美国国家公共电台 NPR--Rep. George Santos of New York calls federal fraud charges a witch hunt

Rep. George Santos of New York calls federal fraud charges a witch hunt

Transcript¹

Santos was charged with 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering² and theft of public funds. Prosecutors³ say he schemed to defraud⁴ donors⁵ when he allegedly used the money to pay for personal expenses.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Representative George Santos says he's not guilty and that he will not resign.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The first-term New York lawmaker appeared in court yesterday to face multiple criminal charges. Now, Santos has admitted that a lot of the resume he touted⁶ on his way to getting elected was made up. Now, authorities say he used some of his stories to make money, collecting bogus unemployment claims and campaign contributions for his own benefit.

INSKEEP: NPR's Brian Mann was there and joins us now. Hey there, Brian.

BRIAN MANN, BYLINE⁷: Hey, Steve.

INSKEEP: How does Santos defend himself?

MANN: Well, he says these federal charges are a witch hunt. Though I have to say, Steve, he didn't offer an explanation for why federal prosecutors would single him out. These charges are incredibly detailed⁸, alleging⁹ Santos used campaign cash to pay for personal luxuries like designer clothes. They say Santos bilked New York's unemployment system during the pandemic while he had a job. But speaking outside the courthouse, Santos said he plans to prove the charges are all false.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

GEORGE SANTOS: I will get to clear my name. I don't understand where the government's getting their information, but I will present my facts.

MANN: There was a big contrast between Santos' tone in the courtroom, where he was soft-spoken and polite, and those fiery¹¹ interactions outside where he promised to fight.

INSKEEP: I guess we should note he is still a member of Congress. And will he continue casting votes and, also, by the way, campaigning for reelection?

MANN: Yeah, that's right. Just like other lawmakers from both parties who face criminal charges, it doesn't disqualify Santos from serving. He says he's headed back to Washington this week to cast key votes. One wrinkle is that Santos was released on a $500,000 bond with pretty severe restrictions¹² on his travel. He had to give up his passport. He's supposed to remain in Washington or New York City. If he travels anywhere else, he has to get permission from the government. He's really unpopular in his district, but he said yesterday he thinks he can win back voters' trust.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

SANTOS: Like I said - I've asked many times - I want to be judged by the work I do in the body, and I stay committed to that.

MANN: But this reelection effort, it's a really tough road if he beats these charges. Remember, he also lied about his career, his education, his family's background - pretty much everything.

INSKEEP: What are his constituents¹³ saying?

MANN: Well, many are angry. I spoke¹⁰ yesterday with Joshua Sauvernan, who came to the courthouse to protest against Santos, and I asked why he was there.

JOSHUA SAUVERNAN: Because the person that my district sent to Congress is a complete and total fraud.

MANN: What do you think about the fact that he has been laid with 13 criminal charges?

SAUVERNAN: I'm not surprised by it. And quite frankly¹⁴, I'm expecting more charges.

MANN: And there are still other investigations¹⁶ underway into Santos' behavior - one by a local district attorney, another by the House Ethics¹⁷ Committee in Washington.

INSKEEP: I guess we should note, it's extraordinary that a lawmaker would tell so many obvious lies, but it is not really that unusual for one lawmaker or another to be under investigation¹⁵ or under indictment¹⁸. Does this particular charge against a very junior lawmaker matter much?

MANN: Well, George Santos is actually a key vote in this narrowly divided Congress, and so far, Republican leaders are sticking by him. But this scandal has the potential to drag down other Republicans here in New York who did really well in last year's midterms. Remember, the Republican Party's winning message in New York has been a tough stance on crime, and now one of their most visible members is serving on the House floor after being arrested. And Santos is scheduled to be back here in court next month.

INSKEEP: NPR's Brian Mann. Thanks so much.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

4 defraud   

vt.欺骗，欺诈

参考例句：

• He passed himself off as the managing director to defraud the bank.他假冒总经理的名义诈骗银行。
• He is implicated in the scheme to defraud the government.他卷入了这起欺骗政府的阴谋。

5 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 touted   

v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
• People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

9 alleging   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
• This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

11 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

12 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

13 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

15 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

16 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

17 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

18 indictment   

n.起诉；诉状

参考例句：

• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
• They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。