Attorney for George Santos tells judge the defense team is reviewing 1.3 million pages of documents before trial
The judge presiding over former Rep. George Santos' fraud case rebuffed a prosecution effort to move up his September trial date after Santos' defense attorney said in court Tuesday that he wouldn't have enough time to review the more than 1.3 million pages of discovery material.
“We've been struggling to go through all that material,” said Santos defense attorney Joseph Murray, who said some of it was marked “sensitive,” which meant he could only review it in the presence of his client, although he said the prosecution later amended that designation. “There are still a million more documents that we have to go through.”
Murray told the judge another law firm that Santos is familiar with has agreed to help him with the case. Murray did not identify that firm, and a notice of appearance has not been entered in the record.
Santos' Tuesday appearance in federal court in Central Islip before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert came after prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District publicly stated for the first time Monday that their discussions with Santos involve a potential guilty plea. Prosecutors had previously said they were discussing “possible paths forward” before he pleaded not guilty to new charges a month later.
“We’re having productive conversations,” Murray told the judge Tuesday of the plea negotiations. “I think this could be fruitful if we focus on that.”
Prosecutor Jacob Steiner, a Department of Justice trial attorney who had asked Seybert to reschedule the trial for June, said in court Tuesday: “We expect these negotiations to continue.”
When asked by Seybert in open court if Santos has proffered with the government, Steiner said no.
At one point, both the defense and prosecution asked for a sidebar to discuss an issue with counsel and the judge privately, but Seybert resisted.
“I do everything on the record,” Seybert said.
Steiner then told the judge he wished to clarify his earlier answer and said the government has “not engaged in a reverse proffer session” with Santos. A reverse proffer session is when the prosecution lays out its case in detail to a defendant.
Prosecutors have charged Santos with orchestrating a series of schemes while running for Congress, including ripping off political donors, fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits authorized under COVID-19 even though he had a job and lying on his congressional financial disclosure forms.
He also is accused of submitting materially false reports to the FEC on behalf of his campaign by inflating fundraising numbers for the purpose of misleading the FEC, a national party committee and the public. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Santos, a Republican who was elected to Congress in November 2022, entered the House in scandal after he admitted lying about various parts of his resume and background
Santos, who was expelled from Congress on Dec. 1 following the release of a damning House ethics report accusing him of defrauding campaign donors for personal profit, has been using the celebrity private messaging site Cameo to make money, producing short video messages in exchange for payment.
Santos declined to say how much he's made from Cameo.
“I don't have any comment other than ‘Happy holidays,’ ” the ex-congressman said.
But he added: “I wish you guys would take a break from saying my name.”
The case is scheduled to be back in court for a status conference on Jan. 23 at 10:30 a.m.
The judge presiding over former Rep. George Santos' fraud case rebuffed a prosecution effort to move up his September trial date after Santos' defense attorney said in court Tuesday that he wouldn't have enough time to review the more than 1.3 million pages of discovery material.
“We've been struggling to go through all that material,” said Santos defense attorney Joseph Murray, who said some of it was marked “sensitive,” which meant he could only review it in the presence of his client, although he said the prosecution later amended that designation. “There are still a million more documents that we have to go through.”
Murray told the judge another law firm that Santos is familiar with has agreed to help him with the case. Murray did not identify that firm, and a notice of appearance has not been entered in the record.
Santos' Tuesday appearance in federal court in Central Islip before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert came after prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District publicly stated for the first time Monday that their discussions with Santos involve a potential guilty plea. Prosecutors had previously said they were discussing “possible paths forward” before he pleaded not guilty to new charges a month later.
WHAT TO KNOW
- The judge presiding over ex-Rep. George Santos' fraud case rebuffed a prosecution effort to move up his September trial date after Santos' defense attorney said in court Tuesday that he wouldn't have enough time to review the more than 1.3 million pages of discovery material.
- Santos' Tuesday appearance in federal court came after prosecutors publicly stated for the first time Monday that their discussions with Santos involve a potential guilty plea.
- Prosecutors have charged Santos with orchestrating a series of schemes while running for Congress, including ripping off political donors, fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits authorized under COVID-19 even though he had a job and lying on his congressional financial disclosure forms.
“We’re having productive conversations,” Murray told the judge Tuesday of the plea negotiations. “I think this could be fruitful if we focus on that.”
Prosecutor Jacob Steiner, a Department of Justice trial attorney who had asked Seybert to reschedule the trial for June, said in court Tuesday: “We expect these negotiations to continue.”
When asked by Seybert in open court if Santos has proffered with the government, Steiner said no.
At one point, both the defense and prosecution asked for a sidebar to discuss an issue with counsel and the judge privately, but Seybert resisted.
“I do everything on the record,” Seybert said.
Steiner then told the judge he wished to clarify his earlier answer and said the government has “not engaged in a reverse proffer session” with Santos. A reverse proffer session is when the prosecution lays out its case in detail to a defendant.
Prosecutors have charged Santos with orchestrating a series of schemes while running for Congress, including ripping off political donors, fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits authorized under COVID-19 even though he had a job and lying on his congressional financial disclosure forms.
He also is accused of submitting materially false reports to the FEC on behalf of his campaign by inflating fundraising numbers for the purpose of misleading the FEC, a national party committee and the public. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Santos, a Republican who was elected to Congress in November 2022, entered the House in scandal after he admitted lying about various parts of his resume and background
Santos, who was expelled from Congress on Dec. 1 following the release of a damning House ethics report accusing him of defrauding campaign donors for personal profit, has been using the celebrity private messaging site Cameo to make money, producing short video messages in exchange for payment.
Santos declined to say how much he's made from Cameo.
“I don't have any comment other than ‘Happy holidays,’ ” the ex-congressman said.
But he added: “I wish you guys would take a break from saying my name.”
The case is scheduled to be back in court for a status conference on Jan. 23 at 10:30 a.m.
Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
Breast Cancer awareness month October is breast cancer awareness month, and according the NYS registry it is more common on LI than in the state and nationwide. NewsdayTV's Jasmine Anderson shares stories about breast cancer from around the Island.
Breast Cancer awareness month October is breast cancer awareness month, and according the NYS registry it is more common on LI than in the state and nationwide. NewsdayTV's Jasmine Anderson shares stories about breast cancer from around the Island.
