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Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia is calling on President Donald Trump to commute the seven-year sentence of former Representative George Santos. Greene describes the punishment as “a grave injustice” and criticizes it as “an abusive overreach by the judicial system.”
Santos, a former congressman from New York, was sentenced to 87 months in prison after pleading guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He began serving his sentence on July 25.
Santos received the maximum sentence from U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert in April. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and forfeit over $205,000 in fraud proceeds.
His guilty plea came after an investigation into campaign finance fraud, donor identity theft, and false COVID-era unemployment claims.
Greene recently sent a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney, urging Trump to consider commuting Santos’ sentence. She emphasized that Santos has taken responsibility for his actions and shown remorse, and she believes that the punishment is excessive compared to other members of Congress who have committed more serious offenses.
According to prosecutors, Santos and his campaign treasurer falsified donor reports to qualify for national Republican Party funding. They also fabricated contributions and made unauthorized charges to fund campaign and personal expenses. Santos even used a fake political fundraising company to solicit money that he spent on luxury items like designer clothing.
Despite his fraudulent activities, Santos was elected to Congress in 2022 but was later expelled in December 2023 after a damning ethics report. He is currently serving his sentence and has reportedly appealed to President Trump for clemency.
Unless granted clemency, Santos is expected to remain in prison until at least early 2032. Both Greene and the White House have not responded to requests for comment on this matter.
Contributions to this report were made by Jasmine Baehr from Fox News Digital.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Send story tips and ideas to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com or reach out on Twitter @GregWehner.