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Trump Accuses Adam Schiff Of Mortgage Fraud

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Photo via Gage Skidmoer Flickr

On Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump accused former impeachment leader Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif) of committing mortgage fraud.

โ€œI have always suspected Shifty Adam Shiff (sic) was a scam artist,โ€ Trump wrote. He then claimed that Fannie Maeโ€™s Financial Crimes Division had determined that Schiff had improperly declared a Maryland home as his primary residence to secure better mortgage terms, despite representing California in Congress.

โ€œAdam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA,โ€ Trump alleged, before outlining what he described as a fraudulent timeline beginning in 2009 and ending in 2020.

According to Trumpโ€™s post, the alleged โ€œfraudโ€ began on February 6, 2009, with the refinancing of a property in Maryland, and continued โ€œthrough multiple transactionsโ€ until October 13, 2020, when the property was finally โ€œcorrectly designated as a second home.โ€ He concluded the post with a familiar refrain: โ€œCrooked Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice.โ€

As of Tuesday morning, no independent confirmation of such an investigation has been reported.

Schiffโ€™s ownership of the Maryland property was reported on during his Senate campaign by CNN, which at the time reported that the then-House member wasnโ€™t likely to face any legal repercussions because the law at issue is ambiguous when it comes to the definition of a primary residence.

However, Schiffโ€™s spokesperson during the campaign and his current press secretary, told CNN last year that he has claimed both his properties as primary residences for mortgage purposes โ€œbecause they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property.โ€

The animosity between Trump and Schiff has been swirling for year and dates back to at least 2017, when the California lawmaker emerged as one of Trumpโ€™s most vocal critics during the House Intelligence Committeeโ€™s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Schiff later served as the lead impeachment manager during Trumpโ€™s first impeachment trial in 2020, drawing attacks from the former president, who routinely referred to him as “Pencil Neck” and โ€œShifty Schiff.โ€

FAA Contractor Pleads Guilty To Spying For Iran

Arrest image via Pixabay

A former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor has pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of Iran.

The Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that 42-year-oldย Abouzar Rahmati, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Virginia, pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of Iran by pursuing an FAA job to gain access to information. From 2017 to 2024, Rahmati met withย Iranianย officials, communicated with security officials, and provided โ€œnon-public materials about the U.S. solar energy industry.โ€

According to the DOJ, it was Rahmati who offered his services to Iran:

In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to the Iranian government through a senior Iranian government official who previously worked in Iranโ€™s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and with whom Rahmati had previously attended university. Four months later, in December 2017, Rahmati traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials and agreed to obtain information about the U.S. solar energy industry, to provide that information to Iranian officials, and to conduct future communications under a cover story based on purported discussions about research with fellow academics.

Rahmati previously was an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) 1st Lt., a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, from June 2009 to May 2010. The IRGC is a designated terrorist group by the U.S. government.

The DOJ said Rahmati offered his services to Iran in August 2017 through a former colleague who was a senior Iranian government official who previously worked at the countryโ€™s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

Rahmati traveled to Iran four months later and met with intelligence operatives and government officials, the DOJ said. He also agreed to gather and provide Iranian officials with information about the solar industry in the U.S.

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Rahmati provided information โ€œrelating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air traffic control towersโ€ to his brother in Iran, which was then provided to government officials. He also at one point provided information related to โ€œthe National Aerospace System (NAS), Airport Surveillance Radar systems, and radio frequency data.โ€

In early 2018, Rahmati obtained private and open-source materials related to theย U.S. solar industry,ย then provided them to the office of Iranโ€™s Vice President for Science and Technology.

Rahmati is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, and he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government, and up to five years in prison for conspiracy.

The guilty plea comes amidst Presidentย Donald Trumpโ€™sย ongoing nuclearย negotiationsย with Iran in which the president has warned military options are on the table should Iran not agree to never possess a nuclear weapon.

GOP Split Emerges Over Potential Maxwell Pardon In Epstein Investigation

A Divided Republican Conference

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee are facing an internal divide over a sensitive and politically risky question: whether Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein, should be considered for a presidential pardon in exchange for cooperation with investigators.

