# Representative George Santos: Indictment and Prosecution (Expelled from Congress on Dec 1, 2023) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 10, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850 "2023-05-10T14:28:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/761 "2024-08-18T16:35:26Z")
There’s more to it than that. Would it make people happy who _could_ do something for Trump? Would it result in people cheering him on and feeding his ego? Would it “own the libs?” Any of those could be sufficient motivation. (I’m not saying they will, and I hope to never find out.) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/762 "2024-08-18T17:23:06Z")
By that logic, Trump would have no reason to pardon Jan. 6th criminals. But he likes the idea of sticking it to Dems and pleasing his base. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/763 "2024-08-18T18:59:01Z")
Agree w @TroutMan & @Jackmannii just above. Idjit trump’s repertoire of motivations isn’t quite as limited as @DesertDog suggests. But for darn sure if Santos could pay trump to do X, OTOH there’d be lots of applause for trump to do anti-X, trump would be trying to find a way to do both. Or at least appear to do both to both sides. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/764 "2024-08-18T19:21:45Z")
While I’m sure Trump could/would pardon Santos if there was sufficient inducement (money, fame, adulation, what-have-you), I _seriously_ doubt it would happen in this case. First, Trump hates a loser (unless it’s him, and he re-defines it as someone else _cheating_ of course), and Santos is that. Second, he didn’t fight, he’s (according to reporting) pleading out. Third, Santos became an embarrassment to Republicans, and his advisors, despite their limited influence, probably don’t see any upsides in pardoning him. Now, if the theoretical, unproven backers behind Santos we to materialize and offer concrete incentives, then, yeah, possibly (back to the first point) but I think everyone realizes he’s played out, considering the utter failure when he tried to run for office again. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/765 "2024-08-19T14:45:05Z")
nm. Off topic ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/766 "2024-08-19T20:00:01Z")
just reported on msnbc. he said guilty to 2 of the multiple counts, possible 12 years, and fines. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/767 "2024-08-19T20:01:31Z")
It’s official, according to the NY Times: “George Santos Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Wire Fraud. Mr. Santos, a former Republican congressman from New York, entered a guilty plea after insisting on his innocence for months.” > George Santos, the disgraced former Republican congressman from New York whose penchant for lying led to one of the oddest sideshows in modern U.S. politics, pleaded guilty on Monday to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. > > While Mr. Santos’s plea will allow him to avoid a trial on a total of nearly two dozen charges — including wire fraud, money laundering and stealing public funds — it all but ensures he will face at least two years in prison. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2024, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/768 "2024-08-20T04:10:46Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > “George Santos Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Wire Fraud. Does that mean he’s innocent? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2024, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/769 "2024-08-20T13:22:09Z")
No that’s the other George Santos. This is not the George Santos you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/770 "2024-08-21T20:01:14Z")
This is the former Catholic cardinal and celebrated Formula One driver, not the disgraced former Congressman. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/771 "2024-08-22T11:40:14Z")
Which one is the cowboy astronaut millionaire? [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBGCqDqWEAAEukY?format=jpg&name=small) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GBGCqDqWEAAEukY?format=jpg&name=small) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/772 "2024-08-22T20:36:57Z")
George Santos. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/773 "2024-08-22T22:01:30Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But for darn sure if Santos could pay trump to do X, OTOH there’d be lots of applause for trump to do anti-X, trump would be trying to find a way to do both. Or at least appear to do both to both sides. Optimally in the form of taking the money to do X, and then after the check clears do anti-X for the applause. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/774 "2024-08-23T00:33:06Z")
Quite. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2025, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/775 "2025-04-05T03:25:17Z")
> **[Prosecutors seek 7 years in prison for disgraced ex-US Rep. George Santos in...](https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-fraud-sentencing-prison-0c621aae34ff31117f9d2b27e416967b)** > > Prosecutors are seeking more than seven years in prison for disgraced former congressman George Santos after he pleaded guilty to federal fraud and identity theft charges. A federal judge on Long Island is scheduled to decide Santos’ sentence during a court hearing **April 25**. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2025, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/776 "2025-04-05T03:49:38Z")
You mean he hasn’t been pardoned yet? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2025, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/777 "2025-04-05T13:23:19Z")
He can’t afford to be pardoned. The going rate is climbing rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/778 "2025-04-05T13:44:35Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > You mean he hasn’t been pardoned yet? > [@LSLGuy](#): > > He can’t afford to be pardoned. The going rate is climbing rapidly. BRAVO guys - absolutely killing it. # 👊🇺🇸🔥 ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/779 "2025-04-06T19:26:43Z")
What sort of sentence is likely? NYT: > Guidelines call for a sentence of roughly six to seven years in prison, though the judge in the case will make the final decision. The Hill, emphasis added: > The [defense] attorney’s justified their request on Friday, citing Santos’s “personal history, his cooperation in a separate federal investigation, the non-violent nature of his offenses, his lack of any criminal history, the need to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparities— **support a variance**.” So the defense appears to acknowledge that a 2 year sentence would be more lenient than typical (or at least more lenient than sentencing guidelines), given the crimes committed. IANAL. In 2020, 26% of all cases received variances. [Cite](https://www.caplindrysdale.com/assets/htmldocuments/The%20Enduring%20Value%20of%20Departures%20in%20a%20Post-Booker%20World.pdf). ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/780 "2025-04-21T09:02:04Z")
And lately he’s been pitching a fit on social media, which may win him political points but not in court. But that’s all that matters. > **[George Santos is 'unrepentant' as he faces years in prison for fraud,...](https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-fraud-guilty-plea-sentencing-622f8b7288094d06b6fad2dce68421a2)** > > Federal prosecutors say disgraced former U.S. Rep. George Santos “remains unrepentant” as he faces years in federal prison for fraud and identity theft. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850.md?page=40)