Rep. George Santos instructed The New York Instances that he upended his life to run for public workplace.
However he stated that he beloved being a congressman and would repeat the expertise if given the prospect.
“In workplace I even have a platform,” he instructed the newspaper. “I’ve a voice.”
In January, Rep. George Santos stepped onto the Home ground as arguably essentially the most high-profile freshman congressman this 12 months.
Shortly earlier than taking workplace, a bombshell New York Instances report detailed plenty of discrepancies with Santos’ schooling, earlier locations of employment, and his marketing campaign’s monetary disclosures. The publicity catapulted him into the nationwide political stratosphere.
Now, not even a 12 months after assuming workplace, the New York Republican faces a slew of costs that might land him in jail for years.
In Could, federal prosecutors charged Santos with 13 counts, together with wire fraud, cash laundering, and theft of public funds. A superseding indictment filed earlier this month added 10 extra costs, together with aggravated id theft, wire fraud, entry machine fraud, and the falsification of information. (He has pleaded not responsible to the sooner counts.)
Santos instructed New York Instances reporter Grace Ashford — one of many co-authors of the preliminary December story that raised questions on his background — that he had principally upended his life working for public workplace.
“I actually threw my complete life into the bathroom and flushed it to get elected,” he instructed Ashford in a cellphone dialog, a breakthrough in itself as Santos had beforehand declined to talk together with her.
Santos instructed Ashford that regardless of the tumult main as much as his election, he would nonetheless undergo the expertise once more however would train warning with a number of the aides and consultants whom he feels have wronged him. He then stated that he was desperate to combat the costs filed in opposition to him.
“Individuals suppose that I am simply going to get steamrolled,” he stated. “No, I will show my innocence.”
The congressman reiterated to Ashford that he wouldn’t resign from workplace, which he has been requested to do by many of the GOP institution in his Nassau County-anchored Home district. He stays unable to serve on any Home committees however instructed Ashford that he loves representing his constituents.
“In workplace, I even have a platform,” he stated. “I’ve a voice.”
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