The discussion has largely taken place behind closed doors, but it reflects a broader tension between uncovering new information and maintaining public confidence in the justice system.

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) acknowledged the split, noting that some Republicans believe Maxwell could provide valuable testimony about Epsteinโ€™s network if offered clemency. Still, Comer made clear he is not among them.

  • He warned that a pardon โ€œlooks badโ€ politically and ethically
  • He emphasized Maxwellโ€™s central role in the underlying crimes
  • He argued that granting leniency could undermine trust in the investigation

Comer summed up his position bluntly, describing Maxwell as one of the most culpable figures in the case.

Democrats Firmly Opposed

Democrats on the committee are unified in rejecting any potential deal.

Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) strongly criticized the idea, arguing that offering clemency to Maxwell would be offensive to victims and damaging to the integrity of the investigation.

Key concerns raised by Democrats include:

  • The impact on survivors of Epsteinโ€™s abuse
  • The credibility of any testimony obtained through a pardon
  • The risk of public perception shifting toward a โ€œcover-upโ€

Garcia warned that even considering such an arrangement could erode confidence in the process and send the wrong signal about accountability.

Maxwellโ€™s Leverage and Conditions

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epsteinโ€™s trafficking operation. So far, she has declined to cooperate with congressional investigators under existing conditions.

Her legal team, however, has signaled a willingness to engage if circumstances change.

According to her attorney:

  • Maxwell would be willing to testify โ€œfully and honestlyโ€
  • Any cooperation would be contingent on clemency
  • She is positioned as a key source of information about Epsteinโ€™s network

Her attorney has also claimed that Maxwell could shed light on the involvement, or lack thereof, of high-profile figures, including former presidents. Those assertions have not eased skepticism among lawmakers.

The Political and Legal Stakes

President Donald Trump has not ruled out the possibility of granting clemency, leaving the issue open and politically charged.

The debate highlights a difficult tradeoff:

  • Potential benefit: New details about Epsteinโ€™s network and associates
  • Potential cost: Perceived erosion of justice and accountability

For many lawmakers, the question is not just what Maxwell might reveal, but whether the price of that information is too high.

Why This Matters

At its core, the disagreement reflects a broader challenge facing investigators and policymakers:

  • How far should the government go to obtain critical information?
  • Can justice and transparency be balanced in a case with this level of public scrutiny?

There is no clear consensus, and the path forward remains uncertain.

What are your thoughts? Should a pardon be considered if it leads to new information about Epsteinโ€™s network? Share your perspective in the comments below.

READ NEXT: Case Against Leading Trump Opponent Abruptly Dropped

Attorney General Confirms Plans To Release ‘Some’ Epstein Files As Early As Today

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By Ralph Alswang, White House photographer - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-epstein-maxwell/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143417695

Attorney Generalย Pam Bondiย told Fox News hostย Jesse Wattersย she will release files related to deceased child sexual predatorย Jeffrey Epsteinย on Thursday.

On Wednesdayโ€™s Jesse Watters Primetime, Bondi committed to letting the public in on exactly what she has her hands on โ€“ as long as no victim information is compromised.

Wattersย asked, โ€œWhen can we see them, and whatโ€™s taking so long to release them?โ€

โ€œJesse, there are well over โ€“ this will make you sick โ€“ 200 victims,โ€ Bondi responded. โ€œSo we we โ€“ well over. Over 250, actually. So we have to make sure that their identity is protected and their personal information. But other than that, I think tomorrow โ€“ the personal information of victims. Other than that, I think tomorrow. Just, breaking news right now, youโ€™re going to see some Epstein information being released by my office.โ€

Watters noted Epstein had his homes โ€œwiredโ€ and asked if the public could expect audio or video recordings along with flight logs. Bondi replied:

โ€œWhat youโ€™re going to see, hopefully tomorrow, is a lot of flight logs, a lot of names, a lot of information,โ€ Bondi responded. โ€œItโ€™s pretty sick what that man did โ€“ along with his co-defendant.โ€

Epsteinโ€™s โ€œco-defendantโ€ is Ghislaine Maxwell, who wasย sentenced to 20 yearsย in prison for her role trafficking underage girls for Epstein to assault.

