George Santos, the gay Republican congressman from New York who was sentenced to seven years in prison for fraud and identity theft, had his sentence commuted by President Donald Trump on Friday. Not too soon after his release, he started making the rounds on national media outlets to talk about his experience, thank Trump, and answer the biggest question: What's next?
During his appearance on CNN, he talked about the way in which he found out that his sentence had been commuted by the president. "I had no expectations, I wasn't even aware until I had learned about it off of the chyron of mainstream media inside the prison myself," the disgraced congressman said. "I had just been released from segregated isolation after 41 days for absolutely no valid reason other than a retaliatory warden."
The interviewer interjected and clarified, "I mean, that's incredible. You were standing in prison, you looked up at the television and that's where you saw your sentence was commuted?" He responded and said, "More like I didn't see it, other inmates saw it and called me over to see it. I was not in the room at the time and then I made my way to see it. I called my family and they told me it happened. But I was not aware it was a surprise."
Santos pleaded guilty to 23 felony crimes including falsifying records, wire fraud, and identity theft and was sentenced to prison in 2023. This made him the sixth expelled member of Congress in U.S. history and the first one in more than 20 years. In a post uploaded to Truth Social, Trump said that Santos was "horribly mistreated" and wrote, "I just signed a commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, immediately. Good luck George, have a great life.”
It's unclear exactly what he plans to do with this freedom, but during that same CNN appearance, he was asked if he planned to pay the $374,000 he owes in restitution (money that is owed to victims) "if it's required by law." He said, "I can do my best to do whatever the law requires of me. So I don’t know what that is. I’ve been out of prison for two days. I agreed to come here to speak with you candidly and openly and not to obfuscate." Adding, "If it’s required of me by the law, yes. If it’s not, then no. I will do whatever the law requires me to do.”
In an interview on Fox & Friends, he argued that he didn't have to pay restitution. "I do not have any pendencies with the law anymore," he said. "I have no restitution. I have no probation." In the same appearance, he thanked Trump directly and said that the president had "such an amazing will for second chances."
