# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/61 "2023-05-10T20:49:33Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > It’s the politics version of _The Producers_. Yep, that was brought up in the original iteration of the thread. But yeah, where we fail is that we keep expecting normal-person style of cheating. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2023, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/62 "2023-05-10T20:50:39Z")
Not many know it, but George was a key advisor for Obama’s campaign for President. Barak owes a lot to his suggested slogan of “Yes We San-tos” from that time. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/63 "2023-05-10T20:52:08Z")
Makes me think of Gary Hart’s “Hey, if you think I’m doing something wrong, just follow me around!” ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/64 "2023-05-10T21:01:28Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > It isn’t, and find this prosecution a waste of tax dollars. Do you mean “[I] find it…”? So if a politician committed an apparent offense - and has proven themself grotequely unfit for office, are you suggesting there ought to be no prosecution because they will potentially lose re-election before the suit is concluded? Should they face any legal consequences from actions such as GS’s? I think a suit such as this is a fine public expenditure as yet one more indication that “anything goes” ought not be tolerated/rewarded in electoral politics. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2023, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/65 "2023-05-10T21:19:08Z")
Santos has said he will not resign, but will [“fight this witch hunt”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZoYY79-QPM). He has learned well. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/66 "2023-05-10T21:20:39Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Should they face any legal consequences from actions such as GS’s? My post was about him allegedly stealing campaign contributions his GOP donors were told would go for television advertisements. Morally, this would be an offense against his contributors and the GOP, not the public generally. According the [full indictment text](https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/congressman-george-santos-charged-fraud-money-laundering-theft-public-funds-and-false), he "allegedly applied for and received unemployment benefits while he was employed . . . " As a taxpayer, that is taking money from me, and I think it is worth deterring. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/67 "2023-05-10T21:31:28Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > My post was about him allegedly stealing campaign contributions his GOP donors were told would go for television advertisements. Morally, this would be an offense against his contributors and the GOP, not the public generally. You might be surprised to learn that his contributors are members of the public, and deserving of protection. I mean, lots of crimes could be labeled as “it hurt this person but not the general public” under that rubric. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/68 "2023-05-10T21:42:23Z")
Most forms of fraud are only offenses against those who, say, unknowingly invested in a con scheme (or whatever), rather than the public at large, and yet they are still, rightly, crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/69 "2023-05-10T21:50:08Z")
I wonder if the three individuals know who they are. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/70 "2023-05-10T22:06:39Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Those who make campaign contributions probably think it is important that their money be used in the campaign. It isn’t, and find this prosecution a waste of tax dollars. Probably there are some people who put the interests of their political party above morals, ethics or the fair application of the law. Luckily, most people are not that bad. ---
**Author:** ![Oxido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9adbd/32.png) [@Oxido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oxido)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/71 "2023-05-10T22:20:37Z")
I think employment benefits are paid through the employer, not a public fund. I wonder which employer he is sticking the tab to? Goldmans Sachs? Or some other fictional company? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/72 "2023-05-10T22:26:33Z")
As I understand it, there is a fund, which is paid into by companies when they let employees go. It’s not directly from the companies to the former employees; you can collect unemployment compensation without ever having worked at a private company. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/73 "2023-05-10T23:08:39Z")
You’re correct that unemployment is paid out of a public fund. But employers pay into that fund regularly through a payroll tax, not only when they let someone go. And the amount of the tax is based on (among other factors) how many unemployment claims have been filed against the company. So there is a direct monetary impact to the company. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/74 "2023-05-10T23:24:16Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Probably there are some people who put the interests of their political party above morals, ethics or the fair application of the law. > > Luckily, most people are not that bad. I may be missing your drift here, but perhaps this is relevant: Most Democrats here, glad Santos was indicted, are NOT thinking the following: The indictment is going to help the GOP by forcing a weak candidate out of a swing distinct congressional race. But I still like it because the principle of rule of law is more important than a house seat. I do see the attraction of that kind of idealism, and it exists. But hope that the indictment will set the GOP back a bit seems more common – despite strong evidence, over the past decade, that bad publicity has no such effect. My own idealism, if I can call it that, is more along of the lines of – punishment rarely helps, so any reasonable excuse to avoid it is worth grasping. I do suspect most posters will find my excuse unreasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/75 "2023-05-10T23:28:52Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > My own idealism, if I can call it that, is more along of the lines of – punishment rarely helps, so any reasonable excuse to avoid it is worth grasping. why have a criminal code? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/76 "2023-05-10T23:29:45Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > My own idealism, if I can call it that, is more along of the lines of – punishment rarely helps, so any reasonable excuse to avoid it is worth grasping. I do suspect most posters will find my excuse unreasonable. Yes, count me as one of the unconvinced. I don’t think that we can move to a philosophy of “let’s find a reasonable excuse not to even charge someone with crimes, let alone have a trial or punish them, because punishment rarely helps.” I’m particularly sceptical when this is being applied to a sitting politician. It seems… an interesting philosophy. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/77 "2023-05-10T23:31:24Z")
If this guy wasn’t a Representative, I’d want him brought to justice, because crime is bad. Why should the fact that he is a Representative change that? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/78 "2023-05-10T23:58:09Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > why have a criminal code? If the internet had been invented in 1800, we’d be Great-Debating common law vs. statutes a lot. But in a George Santos thread, I’d be starting a hijack 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/79 "2023-05-10T23:59:35Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > The indictment is going to help the GOP by forcing a weak candidate out of a swing distinct congressional race… That a Democrat might win. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850/80 "2023-05-11T01:31:28Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > The indictment is going to help the GOP by forcing a weak candidate out of a swing distinct congressional race. Explain how this is good for the GOP. They probably can’t hold the seat in a special election. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/representative-george-santos-indictment-and-prosecution-expelled-from-congress-on-dec-1-2023/983850.md?page=5)