Former Congressman George Santos defended President Donald Trump‘s decision to grant him clemency in an interview with CNN‘s Dana Bash on Sunday.
The one-time Republican representative was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after he was convicted of wire fraud. Trump commuted his sentence this week. On “State of the Union,” Santos bristled when Bash asked him if he felt he was given “favorable treatment” for being a “loyal ally” to the president.
“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,” he said. “It is known that presidents have the power of the pardon and the clemency, which are plenary. And they’re extended at their will.”
Santos went on to compare himself to Jesus Christ, saying that some Trump critics would find fault in just about anything.
“People are going to like me. People are gonna hate me. It doesn’t matter whoever gets clemency in the future, or whoever that person might be,” he said. “I’m pretty confident if President Trump had pardoned Jesus Christ off the cross, he would have had critics. So that’s just the reality of our country.”
It’s the second time that Santos has brought up Jesus in relation to his sentence commutation. In a post to X celebrating his release, Santos harped on the idea of redemption.
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“Yesterday, I was given something I never thought I’d have again: a true second chance at life. A chance to grow, to change, and to walk a better path,” he wrote. “I want to thank our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for never abandoning me. I’m far from perfect. I’ve made mistakes, I’ve stumbled, but I never lost faith in Him. His grace carried me when I couldn’t carry myself, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”
On CNN, Bash refused to engage with Santos’ comparison.
“I’m going to skip over that analogy,” she said.
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