Rep. George Santos pleads not guilty to 13 criminal counts, says he won't resign

On Wednesday morning, Congressman George Santos turned himself in to face federal charges that include fraud, theft of public funds, money laundering, and making false statements in Suffolk County's Central Islip.

Upon his arraignment which lasted 10 minutes, Santos entered a plea of not guilty and subsequently relinquished his passport before being released on a bond of $500,000.

Amidst a throng of cameras and journalists, he departed from the courthouse and firmly declared that he will not step down from his position.

After the event, Santos informed the press that it was the start of his capability to protect and vindicate himself. He guaranteed that he would clarify his innocence and declared that his prosecution was an unfair and baseless investigation.

On Thursday, Santos intends to go back to Washington and he expressed his gratitude towards the House Republican leadership for showing patience towards him and the legal proceedings.

Santos stated that he has been following the information provided by the government since he has been indicted and intends to continue doing so.

Santos' movements are limited to New York, Washington, D.C., as well as the areas that connect them. However, he can request permission in advance to travel to other locations.

Despite facing seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives, Santos has refused to put on an ankle monitor.

On Tuesday, a federal grand jury located in Central Islip issued an indictment that was kept confidential.

According to the indictment, Santos convinced his backers to contribute to a corporation with the erroneous belief that their contributions will be utilized to finance his campaign. However, the documents state that he spent the funds on personal items, such as high-end fashion merchandise and clearing his credit card debts.

Additionally, Santos is alleged to have falsified his financial records on congressional disclosure forms and collected unemployment benefits while simultaneously serving as a regional director for an investment firm and pursuing a congressional candidacy.

Breon Peace, who is the U.S. Attorney, stated that the indictment intends to impose responsibility on Santos for multiple supposed fraudulent plots and audacious falsifications.

Peace stated that the accusations made in the indictment collectively accuse Santos of using dishonesty and deception repeatedly to reach the levels of Congress and improve his own wealth.

Later on Wednesday afternoon, Santos was brought before U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay at the federal courthouse for arraignment.

Although House Republican leaders seem to be supporting Santos, New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged him to step down from his position.

Hochul stated that she called for George Santos to resign as soon as shocking information began to emerge. She believes that justice must be served and he should face the consequences. Hochul feels his constituents deserve an honest representative who is fully committed to their needs. While the charges against him are being resolved, she hopes he will consider doing the right thing and stepping down. If he is convicted, he will automatically be removed from his position. Hochul suggests that it is time for him to move on and put the district's interests first.

In a statement, Rep. Ritchie Torres expressed that the criminal prosecution of Santos is overdue and should have happened earlier.

The statement declared that he is a deceitful person who habitually lies and breaks the law. He was dishonest with the voters of New York State and cheated his way into Congress, which left around 800,000 Americans without honest representation. While the exact information regarding the federal prosecution is not yet fully understood, one fact is obvious - Rep. Santos needs to resign or the House Republican leadership, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, must have the bravery to collaborate with House Democrats in removing him from his position. Rep. Santos is a deeply rooted source of corruption within Congress.

The congressman, who is facing difficulties, announced his decision to run for re-election only a month before the charges were made.

Santos' adversaries called for his resignation from congress on the night of Tuesday.

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