New York Republican Rep. George Santos has pleaded not guilty to several new fraud and theft charges.
The so-called ‘Long Island Liar’ appeared in court on Friday and denied claims he stole the identities of his campaign donors and ran up thousands of dollars in bills.
His attorney entered not guilty pleas on the lawmaker’s behalf
Santos, 35, will stand trial on September 9, 2024, on a total of 23 charges, including the 10 he faced for the first time today.
George Santos leaving court on Long Island
Santos outside court
The case includes bombshell allegations that he embezzled cash from his company and conspired with his former treasurer to hit fundraising targets by falsifying donations.
Santos, who embellished huge parts of his resume in his run for Congress, has denied all the charges but is now facing calls from his own party to be expelled from the House.
Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito on Thursday filed a resolution to kick him out of Congress, and a vote could be put on the House floor as soon as next week.
Expelling Santos would require a two-thirds majority, meaning all Democrats and a large number of his GOP colleagues would have to turn on him.
Santos appeared at a courthouse on Long Island to enter not guilty pleas to the new charges.
He had already pleaded not guilty to the previous slate of charges accusing him of lying to Congress about his wealth, applying for and receiving unemployment benefits even though he had a job, and using campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses like designer clothing.
Protesters gather outside the court to greet Santos
A protester with a message for Santos
Another protester calls for the lawmaker to be expelled from Congress
Santos has been free on bail while he awaits trial.
He has denied any serious wrongdoing and blamed irregularities in his government regulatory filings on his former campaign treasurer, who he claims “went rogue.”
However, the former treasurer claims she helped Santos trick Republican party officials into supporting his run for office in 2022 through bogus Federal Election Committee filings.
Those filings made him look richer than he really was by listing an imaginary $500,000 loan, she has claimed.
Santos has continued to represent his New York district in Congress since he was charged, rejecting calls for his resignation from several fellow New York Republicans.
Santos has continued to represent his New York district in Congress since he was charged, rejecting calls for his resignation from several fellow New York Republicans.
Santos leaves court with his lawyer
New York Republican Rep. George Santos has pleaded not guilty to several fraud charges
On Friday, Santos posted a cryptic note on X, saying: ‘Everything has an end in life.’
He added: ‘1. I have not cleared out my office. 2. I’m not resigning. 3. I’m entitled to due process and not a predetermined outcome as some are seeking.’
He has previously said he intends to run for reelection next year, though he could face a lengthy prison term if convicted.
During his successful 2022 run for office, Santos was buoyed by an uplifting life story that was later revealed to be rife with fabrications.
Among other things, he never worked for the major Wall Street investment firms where he claimed to have been employed.
He did not go to the college where he claimed to have been a star volleyball player, and misled people about having Jewish heritage.