Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) wrote a letter to a federal judge urging him not to consider past social media posts when determining his sentencing for fraud charges later this week, according to The Associated Press.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking a 7-year sentence for the ousted New York lawmaker who flipped his district from red to blue during his 2022 political debut — where he allegedly used campaign funds for personal use and significantly dolled up his resume to attract donors. Prior to his conviction, Santos referenced himself as a “scapegoat," the AP reported.
In his letter to the judge, Santos said the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York’s office — which is leading the case — was attempting to drop an “anvil” on his head for previous statements uploaded to social platform X where he proclaimed his innocence and accused the Justice Department of prosecutorial overreach, per the news wire.
"My posts may be colorful but they don't justify a sentence triple the norm, and the government should be ashamed of itself for even seeking such a high sentence," Santos added in his letter, according to CBS News.
The embattled Republican alleged that his statements, although false and misleading, were protected under free speech.
“Contesting the severity of a proposed sentence is not the same as contesting guilt, and punishing protected speech because it questions punishment should trouble anyone who values fair prosecution over personal vindication,” he wrote.
Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft last year after being expelled from the chamber when the Ethics Committee reported he deceived donors in an effort to raise funds for private gain.
“From his creation of a wholly fictitious biography to his callous theft of money from elderly and impaired donors, Santos’s unrestrained greed and voracious appetite for fame enabled him to exploit the very system by which we select our representatives,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing request.
In court filings, they argued the former lawmaker remains unapologetic and risks repeating the same crimes again if given a lighter sentence.
“Against that backdrop, moreover, Santos’s post-plea claims of remorse ring hollow. As of this writing, despite years of actively courting media attention and capitalizing on his infamy, Santos has forfeited nothing of his ill-gotten gains and has not repaid one cent to any of the victims of his financial crimes,” prosecutors wrote.
“The Court can and should find that this fact “demonstrate[s] a strong risk of recidivism and a lack of remorse for his conduct," they added.
His sentencing, originally scheduled for February but was pushed back at the request of Santos's attorneys, is now expected to take place on Friday.
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