When former New York GOP Rep George Santos appeared at Donald Trump’s victory party in New Hampshire on primary night, it was unclear in what capacity he was attending the event.
But it soon became clear as he was mobbed by reporters, with CBS News asking him if he had been invited by the Trump campaign.
“No, I came, it’s an open event. It’s a public event. I just registered and came,” he said. “I came to have fun. It’s Maga time, baby, it’s 2024.”
Mr Santos travelled to New Hampshire after attending federal court earlier on Tuesday for a status conference ahead of what could be a trial later this year. He faces 23 charges on allegations that he stole the identities of his donors and put thousands of dollars of fraudulent charges on their credit cards, in addition to a litany of other violations. Mr Santos has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
CBS’s Scott MacFarlane wrote on X on Tuesday night, that “Per source familiar with matter, George Santos *did* give court & Feds notification that he planned to travel outside NY tonight. Santos is at Trump New Hampshire event”.
“Feds didn’t block federal conspiracy defendant from attending event for… another federal conspiracy defendant,” Mr MacFarlane added in reference to Mr Trump.
The former president was quickly declared the winner in the Granite State on Tuesday night. With 92 per cent of the votes reported as of Wednesday morning, Mr Trump leads his former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley by 54.6 to 43.2 per cent.
Mr Santos was ousted from the US House of Representatives late last year, with the final straw being a 56-page damning report from the Republican-led Ethics Committee which outlined “substantial evidence” that the 35-year-old violated federal law.
As Mr Santos’s appearance at Mr Trump’s victory party made the rounds on X, former Democratic presidential campaign staffer Doug Landry wrote: “This man is a national treasure. Is there more room on Rushmore? The only thing CRIMINAL about George Santos would be taking him away from all of us @TheJusticeDept.”
Author and political activist Derek Cressman added about the CBS video showing Mr Santos at the event: “The political goons biting their lips in the background seem not to approve of the ‘all liars and freaks welcome’ open borders approach to the Trump Trainwreck victory shindig.”
Digital strategist Becka Wall said: “I regret to inform everyone this man is iconic. Terrible but iconic.”
In an interview with comedian and talk show host Ziwe posted on YouTube last month, Mr Santos was asked: “What could we do to get you to go away?”
“Stop inviting me to your gigs,” he said.
“The lesson is to stop inviting you places,” Ziwe said at the time.
“But you can’t because people want the content,” a smirking Mr Santos said.
On Tuesday, Mr Santos revealed he doesn’t need an invite to make a splash.
