Disgraced former Rep. George Santos described his time in jail, 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 advised her he came upon his sentence had been commuted from fellow inmates who have been watching tv.
Santos advised CBS Information New York he wasn’t conscious that he would possibly nonetheless face authorized jeopardy domestically regardless of his federal sentence being commuted.
Santos’ apology
“Firstly, I am sorry. I owe so many individuals apologies. I owe my former constituents who I let down,” Santos mentioned.
He additionally named Republican social gathering 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 need to give attention to my Republican colleagues as a result of we’re one crew. I betrayed their belief. I perceive your fury. I’m sorry I triggered them a lot grief and a lot heartache,” Santos mentioned. “I do know discuss is affordable. I simply need everybody again residence to know – please, choose me by the actions transferring ahead. I’ve been given a possibility to rewrite the ending of my life, and I’ll guarantee that is as honorable as humanly doable, and above reproach always, as a result of it will be an absolute ungodly irresponsibility to not reap the benefits of this, and do it in one of the best ways doable. I simply need to do good.”
Santos on his time in jail
Santos mentioned 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 night time was powerful. Nobody really prepares for one thing like this,” Santos mentioned. “Think about a dorm at a camp you actually do not need to be at and it has been run down so dangerous however your dad and mom actually pressure you as a result of they need to do away with you for the summer time – it is type of the identical.”
He went on to explain the stress he felt surrounding his arrival.
“From the get go, they did every part flawed, for my part, on how they handled bringing in an individual into jail. Often, individuals 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 ability, they took individuals and put all of them indoors, made them get up for a depend so I can stroll in. Kicked individuals out of their beds and shifted individuals 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 atmosphere that might’ve develop into hostile if I did not have the character to navigate it. But it surely was powerful,” Santos mentioned.
Santos mentioned he spent 41 days in isolation as a consequence of dying threats, in a cell that he says was fewer than six toes large and 9 toes excessive. He was stored in that cell 23 hours a day, with one hour of outside recreation time throughout weekdays. He mentioned he stood open air within the rain simply to remain out of that cell for that hour.
“It was mentally torturous,” Santos mentioned.
Santos mentioned he was given three books per week. He mentioned he was allowed to bathe 3 times per week.
“It is a actually soiled atmosphere,” Santos mentioned.
CBS Information New York has reached out to FCI Fairton for a response to Santos’ claims.
Santos says he wrote suicide notes
He mentioned he wrote three suicide notes.
“I needed to doc my emotions in case I felt brief and weak and did it,” Santos mentioned. “Three completely different occasions. I wrote three completely different letters.”
Santos mentioned he thought-about hanging himself in his cell, and prayer helped him survive.
“I made a decision to not do all of it 3 times … I need to say God intervened each time. And I caught to that,” Santos mentioned.
Watch further interview excerpts
On his commutation
Santos mentioned he came upon about his commutation from different prisoners who have been watching tv.
“The inmates came upon and began screaming for me to return,” Santos mentioned.
He mentioned he left jail six hours later.
“My husband spoke to the president earlier than I did,” Santos mentioned.
Santos mentioned 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 mentioned. “I obtained tons of of letters from individuals throughout the nation wishing me properly. America is a spot for second possibilities. Everyone on this nation is programmed to permit and provides grace. That is our tradition, as Individuals, and I noticed that in how individuals would ship me the kindest letters.”
Santos mentioned 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 mentioned.
Santos identified President Biden pardoned his entire household, together with Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Santos mentioned he “fell aside” when he noticed his husband and sister when he left jail.
“There’s nothing to say, apart from cry,” Santos mentioned. “In my wildest desires, I did not suppose I would spend the vacations at residence with them.”
He says the very first thing he did when he obtained residence was take a protracted bathe. His first meal outdoors of jail was sushi – he needed one thing actually contemporary.
On his dialog with President Trump
Santos mentioned he spoke with President Trump Saturday. So what did he inform him?
“I need to contribute,” Santos mentioned. “I need to make a distinction. I need to work from the surface. I feel that is how essential that is, particularly for our youth. That is the principle focus, as a result of that is the foundation trigger.”
Santos mentioned cities like Chicago and Detroit, the principle alternatives for a lot of younger persons are in crime.
“That is the place we have now to focus on, is working with these kids in order that they do not go to jail,” Santos mentioned. “You do not need to go to jail, youngsters. That is the message.”
Santos mentioned his name with President Trump was significant.
