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N.Y. has amassed 1.3 million pieces of evidence in George Santos case, his attorney says
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. – Former Rep. George Santos was in court Tuesday morning.
Santos appeared for what’s termed a status conference.
It comes as he negotiates a possible plea deal on fraud charges.
Santos appeared to be in good spirits and could be seen smiling and laughing with his attorney as they arrived. He was wearing Ferragamo sneakers, which usually retail for about $1,000.
Santos walked out of court in Central Islip after the proceedings.
Prosecutors told the judge they expect negotiations to continue, and no formal offer has yet been made.
Santos faces nearly two dozen charges related to alleged wire fraud, identity theft and campaign finance violations and other crimes detailed in a pair of federal indictments handed down earlier this year.
He was expelled from Congress Dec. 1.
His trial is set to begin in September. Santos’ attorney argued against moving up the trial date, citing the 1.3 million pieces of evidence he’s received from the state for his review.
Santos is due back in court Jan. 23.
Speaking with CBS New York’s Marcia Kramer on “The Point” after he was expelled, Santos said he has “plenty” of regrets, and a “long road of redemption ahead, and I’m going to work really hard for that.”
Santos said he didn’t expect his congressional colleagues to have the “chutzpah” to expel him before he had his day in court.
He admitted that he didn’t even write his own resume or campaign bio, blaming them on “a former campaign staffer.”
He also said he now makes more money from the online website Cameo than he did as a member of Congress.
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CBS News
Kamala Harris will speak with “60 Minutes” tomorrow. Here’s what to know for the interview.
Voters will get the chance to hear from Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday as she presents her case for why she should be president in a “60 Minutes” election special.
For decades, “60 Minutes” has featured both Republican and Democratic nominees for presidents, but this year, former President Donald Trump backed out after previously indicating he would be on the show. Correspondent Scott Pelley, who’d been set to interview Trump, will instead travel to Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona’s voters and a critical battleground in a key swing state.
One thing is certain about the election; with the U.S. deeply involved in both the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, whoever wins on Nov. 5 will become a wartime president.
What Harris will discuss
Israel’s war started one year ago after Hamas launched a surprise terror attack and correspondent Bill Whitaker will discuss the ongoing war with Harris.
Harris will also discuss the economy, immigration, her record as vice president and the differences between herself and Trump.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz will also appear.
Whitaker joined the Democratic ticket on the campaign trail this week to gain insight into their platform’s priorities and values, and what the candidates believe voters should know.
Why Trump pulled out of the “60 Minutes” interview
Leading up to the candidate hour, Trump, through campaign spokespeople, was the first candidate to accept the “60 Minutes” request to be interviewed for the special, according to CBS News. It had been agreed that both candidates would receive equal time during the broadcast.
Trump last sat down with 60 Minutes in 2020. He walked out during the interview with Lesley Stahl. Trump referenced the incident on Tuesday night at a Milwaukee press conference when asked about his decision not to participate in the Oct. 7 “60 Minutes” election special.
“Well, right now, I went to – they came to me and would like me to do an interview, but first I want to get an apology, because the last time I did an interview with them, if you remember, they challenged me on the computer,” Trump said. “They said the ‘laptop from hell’ was from Russia, and I said it wasn’t from Russia. It was from Hunter, and I never got an apology, so I’m sort of waiting. I’d love to do ’60 Minutes.’ I do everything.”
The Republican nominee for president emphasized that he felt he was owed an apology from “60 Minutes.”
“Let’s see if they do it. I wouldn’t mind doing 60,” Trump continued. “I’ve done ’60 Minutes’ a lot.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said that Trump’s team had not agreed to an interview.
“Fake News,” Cheung said in a post on X. “60 Minutes begged for an interview, even after they were caught lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop back in 2020. There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in. They also insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.”
Previous Trump, Harris appearances on 60 Minutes
Trump previously sat down with “60 Minutes'” Mike Wallace in 1985, Pelley in 2015 and Lesley Stahl twice in 2016, first in July of that year and then again in November of 2016. He also spoke with Stahl again in 2018 and 2020.
Harris previously sat down with Whitaker last year. She also was interviewed by Norah O’Donnell, “CBS Evening News” anchor and “60 Minutes” contributing correspondent, in 2020.
