What’s next for George Santos?
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Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., pleaded not guilty Wednesday to all 13 charges against him including wire fraud, theft of public funds, money laundering and lying about how much money he had to Congress.
The Republican lawmaker, who is infamous for lying about his past, was released on a $500,000 bond after he turned himself over to authorities Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.
Will George Santos resign?
After being released, Santos stated he will not resign from office and will run again in 2024, going so far as to call the case against him a “witch hunt” in a tweet.
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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he would not push for Santos to resign, stating that he would wait for a conviction.
“Just like we had before with Jeff Fortenberry ... he was found guilty and then I told him he needed to resign,” McCarthy stated, per Axios.
What happens next?
Santo is expected to appear in court on June 30, according to The New York Times.
The proceedings could take months, but if he is found guilty, he could face up to 20 years of prison, though it would probably be significantly less time.
If he is found guilty, it would not mean Santos would be removed from Congress. According to CNN, “There are no federal laws that affect the status of a lawmaker who has been charged with — or even found guilty of — a felony.”
Lawmakers can vote for an expulsion of a House member but that is extremely rare.
What did Mitt Romney say about Santos?
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, responded to Santos being arrested by calling for him to resign immediately.
“He should have resigned a long time ago. He’s an embarrassment to our party. He’s an embarrassment to the United States Congress,” Romney told reporters in a video posted by NowThis.
Sen. Mitt Romney called on newly-indicted GOP Rep. George Santos to resign, dubbing him 'an embarrassment to our party.'
Speaker McCarthy, however, took a much more muted approach to the topic. pic.twitter.com/Foeu348zSr— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 10, 2023
“I think we’re seeing that the wheels of justice may grind slow, but they grind fine and he will have his day in court, but it certainly appears that things are not going well for Mr. Santos,” Romney stated, per The Independent.
Romney has previously criticized Santos, telling the lawmaker, “You don’t belong here,” before the State of the Union address in February, Deseret News reported.
