A disabled veteran who accused George Santos of a GoFundMe scam blasts Donald Trump for letting the disgraced former Repiblcan lawmaker walk free.
Rich Osthoff, a US Navy veteran, accused Santos of setting up a GoFundMe to raise money for lifesaving surgery for his dog Sapphire. Osthoff said he was homeless, living in a tent, at the time after losing his job and house. He said Santos then became elusive and took off with the money. The dog later died from the illness.
Osthoff told MSNBC’s Chris Jansing Reports on Monday that he is still upset about Trump commuting the disgraced former lawmaker’s sentence.
“I was really just sick to my stomach, for the president of the United States to stick me in the gut with a knife — and every other veteran and every other military member to get a knife in the gut,” Osthoff said. “He also knifed Holocaust victims, Holocaust survivors, and 9/11 survivors and victims by letting this guy out this early. He should have done at least half of his seven years.”
Osthoff added that the commutation is “shameful and a disgrace.”
“[Trump] disrespects the military and veterans and just about everybody that doesn’t wear a red hat every single day,” he continued. “He’s a walking middle finger.”
Santos was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison this year after pleading guilty to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He began serving his sentence in late July.
Trump commuted Santos’ sentence on Friday after he served just three months, referring to the fraudster in a post on Truth Social as “somewhat of a rogue” who was forced to spend years behind bars.
