Politics

George Santos tried to fundraise off his criminal charges. It didn’t go as planned.

Rep. George Santos
Rep. George Santos Photo: Shutterstock

Out Rep. George Santos (R-NY) doesn’t seem to be letting the fact that he now faces 13 federal criminal charges – with a potential prison sentence of well over 100 years – get him down.

In fact, he’s trying to raise money off of the news.

“I will fight to defend myself!” he tweeted yesterday. “I’m humbled by the support of my colleague & fellow freedom fighter Rep. Gaetz for reminding the American people that I too have rights.”

“Donate to keep me fighting for you!” he wrote, linking his campaign’s donation page.

Several of the charges that Santos faces are related to how he allegedly scammed campaign donors. Department of Justice prosecutors say that Santos told donors to give money to an LLC he controlled. They say that he told a consultant to tell potential donors that the LLC’s money would be used for independent expenditures to support his campaign.

Santos then allegedly took the money and used it for personal expenses, including “luxury designer clothing.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) made the statement in the quote Santos shared on his Firebrand podcast. He has been supportive of the lying Republican from New York in the past. In January, he said that Santos should not be “subject to shunning” in the House.

So some people noted that it is perhaps not the best idea to donate to the campaign of someone who is accused of misappropriating campaign contributions.

Editor’s note: This article was updated to add a link to Congressmember Gaetz’s podcast.

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