“This was my first one-on-one with any president,” Santos mentioned. “Any sitting president of the USA, 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
Beneath a 2019 legislation impressed by Paul Manafort, New York state and native prosecutors can nonetheless convey expenses towards individuals who have obtained commutations from the president. So does Santos suppose he is out of the woods?
“It hasn’t crossed my thoughts. Like I mentioned, I’ve no pendencies with them … my total case was federal. Not that I am conscious of, I do not even understand how’d they might do it,” Santos mentioned. “I imply, you are placing that thought in my head now, so I most likely should go look into it, however I might hope that that is not the precedence, the trail that individuals would need to go down.”
Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly launched a press release Tuesday indicating it is a chance.
“Since first studying of George Santos’ actions, I’ve been on the forefront of bringing him to justice. I’m pleased with the work my workplace has achieved, and the conviction achieved in partnership with the U.S. Legal professional’s workplace. Whereas the workplace can’t touch upon ongoing investigations, suffice it to say that I stay centered on prosecuting political corruption wherever it exists no matter political affiliation,” Donnelly mentioned.
His response?
“I wasn’t even conscious of the assertion Marcia,” Santos mentioned. “I might fall in need of phrases.”
“Clearly, it raises considerations, for me,” he added.
Santos says he takes duty for his crimes, however…
“I consider I’ve made some very poor decisions. I consider I’ve made some terrible errors. I’ve damage individuals. I do not consider I ought to’ve been handled the best way I used to be in jail. I do not consider jail needs to be the best way it’s in our nation,” Santos mentioned. “I definitely, like many Individuals in a bipartisan trend, agree that my sentence and my total course of was over-politicized by a weaponized DOJ.”
Santos mentioned former Legal professional Common Merrick Garland was “unhinged” and “making an attempt to settle scores.”
Santos mentioned he thinks he obtained a stiffer sentence due to the notoriety of his case.
“I consider the DOJ was particularly concentrating on me as a result of I flipped a seat after nearly 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 mentioned, it is clearly my fault, it is my very own doing, however they have been overzealous due to political expedience and comfort,” Santos mentioned.
Santos says whereas he accepts duty for his crimes, individuals have a story about them that is inaccurate.
“I will be without end focused and having to stay with individuals believing that I went on the market and stole individuals’s bank cards bodily and used them on procuring sprees when that didn’t occur,” Santos mentioned. “That by no means occurred. It isn’t a reality.”
Santos mentioned 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 duty, 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 duty, as a result of I need to transfer ahead. There is not any level in rehashing the previous. That is already been adjudicated, proper? I used to be granted a second lease on life and I need 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 need to take that and use this chance to only do good,” Santos mentioned.
Santos says he needs to work on jail reform
Santos mentioned he needs work on jail reform and serving to troubled youth.
“We’re not rehabilitating prisoners, therefore our recidivism fee is thru the roof,” Santos mentioned. “We have to change the best way we do jail in our nation.”
Santos mentioned he is planning to speak to Bureau of Prisons officers about his experiences. Santos mentioned nevertheless he would reasonably work with an current jail reform group than begin one among his personal.
“I do not need the duty of managing funds. That’s one thing I don’t want,” Santos mentioned. “I do not need that scrutiny. I do not need that duty. I need to do the work with out having to tackle all of the brunt, proper? Lobbying is just not one thing I need to do, however I might like to do advocacy, which is 2 very various things.”
“One of the best platform is to companion with a productive and efficient group, which I’ve a listing of some that I am already focused on. I am talking to 2 of them this week,” Santos added.
He mentioned he needs to cut back the jail inhabitants not by letting individuals out however by “really rehabilitating them and decreasing this obsession of sending individuals to jail for lengthy durations of time when you possibly can put them on home arrest, group service, advantageous them in the event that they’re rich individuals.”
Santos mentioned 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 particular person is handled with dignity, and that they’re given a possibility for packages to higher themselves, to have true rehabilitation with psychological well being packages and truly staffing an ample quantity of actual medical professionals in prisons, not fake medical professionals, like I skilled,” Santos mentioned.
On his capability to earn a dwelling
Santos mentioned he nonetheless works as a columnist and he has “different endeavors of enterprise that I’m engaged in that yield me revenue.”
An enormous lesson he discovered?
“Wealth is just not materials. Wealth is your loved ones,” Santos mentioned. “That’s the largest lesson. I can forgo each jewellery, watch, you title it, title model garments and luxurious that I’ve as long as I can have my household and so they’re wholesome.”
Santos mentioned he has no plans to hunt workplace “within the close to future.”
“Not now,” he mentioned.
