Disgraced former congressman George Santos released from prison in New Jersey | George Santos
Disgraced former U.S. House member George Santos was released from prison in New Jersey late Friday, hours after Donald Trump commuted the Republican’s seven-year, three-month prison sentence for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
An X affidavit attributed to Santos’ lawyer, Joseph Murray, called Trump “the greatest president in the history of the United States.”
“God bless President Donald J Trump!” Murray’s post also said the following.
The post cited the influence of Trump, as well as many Republican political figures, in Santos’ release less than three months into his sentence. This included U.S. House of Representatives member Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who Murray said “fought like a lion” to get Santos released. The others were Assembly members Lauren Boebert and Anna Paulina Luna, as well as former congressman Matt Gaetz, justice department and bureau of prisons officials, and assistant U.S. attorney Todd Blanche.
Long Island’s South Shore Press, which regularly publishes prison updates from Santos, revealed Saturday that the former congressman was at the computer when inmates began yelling, “Hey… you’re on TV.”
The press wrote: “Santos ignored it because it was constantly in the news. [Thirty] Moments later, he read the text at the bottom of the screen: ‘Santos’ Sentence Reduced.’ He was released at 23.30.”
five days ago, The newspaper published an open letter He called for help from Santos to Trump. “Mr. President, I don’t want understanding. I want justice, I want a chance to rebuild,” he wrote.
Santos admitted he made a mistake and said: “I take full responsibility for my actions. But no one, no matter their faults, deserves to be lost in the system, forgotten and unseen, to endure punishments far beyond what justice requires.”
The former congressman, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in August 2024, described conditions at Fairton federal prison as “unlike anything most Americans can understand.” And he described himself to Trump as a “lifelong Republican and proud believer in your vision of America First” who “never wavered” in his support for the president.
Santos’ release is likely to reignite a debate about the limits of presidential power — and it comes as millions of Americans are expected to join No Kings demonstrations across the country on Saturday to protest what many see as an authoritarian government out of touch with U.S. norms of governance.
Trump announced his decision to commute Santos’ sentence in a post on Truth Social, acknowledging that the former representative “kind of went ‘rogue.'”
“But there are many thugs in our country who are not sentenced to seven years in prison,” Trump’s post said. The president added: “Good luck George, have a great life!”
The commutation followed a push from Santos’ Republican allies, including most notably Greene, who had strayed from her party’s orthodoxy and called his conviction a “serious injustice.”
“We THANK President Trump for releasing George Santos!” Greene wrote to x After Trump announced the change. Greene added in part that in her opinion, Santos was “treated unfairly.”
However, Santos’ release sparked criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. Robert Zimmerman defeated Democratic candidate Santos to represent New York’s third congressional district in 2022. he said in a statement He said he had “no doubt that Santos will eventually join Trump’s cabinet.”
“While I have no doubt that Santos will eventually join Trump’s cabinet, this decision demonstrates the lawlessness of the Trump administration,” Zimmerman’s statement said of the president, who won a second presidency in November 2024, months after a New York state jury found him guilty of criminal falsification of business records.
Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, called Santos a “serial cheater,” while Republican former congressman Adam Kinzinger said Santos’ commuting was “a hallmark of corruption.”
Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, whose own federal corruption conviction was commuted and later pardoned by Trump, told Newsmax: “I know President Trump did the right thing with me. I’m confident he did the right thing with Congressman Santos.”
