and identity theft. The former congressman was sentenced to 87 months in prison, with an additional fine of $373,949.97 to pay for restitution.
Trump's decision has been met with criticism from some lawmakers who argue that Santos' crimes warrant harsher punishment. Rep. Nick LaLota called Santos "an embarrassment" and argued that he should have stayed in prison longer. Others, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and former Congressman Matt Gaetz, expressed support for Trump's decision.
Santos' attorney, Joseph Murray, praised the president for showing compassion towards his client, who had been held in solitary confinement due to threats against his life. "I am forever grateful to President Trump for seeing the human side of the suffering that Congressman Santos went through," Murray said in a statement.
The commutation does not constitute a pardon, meaning that Santos' record will still reflect his conviction and sentence. However, it marks a surprise reversal by Trump, who had previously expressed support for Santos' prosecution. The decision raises questions about Trump's use of executive power and his willingness to intervene on behalf of prominent Republicans facing legal challenges.