The Republican congressman and serial fabulist George Santos has till Friday to enchantment an order to disclose the identities of three individuals who assured his $500,000 bond on fraud fees, a New York decide stated on Tuesday.
A lawyer for Santos had stated identification of the guarantors would imperil their “well being, security and wellbeing”, and claimed the New York congressman would somewhat go to jail than reveal the names.
“My consumer would somewhat give up to pre-trial detainment than topic these suretors to what is going to inevitably come,” the lawyer, Joseph Murray, wrote to the decide on Monday.
At his arraignment in Lengthy Island final month, Santos, 34, pleaded not responsible to a number of fees of fraud, cash laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements.
After coming into his plea, Santos advised reporters: “It’s a witch-hunt. I’m going to combat my battle, I’m going to combat the witch-hunt, I’m going to deal with clearing my identify.”
The New York Occasions sought the identification of Santos’s bail guarantors, arguing they need to be recognized as that they had an opportunity to exert political affect over a congressman. Different information retailers joined the Occasions in its effort.
On Tuesday, Santos didn’t instantly remark.
Final month, Home Republicans deflected a Democratic movement to expel Santos from Congress, referring his case to the ethics committee.
Solely 5 members of Congress have ever been expelled from the Home: three for combating towards the Union within the civil conflict and two over convictions for fraud.
Santos has admitted “embellishing” a résumé that was ripped aside after he gained his seat in Congress final November, even his actual identify being introduced into query.
He has denied accusations of wrongdoing together with alleged schemes involving stolen cheques and puppies and allegations of sexual harassment from a former aide.
After successful a New York district beforehand held by a Democrat, Santos grew to become a key determine in Republicans’ slim Home majority. In January, he backed the Home speaker, Kevin McCarthy, by way of 15 rounds of voting to safe the place.
Santos has repeatedly stated he won’t resign, and is operating for re-election subsequent 12 months.
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