Disgraced former Rep. George Santos described his time in prison, writing suicide notes, a dialog with President Trump and extra in a wide-ranging interview Tuesday.
Santos spoke with CBS Information New York’s Marcia Kramer following the commutation of his sentence. He informed her he discovered his sentence had been commuted from fellow inmates who have been watching tv.
Santos informed CBS Information New York he wasn’t conscious that he may nonetheless face authorized jeopardy domestically regardless of his federal sentence being commuted.
Santos’ apology
“Before everything, I am sorry. I owe so many individuals apologies. I owe my former constituents who I let down,” Santos stated.
He additionally named Republican get together leaders on Lengthy Island and New York, saying he owes them apologies too.
“I betrayed their belief. I betrayed my former colleagues’ belief within the Home of Representatives, each Republicans and Democrats, however most significantly I wish to deal with my Republican colleagues as a result of we’re one staff. I betrayed their belief. I perceive your fury. I’m sorry I brought on them a lot grief and a lot heartache,” Santos stated. “I do know discuss is reasonable. I simply need everybody again house to know – please, choose me by the actions transferring ahead. I’ve been given a chance to rewrite the ending of my life, and I’ll be sure that is as honorable as humanly attainable, and above reproach always, as a result of it will be an absolute ungodly irresponsibility to not benefit from this, and do it in one of the best ways attainable. I simply wish to do good.”
Santos on his time in jail
Santos stated being in jail “wasn’t good.”
He was despatched to jail at Federal Correctional Establishment Fairton in New Jersey. He critiqued jail officers for a way his arrival was dealt with.
“The primary evening was robust. Nobody actually prepares for one thing like this,” Santos stated. “Think about a dorm at a camp you actually do not wish to be at and it has been run down so dangerous however your dad and mom actually power you as a result of they wish to do away with you for the summer season – it is form of the identical.”
He went on to explain the stress he felt surrounding his arrival.
“From the get go, they did every thing unsuitable, in my view, on how they handled bringing in an individual into jail. Normally, folks are available and no one even is aware of there is a new man. However for me, they shut down the camp, they shut down the power, they took folks and put all of them indoors, made them rise up for a rely so I can stroll in. Kicked folks out of their beds and shifted folks round so I can have this, I suppose, privileged spot mattress, as if there was a distinction between any of the opposite beds. I suppose they have been simply making an attempt to be overzealous and protecting of their nature, and so they created an surroundings that would’ve develop into hostile if I did not have the character to navigate it. But it surely was robust,” Santos stated.
Santos stated he spent 41 days in isolation resulting from loss of life threats, in a cell that he says was fewer than six ft extensive and 9 ft excessive. He was stored in that cell 23 hours a day, with one hour of out of doors recreation time throughout weekdays. He stated he stood open air within the rain simply to remain out of that cell for that hour.
“It was mentally torturous,” Santos stated.
Santos stated he was given three books per week. He stated he was allowed to bathe thrice per week.
“It is a actually soiled surroundings,” Santos stated.
CBS Information New York has reached out to FCI Fairton for a response to Santos’ claims.
Santos says he wrote suicide notes
He stated he wrote three suicide notes.
“I needed to doc my emotions in case I felt quick and weak and did it,” Santos stated. “Three completely different occasions. I wrote three completely different letters.”
Santos stated he thought-about hanging himself in his cell, and prayer helped him survive.
“I made a decision to not do all of it thrice … I wish to say God intervened each time. And I caught to that,” Santos stated.
Watch extra interview excerpts
On his commutation
Santos stated he discovered about his commutation from different prisoners who have been watching tv.
“The inmates discovered and began screaming for me to return,” Santos stated.
He stated he left jail six hours later.
“My husband spoke to the president earlier than I did,” Santos stated.
Santos stated he gave his jail garments to fellow prisoners who wanted it essentially the most.
“I simply walked out with my letters, my bible, my rosary and photos that I had from my household,” Santos stated. “I obtained a whole lot of letters from folks throughout the nation wishing me effectively. America is a spot for second probabilities. Everyone on this nation is programmed to permit and provides grace. That is our tradition, as People, and I noticed that in how folks would ship me the kindest letters.”
Santos stated his commutation by the president left him “humbled.”
“It isn’t about what I feel, it is about what President Trump thinks as he did, and I’m humbled and grateful for it,” Santos stated.
Santos identified President Biden pardoned his whole family, along with Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Santos stated he “fell aside” when he noticed his husband and sister when he left jail.
“There’s nothing to say, apart from cry,” Santos stated. “In my wildest desires, I did not assume I might spend the vacations at house with them.”
He says the very first thing he did when he obtained house was take an extended bathe. His first meal exterior of jail was sushi – he needed one thing actually contemporary.
On his dialog with President Trump
Santos stated he spoke with President Trump Saturday. So what did he inform him?
“I wish to contribute,” Santos stated. “I wish to make a distinction. I wish to work from the surface. I feel that is how vital that is, particularly for our youth. That is the primary focus, as a result of that is the foundation trigger.”
Santos stated cities like Chicago and Detroit, the primary alternatives for a lot of younger individuals are in crime.
“That is the place now we have to focus on, is working with these youngsters in order that they do not go to jail,” Santos stated. “You do not wish to go to jail, children. That is the message.”
