Former Congressman George Santos, recently released from prison after his sentence was commuted, discussed potential restitution payments and offered apologies in his first interview. He reflected on his mistakes and his surprise at learning of his release.
Disgraced former New York Congressman George Santos conducted his first interview on Sunday, in which he discussed potentially paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to the victims he defrauded.
Santos was released from prison late Friday after President Trump commuted his seven-year sentence for committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.'I can do my best to do whatever the law requires of me'When asked on CNN's 'State of the Union' whether he will follow through with a court order to pay $370,000 in restitution, Santos said, 'I can do my best to do whatever the law requires of me, so I don't know what that is. I've been out of prison for two days.'Santos is absolved from paying that restitution, which is clearly stated in the commutation signed by Mr. Trump.'I was my own worst enemy, and I'm sorry' Known for his penchant for speaking his mind, Santos took on a more of a humbled tone on Sunday, acknowledging his mistakes and offering apologies to everyone — from New York's 3rd Congressional District, which he formerly represented, to his critics on both sides of the aisle.'I was in a chaotic ball of flame two years ago. I was my own worst enemy, and I'm sorry,' Santos told CNN.One surprising thing Santos revealed was how he learned about his commutation. He said his fellow inmates who were in the prison's TV room called him over to a news report talking about his pending release. It's something that he said completely stunned him.He also said his time in prison humbled him.'Life is too short. I have been granted a second chance. I have made a very, very concise decision to apply that for good and use that to make amends with my community,' Santos said.'I'm all politicked out'Those in Santos' former district, as well as his ex-colleagues in Congress, have expressed frustration over the decision to commute his sentence, which he said he understands. However, he argued it was in the president's power to do.'Pardon me if I'm not paying too much attention to the pearl-clutching of the outrage of my critics and of the people predominantly on the left who are going to go out there and try to make a big deal out of something like this,' Santos said.As Santos looks ahead, he said he wants to focus on prison reform and he dismissed any talk about another run for Congress.'I am all politicked out,' he said.
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