Republican Congressman George Santos pleaded not guilty on Friday to a total of 23 federal charges, including wire fraud, making false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and other crimes. This comes after prosecutors issued a superseding indictment earlier this month, which accused Santos of widespread fraud during his congressional campaign. Santos had already pleaded not guilty to the initial 13 charges that were filed against him in May.

During his court appearance, Santos's lawyer entered the plea on his behalf before U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert in Central Islip, New York. The judge set a trial date for September 9, 2024. Santos, 35, is facing charges such as conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, making false statements to the FEC, falsifying records to the FEC, and access device fraud. Prosecutors allege that Santos submitted fake campaign finance records, including reporting a non-existent $500,000 loan to his campaign, and charged his donors' credit cards without their consent.

The day before his court appearance, Santos took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to assert his right to due process. However, federal prosecutors painted a damning picture of Santos's alleged fraudulent activities in the superseding indictment. The indictment also revealed that one of Santos's campaign staffers had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in October.

Santos has been facing increased scrutiny and calls for his resignation after it was revealed by outlets like The New York Times that he had fabricated significant portions of his biography and resume. It remains uncertain whether Santos will still be serving in Congress when his trial begins in September 2024. Another New York Republican has initiated an effort to expel him from Congress, citing the charges and accusations against him as grounds for his unfitness to serve. However, an expulsion would require a two-thirds majority vote in the US House of Representatives, and with Republicans holding a slim majority, the effort may face challenges.

Furthermore, Santos's political future is also uncertain as he faces a primary election in June 2024 that he must win in order to proceed to the general election. Challengers have lined up against him, and support in his district has dwindled. Additionally, several of his Republican colleagues in the state have distanced themselves from him. Santos has maintained that he is not resigning and intends to run for re-election, but the outcome of his trial could have significant implications for his political career.

Overall, Congressman George Santos's legal troubles continue to mount as he pleads not guilty to additional federal charges. The outcome of his trial and the ongoing efforts to expel him from Congress will undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences for both his personal and political future.