In New York, Santos' Release Gets a Hostile Reception
President Trump set disgraced former lawmaker George Santos free on Friday with a cheery, "Good luck George, have a great life!" After Trump's posted announcement, Joseph Murray, a lawyer for Santos, said, "God bless President Donald J Trump," per the BBC. The reaction to the commutation of Santos' sentence in New York, among his former constituents and colleagues, leaned more toward bitter, the New York Times reports. A sampling:
・"Donald Trump is trying to put his political enemies in jail while he frees George Santos for the unconscionable crimes he committed."—Robert Zimmerman, a Democrat who lost to Santos in the 2022 congressional race
・"George Santos is a convicted con artist. That will forever be his legacy, and I disagree with the commutation."—Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis
・"The Republican Party has really disrespected this district for years now and continues to."—Jody Kass Finkel, who founded a group to advocate for Santos' removal from Congress
・"George Santos didn't merely lie—he stole millions, defrauded an election. He should devote the rest of his life to demonstrating remorse and making restitution to those he wronged."—GOP Rep. Nick LaLota
・"Critics of the commutation are the same ones who silently stood by while President Biden pardoned his son Hunter, Senator Adam Schiff and Anthony Fauci.—Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County's GOP executive
