George Santos to Face Anonymous Jury in Upcoming Federal Trial

Former Representative George Santos, R-N.Y., is set to have an anonymous jury for his federal trial, which begins on September 9 in a New York federal court. U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert ruled that the names of jurors will remain confidential, and they will not be required to complete questionnaires regarding their opinions on Santos, as his defense team had requested. Instead, the judge emphasized a more dynamic questioning process during jury selection, allowing attorneys to engage with potential jurors directly. Santos faces 23 counts, including wire fraud, identity theft, and making false statements to the Federal Elections Commission. He was expelled from Congress in December after an ethics investigation revealed substantial evidence of legal violations. Santos has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently free on a $500,000 bond. The trial is expected to last around three weeks, with prosecutors planning to call approximately 36 witnesses, including alleged victims of Santos' actions. During the pre-trial hearing, Santos' lawyers argued for a jury questionnaire due to extensive negative media coverage, citing over 1,500 articles and a "Saturday Night Live" skit about him. However, Judge Seybert dismissed this request, stating that it could hinder the trial's progress. The defense also sought to prevent the prosecution from labeling Santos as a victim of vindictive prosecution during the trial. As jury selection approaches, the court will narrow down a pool of 850 potential jurors to 348, from which 12 jurors and six alternates will be selected. Santos faces a maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted.