Donald Trump on Friday commuted the more than seven-year prison sentence of former US Representative George Santos for fraud and identity theft and ordered his immediate release.
Santos, who was expelled from Congress after a brief, scandal-plagued term, had pleaded guilty to inflating fundraising figures and falsifying donor names to secure financial support from the Republican Party during the 2022 election cycle.
He was elected that year to represent part of New York City and the eastern suburbs.
During his campaign, Santos falsely claimed that he had attended New York University, worked at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and that his grandparents had fled the Nazis during World War II.
On Friday, Trump said Santos had been “terribly mistreated” in prison.
“George Santos was somewhat of a ‘villain,’ but there are many villains in our country who were not forced to serve seven years in prison,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“That is why I have just signed a commutation that will IMMEDIATELY release George Santos from prison,” he added.
Santos spent much of his 11-month term engulfed in scandal, sidelined by fellow lawmakers and mocked by late-night comedians after it was revealed he had fabricated much of his personal history.
Earlier this week, he published what he called an “impassioned plea to President Trump,” praising him and asking for “the opportunity to return to my family, my friends and my community.”
He acknowledged that he had made mistakes, said he had suffered the consequences and took full responsibility.
The U.S. Constitution gives the president broad powers to grant pardons to wipe away federal criminal convictions or to modify sentences.
During his second term, Trump has used his clemency powers extensively.
On his first day back in office, he pardoned approximately 1,500 individuals charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The riot was a failed attempt to prevent Congress’ approval of former President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over Trump.
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