Epstein killed himself in 2019 while in federal custody awaiting trial for another sex-trafficking case. It has been alleged that numerous celebrities and politicians โ€” including former President Bill Clinton and Britainโ€™s Prince Andrew โ€” were among those who attended his parties.

On Monday, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R) sent a letter to newly sworn-in FBI Director Kash Patel calling for the complete flight logs from Epsteinโ€™s private jet and helicopter, records belonging to Epsteinโ€™s partner Ghislaine Maxwell, and video footage from Epsteinโ€™s Palm Beach, Florida residence.

The Tennessee Republican has long advocated for the release ofย the Epstein documents, arguing that making the full set of records public will expose the complex network behind global human and sex trafficking.

“This will give us insight into this web of human and sex traffickers that has just spread like wildfire across the globe, and it will help us to begin to get accountability for the victims of this horrendous trade,” she said.

Read:

During his campaign,ย President Donald Trumpย promised the declassification of the files. The Houseโ€™s Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets is scheduled to hold its first public hearing on March 26. ย 

Secret Service Employee Fired Over Charlie Kirk Comments

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A U.S. Secret Service employee has been placed on immediate administrative leave after reportedly celebrating the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in a social media post, Fox News Digital confirmed Friday.

“The U.S. Secret Service will not tolerate behavior that violates our code of conduct. This employee was immediately put on administrative leave, and an investigation has begun,” a Secret Service spokesperson told Fox News when asked about the employment status of Anthony Pough.

Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

According to Real Clear Politics, Pough had posted on Facebook celebrating Kirkโ€™s death, accusing the conservative leader of spreading โ€œracism.โ€

“If you are Mourning [sic] this guy .. delete me. He spewed hate and racism on his show,” Pough wrote, according to the outlet. He also referenced the recent Evergreen High School shooting in Colorado that left two students injured, writing, “Especially when we should be mourning the innocent children killed in Colorado.”

Pough further claimed that Kirkโ€™s death was โ€œkarma,โ€ writing, “At the end of the day, you answer to GOD and speak things into existence. You can only circumvent karma, she doesnt [sic] leave.”

Kirk was attending a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon when a single shot rang out and struck Kirk in the neck. He was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced dead just hours later. 

Real Clear Politics reported that Pough was in โ€œPhase 2โ€ of his career with the Secret Service, a stage where agents are focused on protective assignments. He had not yet been assigned to any regular detail protecting former President Donald Trump. According to the agencyโ€™s website, Phase 3 typically involves post-protective field, protection, or headquarters assignments.

Kirk was shot Wednesday afternoon while attending a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. He was struck once in the neck and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. He is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two young children, ages 1 and 3. The couple married in 2021. (RELATED: MSNBC Fires Analyst Matthew Dowd For โ€˜Unacceptableโ€™ Charlie Kirk Comments)

Kirk leaves behind his wife, Erika Kirk, as well as their two children, ages 1 and 3. The Kirks married in 2021.

Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance accompanied Kirk’s casket back to Arizona, where he resided with his family, on Thursday via Air Force Two. 

READ NEXT: Report: Homeland Security Confirms Probe Into Immigration Status Of Boston Lawmaker

Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn Arrested

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Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn was briefly arrested this week in Cape Coral, Florida โ€” yet the setback may not slow what many believe is a mounting effort to reenter national politics.

Authorities took Cawthorn into custody on a warrant stemming from an August 19 citation for driving without a valid license in Naples. He was released shortly thereafter on a $2,000 bond and is expected to appear in court to resolve the matter. Supporters have dismissed the incident as a minor technicality, unlikely to derail his ambitions.


From Conservative Trailblazer to Political Lightning Rod

Cawthorn burst onto the national stage in 2020 as one of the youngest Republicans ever elected to Congress, winning his North Carolina seat at just 25 years old. He quickly became a symbol of youthful conservative energy and unapologetic defiance of the Washington establishment.

