George Santos steps outside Central Islip federal court and a chaotic scene unfolds

Indicted Long Island congressman George Santos was met by a wall of media and the public that stretched the full width of the walkway as he left the unusually chaotic federal courthouse in Central Islip Wednesday.

Santos promised to address the allegations raised against him in court if he could make his way to the podium on the other side of the entranceway first.

“You’re civilized people, I know you all are,” Santos said as he pushed through the crowd of reporters eager for a quote, photographers hoping to capture the moment and, in a surprisingly few cases, constituents looking to be heard.

The walk from the courthouse to his getaway car — with seven minutes of addressing the media in between — brought to a close the first court appearance for the congressman, who vowed to fight the "witch hunt" and seek reelection.

"Everyone relax,” a member of Santos’ security staff said as the crowd rushed at him once he left the courthouse.

"Let him walk," a Homeland Security officer chimed in.

Moments earlier, he had pleaded not guilty to a 13-count indictment charging him with defrauding political donors, fraudulently receiving more than $24,000 in COVID-19 unemployment money and lying to Congress on financial disclosure forms.

For many of the more than 100 members of the local and national media gathered to document the historic moment, the day started before 6 a.m., as they staked out both the Central Islip court complex and the Federal Bureau of Investigation office in Melville, where other indicted public officials have turned themselves in previously.

Santos was nowhere to be found outside either location.

“We clearly came right under your noses and you didn’t see us coming today,” he would later say of entering the courthouse undetected.

It wasn’t just reporters who gathered for a chance to see and hear from the embattled congressman.

“I’m really concerned about the whole idea that truth doesn’t matter,” said Bill Christeson of Washington, D.C., whose “LIES” sign could be seen behind Santos as he addressed reporters.

A self-described “democracy activist,” Christeson said he drove until 2 a.m. to make his way to New York after learning of the indictment. He’d encounter others with signs that read, “Devolder Defrauds DeVoters” and “Resign Now Fraud Santos.”

Another member of the public showed up to lend her support, thanking Santos for “being a voice of the people" as he left the courthouse.

The arraignment, which was handled by a larger than usual team of prosecutors, was moved from one judge and courtroom to another as the day went on.

The Long Island Criminal Division of the Eastern District of New York, which previously handled the prosecution of former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota and ex-Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and their associates, were among the partners in the investigation.

U.S. Marshal Vincent DeMarco, previously Suffolk County sheriff, also attended the proceeding in person.

The courtroom, typically open during the day, remained locked until the start of the 1:30 p.m. arraignment, as each person entering was screened for a second time by security and led to specific rows of the courtroom. Federally credentialed members of the media were asked to turn in electronic devices normally allowed.

Speaking of his own experience Wednesday, Santos said he did his best to "keep his composure."

"This has been an experience for a book or something like that," the congressman said as he received a tap on his shoulder from his personal security team. It was time to go.

Moments later, his driver honked at reporters still standing in the roadway as they quickly sped away. 

With Joye Brown

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.