PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Former Congressman George Santos seeks clemency from President Donald J. Trump after being sentenced to 87 months in prison.
👥 Who’s Involved: George Santos, President Trump, federal prosecutors, and former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
📍 Where & When: New York, sentencing occurred last month; Santos appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored on Thursday.
💬 Key Quote: “President Trump, I’d appreciate if you could give me a consideration. I’m not an altar boy, I’m not pretending to be one. But I’m not a hardened criminal.” — George Santos.
⚠️ Impact: Santos argues his sentence is overly harsh and claims his experience could help identify other wrongdoers.
IN FULL:
Former Congressman George Santos is appealing to President Donald J. Trump for clemency following his sentencing to 87 months in federal prison. Santos, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft, appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored expressing his hope for a pardon or commutation from the President.
Santos, who was removed from Congress after a House Ethics Report, claims the sentence is excessive for a first-time offender. He argues the case against him was politically motivated, pointing to former Attorney General Merrick Garland’s role in leading the Joe Biden-era Justice Department. “I do believe this is an unfair judgment handed down to me. There was a lot of politicization over the process,” Santos stated.
The former congressman was charged with several schemes involving political donors and government assistance programs, intending to enrich himself while campaigning for New York’s 3rd congressional district. His downfall was marked by accusations of fabricating his resume, lying about his background, and misleading the public regarding a dog charity.
Despite pleading guilty, Santos has been vocal on social media, disputing prosecutors’ claims and maintaining his sentence is disproportionately severe. He contends that his actions, though regrettable, were mistakes and not deserving of such a lengthy prison term. “President Trump, I’d appreciate if you could give me a consideration. I’m not an altar boy, I’m not pretending to be one. But I’m not a hardened criminal,” he pleaded.
Santos also suggests his experiences could serve the country by identifying others engaged in similar misconduct. “Who better… to be able to sniff out other bad actors doing similar actions that I did?” he asked.
WATCH:
‘No one better than President Trump knows what a weaponized justice department looks like.’
George Santos, who is facing seven years in jail for wire fraud and identity theft, makes his plea to Trump.
📺 https://t.co/J5Hr6rMZPF@piersmorgan | @MrSantosNY | @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/8P1Yk4islA
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) May 8, 2025