George Santos (R-NY) and his imaginative (but dishonest) résumé

[northland10]

Kitara Santos is in custody.

Fred Wellman@FPWellman
Santos is in custody in the federal courthouse. He was charged with 7 counts of wire fraud, 3 counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and 2 counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives. via @NYTime

NYTimes paywalled.

Gift link to the NY Times article

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/05/10 ... =url-share

[sugar magnolia]

Can't help but laugh at all the RWNJ comments about no such thing as lying being a crime.

[Foggy]

It's all a lot of just plain good fun until someone loses an eye gets taken into custody. Kitara is seeing his wonderful free ride coming to a tragic ending.

[sugar magnolia]

If he gets convicted does that cut off his benefits for serving?

[northland10]

In terms of the House expelling him, to be fair, the House does not expel very often (only twice since the ones during the civil war). Traficant was expelled after conviction. It appears Myers may have been expelled before, but it was in October and he made it sort of moot by losing the election in November.

If the GOP part of the House had a backbone, they might yank him from his committees until the court case is complete (or he loses election, or resigns, whichever comes first) but I don't see that happening.

[Kendra]

Thread:

[northland10]

If he gets convicted does that cut off his benefits for serving?

Since it could be possible to continue serving while in prison, I doubt it would cut off benefits.

[neonzx]

If he gets convicted does that cut off his benefits for serving?

Since it could be possible to continue serving while in prison, I doubt it would cut off benefits.

There is a Zoom - Prison Special Edition build?

[Reality Check]

The indictment says the government also intends to go after a forfeiture of all the funds he amassed from his fraudulent crimes. The could be no small amount.

[johnpcapitalist]

If the GOP part of the House had a backbone, they might yank him from his committees until the court case is complete (or he loses election, or resigns, whichever comes first) but I don't see that happening.

They don't want him to resign, because that district includes many liberal areas, and the Democrats would run a strong candidate there and potentially pick up a seat. That was a winnable seat for the D's last time but they screwed up.

[Reality Check]

If he gets convicted does that cut off his benefits for serving?

Since it could be possible to continue serving while in prison, I doubt it would cut off benefits.

As I recall Jim Traficant from Ohio was expelled from the House before he went to prison but Traficant tried unsuccessfully to regain his seat from prison.

[Suranis]

"wire fraud for fraudulent receipt of unemployment"?

Does that mean he is a Welfare Queen?

[northland10]

If he gets convicted does that cut off his benefits for serving?

Since it could be possible to continue serving while in prison, I doubt it would cut off benefits.

There is a Zoom - Prison Special Edition build?

Nothing in the Constitution says you can't serve from prison and the only way you would be out is by 2/3rds vote of the House or fail to be re-elected (or resignation or death). Voting, being in committee meetings, constituent services (okay that one is not a big priority for him), and other stuff could be complicated but by the letter of the law, he could still serve.

It would be interesting to see what happens if it gets to a conviction and he is still sitting. It requires a 2/3rd vote to expel which may well be possible, but would it even get a vote since the crazy caucus has enough numbers to block a vote (if they follow the old GOP method) and they own the speaker.

[Maybenaut]

If he gets convicted does that cut off his benefits for serving?

Since it could be possible to continue serving while in prison, I doubt it would cut off benefits.

I predict he’ll be out long before he’s convicted, even if he exercises his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial.

[p0rtia]

If you mean by benefits, "health insurance for life," I heard a while ago that this provision only kicks in after two terms anyway.

[Foggy]

"wire fraud for fraudulent receipt of unemployment"?

Does that mean he is a Welfare Queen?

I do believe so.

[Kendra]

@MacFarlaneNews
Per my teammate Pat Milton - Rep George Santos surrendered to the FBI and is currently being processed, fingerprinted, getting a mug shot and some pre trial processing

In the federal system, mug shots are generally NOT released publicly

Pity.

[AndyinPA]

McCarthy has been getting pressure from the other NY republican house members to make Santos resign, and he has resisted so far. They amped up the pressure yesterday. I also don't think Santos will be around for long in the House, but there's no low to the republican party or McCarthy, so nothing would surprise me. McCarthy cannot afford to lose a vote.

[Volkonski]

IANAL. Are some of those crimes felonies?

[RVInit]

And, as usual, Trump is off the front page as soon as he was on the front page. Saved by Santos.

[Kendra]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the charges, but the unemployment payments during Covid is particularly galling.

[chancery]

IANAL. Are some of those crimes felonies?

Yes indeed. Possibly all of them, but I've just looked at a couple of counts.

In general, if you can be sentenced for a year or more, it's a felony.

18 U.S. Code § 1343, Wire Fraud, "such person shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both"

18 U.S. Code § 1957 - Engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity "imprisonment for not more than ten years"

[Volkonski]

theintercept@journa.host
The Intercept
@theintercept@journa.host
“I’m not going anywhere. They’ll have to drag my cold dead body out of this institution,” George Santos said last month.

On Wednesday, he surrendered to federal authorities on several charges of financial crimes, including theft of public funds. https://theintercept.com/2023/04/27/geo ... publicans/

[SuzieC]

It looks like he wasn't charged in connection with the fake dog for disabled vet scam. Am I right about that?

[p0rtia]

You are right (I read the charges, so I can confirm).

No dog scams--also no mention of all those dozens of very fraudy $199 campaign expenses.

As to the latter, they can always charge him in the future.

As to the former--guessing that that would be state court.