But his meteoric rise ran into turbulence during his lone term. In early 2022, he alleged that some D.C. elites had invited him to a cocaine-fueled โ€œorgy,โ€ a claim that drew sharp criticism from GOP leadership. Weeks later, police body camera footage showed him being pulled over while driving a car he mistakenly believed he owned, and he was also cited for bringing a firearm through airport security โ€” his second such incident in less than a year.

Republican leadership, once supportive, gradually distanced themselves. The controversies overshadowed his legislative work and contributed to his loss in the 2022 Republican primary.


Florida Could Offer a Second Act

Now, Cawthorn may be plotting a political revival โ€” this time from Floridaโ€™s 19th Congressional District, where Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) is expected to step down to run for governor. Axios recently reported that Cawthorn has been exploring a run to fill the soon-to-be-open seat, potentially offering him a clean slate and new political base in one of the countryโ€™s most Republican-leaning regions.

If he enters the race, Cawthorn could return to Washington older, more seasoned, and still armed with the anti-establishment instincts that made him a grassroots favorite. For many conservatives, his resilience โ€” and willingness to challenge entrenched power โ€” could be the very qualities the GOP needs in its next generation of leadership. for the second time in nine months.

GOP Congressman Says He Doesnโ€™t Trust Trumpโ€™s DOJ

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A Republican Congressman says he does not trust President Trump’s Justice Department…

CNN chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju joined anchor Boris Sanchez on Tuesday to discuss the state of play surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case on Capitol Hill when they interviewed GOP Rep. Tim Burchett (Tenn.)

โ€œYeah, this is through a procedural vote, Democrats moving to force this vote to put Republicans on the record. If this were to succeed, it would have required that all documents related to Epstein be on a publicly accessible database within 30 days. That did not happen,โ€ Raju explained, adding:

This came after the Senate and bipartisan Senate vote did succeed last week calling for the release of those Epstein files. But that separate bill has been stalled in the Senate committee. So itโ€™s unclear exactly whether Congress will assert itself and force this issue. But the Republicans are divided about this. Republican leaders want absolutely nothing to do with this matter.

The speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, told me yesterday that he is going to defer to the White House on this. John Thune, the Senate majority leader, has not taken really any position on this at all. But members on the right flank of the House GOP and Senate GOP are the ones in particular who are raising the most concerns, including Congressman Tim Burchett, who just told me moments ago, he does not believe what the Justice Department is saying.

An amendment demanding that President Donald Trumpโ€™s administration release all files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was shot down by Republicans on the House Rules Committee on Monday.

The amendment, which was introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), was rejected by every Republican present during the vote except Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), who voted with Democrats in favor of demanding that the Trump administration release the Epstein files.

Khannaโ€™s amendment would have required U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to โ€œretain, preserve, and compile any records or evidence related to any investigation, prosecution, or incarceration of Jeffrey Epstein,โ€ and to โ€œrelease and publish any records or evidenceโ€ on a โ€œpublicly accessible websiteโ€ within 30 days.

Raju then played a clip of his exchange with Burchett, beginning with him asking, โ€œShould there be investigation or special counsel investigation?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t know. Iโ€™m not an attorney. Find them guilty and hang them publicly. I mean, thatโ€™s not over the top either. Iโ€™m ready. Iโ€™m over it. It disgusts me. Iโ€™m big on clarity and transparency, and thatโ€™s a good reason people donโ€™t trust government, either party,โ€ Burchett replied.

โ€œBut you donโ€™t believe what the Justice Department is saying?โ€ pressed Raju.

โ€œI donโ€™t know. No, I donโ€™t. I think I donโ€™t. I donโ€™t trust them,โ€ Burchett concluded.

โ€œAnd that reference to the Justice Department memo that said that Jeffrey Epstein was indeed murdered and that there was no client list here, or that he was not murdered and that there was no client list, as some of those on the folks on the far right have suggested here. But thereโ€™s also no indication, Boris, that there will be an investigation into this on Capitol Hill. The Senate, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Jim Jordan, told reporters earlier today that he has confidence in President Trump and his handling of this matter,โ€ concluded Raju.

