Ousted lawmaker offering limited Christmas cameos: 'Santos-Claus is coming to town!'
Former lawmaker-turned-influencer Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) on Friday announced his plan to spread holiday cheer this Christmas season: "Santos-Claus is coming to town!"
"Well guess what time of year it is y’all? It’s time for… Santos-Claus!" Santos wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "For a very limited time I’ll be doing Cameo’s to bring Christmas cheer to all your faces!"
"Stay sassy and classy folks! Let’s go make Christmas great again!" he added.
The former Republican lawmaker was ousted from Congress earlier this month after only 11 months in office, following a damning House Ethics probe that found there was clear evidence he engaged in serious crimes. The move to expel him, unseen in 20 years, took three attempts over six months.
Not long after his removal, Santos announced his new gig: Selling videos on Cameo.
The "Former congressional icon" — as he dubs himself on the platform — began sales at $150-$200 per video. But, that number has since risen to $500.
Customers can request specific holiday messages or birthday wishes from the embattled former congressman — or they can opt for gossip, a pep talk, a roast or advice. Users may also purchase a direct message for $20.
Despite the fanfare, Santos has not completely turned his mind away from his time on Capitol Hill. Just two weeks after he was expelled, the New York Republican said he could return to Congress one day.
“I’m not done with public service. I want to go back to Congress,” he said at the time. “I’m not saying today. I’m not saying tomorrow.”
“I have a lot of things I need to take care of first,” Santos added. “I think we all know, but I do have hopes of trying to regain the trust of the American people and going there, because I will continue to expose and root out the rot in our federal government.”
Santos is currently facing 23 charges for allegedly inflating his campaign finance reports and misleading donors, among other accusations.
As of Monday, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York revealed Santos was "presently engaged" in plea negotiations. The former lawmaker has hinted that a plea deal would not be "off the table."