## Headline: NY Republican George Santos Refuses Plea Deal Amid Federal Charges
New York Republican Representative George Santos has announced his refusal to consider a plea deal with federal prosecutors over multiple charges, including fraud, theft, money laundering, and making false statements. The beleaguered lawmaker from Long Island, who is currently under a 13-count federal indictment, made this statement on Thursday. However, he did not rule out the possibility of reaching an agreement with the Justice Department in the future.
When asked by NewsNation’s Dan Abrams whether he would consider pleading guilty, the 35-year-old legislator responded, “Right now I’m not.” He added, “I’m not making any assertions right now. Like I said earlier, I’m like, it’s — right now, the answer is no. But you just never know. Life is – you don’t know what life is going to come at you, you know?”
## Controversy and Charges
Santos catapulted into controversy shortly after his 2022 midterm election win in New York’s 3rd Congressional District race. He admitted that he had misrepresented large parts of his backstory, including his education, work experience, and family history.
In May, he was hit with federal charges, with prosecutors accusing him of embezzling $50,000 in campaign funds to purchase designer clothing and cover personal expenses. Despite these allegations, Santos maintains his innocence, pleading not guilty to the charges. He is currently free on a $500,000 bond posted by his father and aunt.
## Facing the Future
When discussing the possibility of going to prison during his interview with Abrams, Santos said, “Look, I think anybody would be scared to go to prison, right?” He added, “But the reality is, is right now, I’m confident I won’t.”
Despite the looming charges, Santos remains adamant about running for re-election in 2024. He is confident in his ability to mount a successful campaign, even in the face of the indictment. He referenced other members of Congress who managed to get re-elected while under indictment, stating, “Look, remember Chris Collins, upstate New York? He was re-elected under indictment. We’ve had members of Congress on both sides of the aisle get re-elected under indictment because you’re fighting, you’re innocent until proven guilty.”
Original Story at nypost.com – 2023-08-26 00:14:00
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