Having scarcely served 3 months of a 7-year prison sentence, former Republican Congressman George Santos was freed from a jail yesterday following the commutation of his sentence by President Trump.
I cannot say I am surprised at this development. Let us consider what I wrote when Santos was expelled from Congress in December 2023:
I do not want to diminish the significance of the crimes of which Santos stands accused. He used campaign donations for his personal benefit which fits his long pattern of deceitful and dishonest behavior where it concerns other people's money.
However, Santos' crimes pale in comparison to those of Trump when one considers his business practices in New York, intimidating public officials in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia, deliberately withholding top secret classified information and, of course, inciting an insurrection to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Trump has made no secret of his desire to seek retribution against those who have the temerity to hold him to account.
Despite this, American voters are giving serious consideration to hands the nuclear codes back to Trump.
This must not come to pass. If we see fit to return Trump to power then not only does it mean the end of American democracy, but it means the enshrinement of corruption. This will ensure Congress and all of our public institutions will be filled with George Santos types eager to do Donald Trump's bidding.
Well, this did come to pass. American voters did hand the nuclear codes back to Trump and he has filled the White House and his cabinet with George Santos types willing to do his bidding and the law be damned (i.e. Kash Patel, Kristi Noem, RFK, Jr., Pam Bondi, Pete Hegseth, Dan Bongino, etc.)
Could Trump appoint Santos to some kind of post within his administration? Possibly, but not highly likely. The fact that Trump told Santos to "have a great life" tells me he is not eager to have him in his orbit.
In which case, perhaps Santos will try to run for Congress yet again. If we were foolish enough to give Trump a second bite at the apple, then it is not beyond the realm of possibility that a congressional district that would elect a potato if it were a Republican could do the same with Santos. Or perhaps Santos will stay in private life and concoct new criminal schemes and do so with the knowledge that he will stay out of jail so long as Trump or one of his minions is still in power.
Mind you, Trump didn't deny Santos' guilt in his Truth Social post announcing his decision to commute his sentence. But Trump made it very clear why Santos is now a free man:
(A)t least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!
As the late Peruvian President Oscar Benavides put it, "For my friends, everything!!! For my enemies, the law!!!"
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