Santos stated his name with President Trump was significant.
“This was my first one-on-one with any president,” Santos stated. “Any sitting president of america, it will’ve been an honor. However to have the one which I’ve devoted 10 years of supporting made it that rather more particular.”
On potential future authorized challenges
Below a 2019 legislation inspired by Paul Manafort, New York state and native prosecutors can nonetheless convey costs towards individuals who have obtained commutations from the president. So does Santos assume he is out of the woods?
“It hasn’t crossed my thoughts. Like I stated, I’ve no pendencies with them … my complete case was federal. Not that I am conscious of, I do not even know the way’d they’d do it,” Santos stated. “I imply, you are placing that thought in my head now, so I most likely need to go look into it, however I might hope that that is not the precedence, the trail that individuals would wish to go down.”
Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly launched a press release Tuesday indicating it is a risk.
“Since first studying of George Santos’ actions, I’ve been on the forefront of bringing him to justice. I’m happy with the work my workplace has achieved, and the conviction achieved in partnership with the U.S. Lawyer’s workplace. Whereas the workplace can not touch upon ongoing investigations, suffice it to say that I stay targeted on prosecuting political corruption wherever it exists no matter political affiliation,” Donnelly stated.
His response?
“I wasn’t even conscious of the assertion Marcia,” Santos stated. “I might fall in need of phrases.”
“Clearly, it raises considerations, for me,” he added.
Santos says he takes accountability for his crimes, however…
“I consider I’ve made some very poor decisions. I consider I’ve made some terrible errors. I’ve harm folks. I do not consider I ought to’ve been handled the way in which I used to be in jail. I do not consider jail ought to be the way in which it’s in our nation,” Santos stated. “I actually, like many People in a bipartisan vogue, agree that my sentence and my complete course of was over-politicized by a weaponized DOJ.”
Santos stated former Attorney General Merrick Garland was “unhinged” and “making an attempt to settle scores.”
Santos stated he thinks he obtained a stiffer sentence due to the notoriety of his case.
“I consider the DOJ was particularly focusing on me as a result of I flipped a seat after virtually 30 years of Democrat management, and so they had a window as a result of I gave them that window, as a result of I used to be so self-destructive to myself, Marcia. So, that being stated, it is clearly my fault, it is my very own doing, however they have been overzealous due to political expedience and comfort,” Santos stated.
Santos says whereas he accepts accountability for his crimes, folks have a story about them that is inaccurate.
“I will be without end focused and having to reside with folks believing that I went on the market and stole folks’s bank cards bodily and used them on purchasing sprees when that didn’t occur,” Santos stated. “That by no means occurred. It isn’t a reality.”
Santos stated he had “dangerous and really irresponsible accounting” on his marketing campaign.
“There have been issues that cash was spent on that was not allowed. I take all accountability, Marcia, the buck stops with me. However there have been a number of steps to how that every one occurred. And I’m right here standing, and I take accountability, as a result of I wish to transfer ahead. There isn’t any level in rehashing the previous. That is already been adjudicated, proper? I used to be granted a second lease on life and I wish to use that to do good. I do know what I should not do. I’ve this insane expertise that I simply went by way of for 84 days, and I am grateful for the clemency provided to me by President Trump, and I wish to take that and use this chance to only do good,” Santos stated.
Santos says he desires to work on jail reform
Santos stated he desires work on jail reform and serving to troubled youth.
“We’re not rehabilitating prisoners, therefore our recidivism charge is thru the roof,” Santos stated. “We have to change the way in which we do jail in our nation.”
Santos stated he is planning to speak to Bureau of Prisons officers about his experiences. Santos stated nonetheless he would quite work with an current jail reform group than begin considered one of his personal.
“I do not need the accountability of managing funds. That’s one thing I don’t want,” Santos stated. “I do not need that scrutiny. I do not need that accountability. I wish to do the work with out having to tackle all of the brunt, proper? Lobbying shouldn’t be one thing I wish to do, however I might like to do advocacy, which is 2 very various things.”
“The very best platform is to companion with a productive and efficient group, which I’ve a listing of some that I am already concerned with. I am talking to 2 of them this week,” Santos added.
He stated he desires to scale back the jail inhabitants not by letting folks out however by “actually rehabilitating them and decreasing this obsession of sending folks to jail for lengthy intervals of time when you possibly can put them on home arrest, group service, high-quality them in the event that they’re rich folks.”
Santos stated there is a distinction between white collar and violent criminals, and made clear he’s not advocating for home arrest for violent prisoners.
“However I’m advocating that that individual is handled with dignity, and that they’re given a chance for packages to higher themselves, to have true rehabilitation with psychological well being packages and truly staffing an enough quantity of actual medical professionals in prisons, not fake medical professionals, like I skilled,” Santos stated.
On his skill to earn a residing
Santos stated he nonetheless works as a columnist and he has “different endeavors of enterprise that I’m engaged in that yield me earnings.”
An enormous lesson he realized?
“Wealth shouldn’t be materials. Wealth is your loved ones,” Santos stated. “That’s the largest lesson. I can forgo each jewellery, watch, you identify it, identify model garments and luxurious that I’ve as long as I can have my household and so they’re wholesome.”
Santos stated he has no plans to hunt workplace “within the close to future.”
“Not now,” he stated.
