A federal judge plans to unseal the identities of persons who helped Rep. George Santos obtain his release on bond as he fights criminal charges.
U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert in Central Islip, New York, said Tuesday the names of the sureties would be revealed at noon Thursday so Mr. Santos had time to make arrangements if the people who had posted his bond decided to withdraw.
Mr. Santos, a New York Republican who previously admitted to fabricating swaths of his personal history, faces a 13-count criminal indictment alleging he used political donations for personal expenses, applied for COVID-19 unemployment relief despite making $120,000 per year at a Florida investment firm and misstated income amounts on House disclosure forms.
The congressman says he looks forward to clearing his name, but fellow lawmakers have pushed for him to resign and others have called for his expulsion.
Mr. Santos is free on a $500,000 bond, but it isn’t clear who posted the money. Media companies filed a motion seeking the information, but defense attorneys pushed back, saying the sureties could face harassment or threats.
Democrats on the House Ethics Committee also pushed for the identities of the sureties. They said lawmakers had to ensure the bond did not violate House gift rules.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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