Marjorie Taylor Greene presses Trump to pardon George Santos
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Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and George Santos speak in the U.S. House chamber on Jan. 5, 2023. Photo: Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is urging the Trump administration to pardon former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who is serving a seven-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Why it matters: President Trump recently weighed in on a potential Santos pardon by noting that the former congressman is a staunch supporter of his — a factor that has proved decisive in other Trump clemency decisions.
- "He lied like hell," Trump said of Santos in a Newsmax interview last week, adding he "didn't know him. … I might have met him. Maybe, maybe not."
- The president added, "But he was 100% for Trump. … His vote was solid, it sounds like."
Driving the news: Greene posted to the social media app X a letter she sent to the Justice Department arguing Santos' sentence "extends far beyond" what is warranted.
- "I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication … to serving his constituents," Greene wrote, noting her former colleague is "sincerely remorseful and has accepted responsibility for his actions."
- She added, without offering specific examples: "While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses … yet have faced zero criminal charges."
Zoom in: Santos was exposed shortly after the 2022 election for lying about basic details about his background, including his education and employment history, family history and personal wealth.
- He was expelled from Congress in 2023 after an Ethics Committee report accused him of a "complex web of unlawful activity involving [his] campaign, personal, and business finances."
- He was sentenced in April after pleading guilty to charges related to fabricating campaign finance records to obtain support from national Republicans for his successful 2022 campaign for Congress.
- Greene was one of Santos' few allies during his time in Congress, along with other staunch supporters of Trump.
Zoom out: Santos has emerged in the public consciousness as an unlikely potential recipient of clemency from Trump due to his MAGA credentials.
- The president began his second term with a sweeping pardon for the Jan. 6 defendants who stormed the U.S. Capitol.
- Trump has since made headlines for pardoning MAGA loyalists who have either publicly championed him or donated considerable sums to his political operation.
