![Former Rep. George Santos, R, said there is juror bias in his House ethics violations trial due to his media portrayal.](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/George-Santos-update-CLEAN-GETTY.jpg?w=1920)
George Santos trial begins; attorneys say they are worried about juror bias
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)
Amid mounting public scrutiny, former New York Rep. George Santos, R, is scheduled to appear in a Long Island courtroom Tuesday, Aug. 13, to face charges including wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements to Congress regarding his finances. His legal team has expressed concerns about potential juror bias stemming from widespread negative media coverage.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
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George Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on The IndependentFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on abc NewsGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Coast ReporterGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Sask TodayFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain OutlookFraud trial of ex-US politician Santos to begin next month with anonymous jury
Click to see story on Irish ExaminerGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Prince George CitizenWhen George Santos’ fraud trial begins next month, the jury will be anonymous
Click to see story on PBS NewsHourGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on NBC New YorkGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on KIFIGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on KVIAGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on WPLGFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on News 4 JAXFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on WKMGFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on Click on DetroitGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on abc 7 NYGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on KOB 4George Santos’ fraud trial to begin next month with anonymous jury
Click to see story on NY1George Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on The ColumbianGeorge Santos fraud trial set to begin in September with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on New York PostGeorge Santos fraud case heads to court again after pretrial setbacks – Washington Examiner
Click to see story on Washington ExaminerGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on MY NorthwestGeorge Santos fraud trial to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on CBS AustinRight
Untracked Bias
Fraud trial of ex-US politician Santos to begin next month with anonymous jury
Click to see story on Shropshire StarGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Airdrie City ViewGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on My Mother LodeGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Moose Jaw TodayGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on thealbertan.comSantos, ousted from Congress following a House ethics investigation that found evidence of misuse of his official position for personal gain, has pleaded not guilty. His defense is requesting that potential jurors be questioned about their views on Santos due to extensive publicity, including more than 1,500 news articles and depictions in media such as a “Saturday Night Live” sketch.
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His lawyers argue that the media exposure could compromise his right to a fair trial, suggesting that jurors complete a detailed questionnaire and that their identities remain anonymous to protect the trial’s integrity.
Prosecutors contend these requests are tactics to delay the trial, pointing out that Santos has actively engaged with the media, shaping his public persona. They are also seeking to introduce evidence of Santos’ previous fabrications about his educational and professional background, asserting that these lies are integral to understanding the criminal charges against him.
The trial is set to proceed with approximately 850 potential jurors already summoned for early September.
[KARAH RUCKER]
AMID A FLURRY OF SCANDAL AND PUBLIC SCRUTINY — FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GEORGE SANTOS WILL STEP INTO A LONG ISLAND COURTROOM ON TUESDAY TO CONFRONT A SLEW OF CHARGES — INCLUDING WIRE FRAUD, MONEY LAUNDERING, AND LYING TO CONGRESS ABOUT HIS FINANCIAL DEALINGS.
HIS LAWYERS SAY THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL JUROR BIAS.
SANTOS’ ALLEGED CRIMES RESULTED IN A HOUSE ETHICS PROBE THAT ULTIMATELY SAW HIM OUSTED FROM CONGRESS FOR ALLEGED ABUSES OF POWER AND PERSONAL GAIN.
SANTOS’ DEFENSE TEAM IS PUSHING FOR POTENTIAL JURORS TO BE SURVEYED ON THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT HIM DUE TO EXTENSIVE NEGATIVE MEDIA COVERAGE, WHICH INCLUDES OVER 15-HUNDRED NEWS ARTICLES AND PORTRAYALS IN POPULAR MEDIA SUCH AS A “SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE” SKIT.
THE DEFENSE ARGUES THAT THIS WIDESPREAD PUBLICITY COULD PREJUDICE JURORS AND PREVENT SANTOS FROM GETTING A FAIR TRIAL. THEY are ASKING TO HAVE JURORS FILL OUT A DETAILED QUESTIONNAIRE AND TO KEEP THE JURY ANONYMOUS.
PROSECUTORS COUNTER THAT THESE MEASURES ARE MERELY TACTICS TO DELAY THE PROCEEDINGS, NOTING THAT SANTOS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO HIS PUBLIC IMAGE THROUGH EXTENSIVE MEDIA INTERACTIONS.
PROSECUTORS ARE ALSO PRESSING TO ADMIT SANTOS’ PAST FALSEHOODS ABOUT HIS ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AS EVIDENCE IN THE TRIAL, SAYING THESE MISREPRESENTATIONS ARE DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE CHARGES HE FACES.
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Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
George Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on The IndependentFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on abc NewsGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Coast ReporterGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Sask TodayFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain OutlookFraud trial of ex-US politician Santos to begin next month with anonymous jury
Click to see story on Irish ExaminerGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Prince George CitizenWhen George Santos’ fraud trial begins next month, the jury will be anonymous
Click to see story on PBS NewsHourGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on NBC New YorkGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on KIFIGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on KVIAGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on WPLGFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on News 4 JAXFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on WKMGFraud trial of George Santos to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on Click on DetroitGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on abc 7 NYGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on KOB 4George Santos’ fraud trial to begin next month with anonymous jury
Click to see story on NY1George Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on The ColumbianGeorge Santos fraud trial set to begin in September with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on New York PostGeorge Santos fraud case heads to court again after pretrial setbacks – Washington Examiner
Click to see story on Washington ExaminerGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on MY NorthwestGeorge Santos fraud trial to begin next month with an anonymous jury
Click to see story on CBS AustinRight
Untracked Bias
Fraud trial of ex-US politician Santos to begin next month with anonymous jury
Click to see story on Shropshire StarGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Airdrie City ViewGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on My Mother LodeGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on Moose Jaw TodayGeorge Santos wants jury pool in his fraud trial questioned over their opinions of him
Click to see story on thealbertan.comUnbiased news.
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