Scandal-hit Rep. George Santos is taking notes from the Donald Trump school of fighting indictments. Yesterday he posted a meme to his X account in which he sought to portray himself as a persecuted defender of freedoms.
Over an image of himself against a clear blue sky, a caption read, “They’re not after me. They’re after you, I’m just in the way.”
The post garnered over 8,000 likes (an unusually high number for Santos). However, it also prompted thousands of responses. Leading the charge was fellow freshman Rep. Robert Garcia. The Democrat, who is also gay, has sparred with Santos several times on social media. Garcia was not buying Santos’ latest musings.
“Nah, I can confirm we are definitely after you,” Garcia tweeted.
Omg, thanks for the heads up! We’d all better stop stealing campaign funds, borrowing people’s identities and pretending our mothers died on 911!— michael musto (@mikeymusto) October 24, 2023
Bro, we didn’t break the law, you did. Leave us out of it.— Ryan Shead (@RyanShead) October 25, 2023
WE didn’t commit fraud. They’re definitely just after YOU.— PocketCast News (@PocketCastNews) October 24, 2023
Santos represents New York’s 3rd congressional district in the US House. He became the first out-gay Republican lawmaker elected to Congress.
Within weeks of his election victory in 2022, it emerged he’d fabricated most of his résumé and background. Serious questions emerged about his campaign finances.
He’s now facing 23 federal charges relating to wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds. He was hit with the initial 13 charges in May. Earlier this month, ten further charges were added. At the time, Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said Santos was accused of “stealing people’s identities and making charges on his own donors’ credit cards without their authorization, lying to the FEC and, by extension, the public about the financial state of his campaign.”
Specifically, the new charges allege Santos charged more than $44,000 to his campaign using credit card numbers stolen from his contributors.
(@theliamnissan) October 25, 2023
(@patriottakes) October 25, 2023
