Embattled Republican Congressman George Santos pleaded not guilty on Friday to a slew of federal criminal charges including a fraudulent $500,000 personal loan and tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges to donors’ credit cards.
He was given a trial date for Sept. 9, 2024
The trial date is 57 days before the November general election, during which he will be challenged by a number of Republicans bidding to unseat him in the primary.
Challengers include former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who gave up the seat to mount an unsuccessful run for governor in 2022.
A 23-count superseding indictment filed earlier this month charges Santos with “two counts of wire fraud, two counts of making materially false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), two counts of falsifying records submitted to obstruct the FEC, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of access device fraud,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
The Long Island congressman’s appearance in federal court in Central Islip also dealt with a conflict of interest issue involving his defense attorney, Joe Murray.
Murray knows two people mentioned in the indictment against Santos, including Nancy Marks, Santos’ treasurer who pleaded guilty to fraud charges earlier this month.
The judge ruled Murray would continue on as Santos’ lawyer. Murray will have to get two additional attorneys for the trial.
In May, Santos, 35, pleaded not guilty to 13 federal charges. Those initial charges included seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of making materially false statements to the US House of Representatives.
Santos has pleaded not guilty to a revised indictment accusing him of several frauds, including making tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges on credit cards belonging to his campaign donors. (Stefan Jeremiah/AP)Santos has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has dismissed calls for him to resign from Congress.
“I’m entitled to due process and not a predetermined outcome as some are seeking,” he said Thursday in a social media post.
Outside, protesters held signs urging him to resign.
Rich Osthoff, the veteran who accused Santos of stealing funds from his sick dog’s fundraiser was in the gaggle holding a sign that reads, “SANTOS STOLE MY MONEY AND KILLED MY DOG.”
Osthoff said he traveled three hours by public transportation from Freehold NJ to confront Santos.
“He’s a snotty little high school kid,” Osthoff said. “Not even. He’s like an eighth-grade girl. He’s in here for the theatrics. He’s loving every minute of it.”
As he left the courthouse, Santos blew a kiss to the crowd right before he stepped into a white Jeep SUV.