Watch:

On Tuesday, Rep. Tim Burchett just formally called on Oversight Chair James Comer to allow Ghislaine Maxwell to testify in front of Congress on the Epstein situation.

Report: Comey Skipping First Court Appearance In Trump Threat Case

Former FBI Director James Comey will no longer have to make an upcoming court appearance in North Carolina after a federal judge agreed to cancel the hearing tied to charges that he threatened President Donald Trump through a controversial social media post.

U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan conditionally approved Comeyโ€™s request to waive the appearance after his attorneys argued he had already made an initial court appearance last week in Alexandria, Virginia.

Comey surrendered to authorities during that appearance, was formally read his rights, and did not enter a plea.

His legal team argued that federal criminal procedure rules provide โ€œfor an initial appearance in the singular,โ€ making another hearing unnecessary. Prosecutors with the Department of Justice reportedly supported the request.

Judge Flanagan ruled that the North Carolina hearing would be canceled if Comey filed the required waiver by Friday. Otherwise, the hearing would proceed as scheduled.

The former FBI chief is facing two federal charges tied to a May 2025 Instagram post showing seashells arranged to read โ€œ86 47โ€ โ€” a message prosecutors say amounted to a threat against Trumpโ€™s life.

According to prosecutors, the phrase โ€œ86โ€ is widely understood as slang for eliminating or getting rid of someone, while โ€œ47โ€ refers to Trump, the 47th president.

The charging document alleges:

โ€œOn or about May 15, 2025, in the Eastern District of North Carolina, the defendant, JAMES BRIEN COMEY JR, did knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon, the President of the United States, in that he publicly posted a photograph on the internet social media site Instagram which depicted seashells arranged in a pattern making out โ€˜86 47,โ€™ which a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.โ€

Comey has fiercely denied the accusations and claimed the prosecution is politically motivated.

When the image was first posted, Comey later said he believed the shells represented a โ€œpolitical messageโ€ and claimed he did not realize the numbers could be interpreted as encouraging violence. He eventually deleted the post.

The longtime Trump rival responded to the indictment in a video statement, insisting he has done nothing wrong.

โ€œBut nothing has changed with me. Iโ€™m still innocent, Iโ€™m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so letโ€™s go,โ€ Comey said.

โ€œBut itโ€™s really important that all of us remember that this is not who we are as a country, this is not how the Department of Justice is supposed to be.โ€

The charges โ€” threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce โ€” each carry a maximum possible prison sentence of five years. Prosecutors would need to prove Comey โ€œknowingly and willfullyโ€ threatened to โ€œtake the life ofโ€ Trump.

The case marks yet another chapter in the bitter feud between Trump and the former FBI director, whom Trump fired in 2017 during the early stages of the Russia investigation led by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

It is also the second criminal case Comey has faced since Trump returned to the White House.

Comey was previously charged with false statements and obstruction tied to his 2020 congressional testimony about FBI leaks. That case was ultimately dismissed after a court found the prosecutorโ€™s appointment unlawful, though the Trump administration has appealed the decision.

Jeanine Pirro Announces Additional Charges Against DC Teens Over DOGE Employeeย Attack

By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Jeanine Pirro, CC BY-SA 2.0,

U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced Monday that two young men have been charged in connection with a violent summer attack on a federal staffer for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Federal prosecutors have charged Lawrence Cotton-Powell, 19, and Anthony Taylor, 18, with robbery, assault, and carjacking for their alleged roles in the beating of DOGE employee Edward Coristine, known to colleagues as โ€œBig Balls,โ€ and another individual in early August.

According to Pirro, the pair had already been involved in another mugging โ€” of a victim named Ethan Levine โ€” shortly before the brutal assault on Coristine. Both suspects, she said, are repeat offenders who should never have been on the streets in the first place.

โ€œLawrence Cotton-Powell is 19 years of age. He is now charged with robbery, first-degree robbery for which he faces 15 years in prison. He also faces a charge of assault with intent to commit robbery, another 15 years, and robbery for Edward Coristine, 15 years, assault with intent to commit robbery, another 15 years, and attempted carjacking, five years,โ€ Pirro said.

Pirro didnโ€™t mince words when calling out judges who ignored her officeโ€™s repeated requests for jail time. Instead of protecting the public, the courts released Cotton-Powell on probation, giving him multiple chances to reoffend โ€” and, according to prosecutors, he did just that.

Watch:

This latest attack became a flashpoint for President Donald Trumpโ€™s crackdown on violent crime in Americaโ€™s cities. Following the assault, Trump ordered National Guard deployments to crime-plagued areas like Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee, while courts have blocked his efforts to extend the same law-and-order measures to other liberal-run cities like Seattle.

During an interview, Coristine said he was defending a woman when he was attacked by the group.

The charges against Cotton-Powell and Taylor follow outrage over two other teens โ€” a 15-year-old girl and boy โ€” who received only probation for their roles in the same attack. Both Pirro and Trump condemned the slap-on-the-wrist punishment. (RELATED: Police Apprehend Suspects Linked To DOGE Staffer Beating)

โ€œI think the judge should be ashamed of himself,โ€ said Trump.

Calling the outcome โ€œterrible,โ€ Trump and Pirro have urged lawmakers and local officials to enact tougher sentencing laws for youth offenders in D.C., arguing that the explosion of teen crime in the capital is the direct result of years of leniency and failed progressive policies.

State Prosecutors Hint At Possible New Charges After Trump Commutes Santos Sentence

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Arrest image via Pixabay

Former New York Republican congressman George Santos walked free on Friday after President Donald Trump commuted his federal sentence โ€” but the move may not end his legal ordeal. A local prosecutor on Long Island appeared to signal that state-level charges could be used to sidestep the presidentโ€™s act of clemency.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said on the social platform X that her office had been โ€œat the forefrontโ€ of the effort to โ€œbring Santos to justice.โ€ Donnellyโ€™s jurisdiction includes part of the district Santos once represented in Congress.

โ€œI am proud of the work my office has done, and the conviction achieved in partnership with the U.S. Attorneyโ€™s office,โ€ Donnelly said. โ€œWhile the office cannot comment on ongoing investigations, suffice it to say that I remain focused on prosecuting political corruption wherever it exists regardless of political affiliation.โ€

Her statement โ€” vague but pointed โ€” has fueled speculation that prosecutors could seek state charges mirroring the federal case, a move critics say would effectively undermine Trumpโ€™s commutation and keep Santos entangled in the court system despite his early release.

A spokesperson for the Nassau County D.A.โ€™s office declined to elaborate when asked whether an investigation was ongoing.

Trumpโ€™s Message: โ€œUnequal Justiceโ€ and Political Targeting

Announcing the commutation on Truth Social, President Trump praised Santosโ€™s โ€œCourage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN,โ€ suggesting the former lawmakerโ€™s punishment was disproportionate.

โ€œGeorge Santos was somewhat of a โ€˜rogue,โ€™ but there are many rogues throughout our Country that arenโ€™t forced to serve seven years in prison,โ€ Trump wrote.

Santos had served just 84 days of a seven-year sentence after pleading guilty last summer to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors had accused him of multiple financial and campaign-related offenses โ€” including money laundering and falsifying records โ€” but supporters argue that he faced harsher treatment because of his party affiliation and outspoken loyalty to Trump.

Possible State Move Seen as Political

Republicans are already warning that a state prosecution would represent another example of โ€œlawfareโ€ โ€” the use of legal mechanisms to target political opponents.

Santos himself, who had initially said he wouldnโ€™t seek clemency before later telling interviewer Piers Morgan heโ€™d accept โ€œwhatever the president is willing to give me,โ€ has yet to comment on Donnellyโ€™s remarks.

For now, the former congressman is free โ€” but the signals from Nassau County suggest that the battle between Trumpโ€™s justice reform message and New Yorkโ€™s prosecutors may be far from over.