Congressman George Santos Charged with Fraud
Ask Students: How has Santos reacted to the fraud charges? Why does he continue to serve in Congress when he’s been charged with fraud and other crimes?
Republican Congressman George Santos was arrested Wednesday. A federal grand jury indicted the freshman lawmaker on 13 charges, ranging from wire fraud to money laundering. Rep. Santos was released on bond from a New York court after pleading not guilty to the charges.
For a transcript of this story, click here.
Discussion Questions
- Who is George Santos?
- Where and When was Santos elected into Congress?
- What are some of the crimes Santos is charged with?
- How has Santos reacted to the charges?
- Why does Santos continue to serve in Congress even though he’s been charged with fraud and other crimes?
Focus Questions
Do you think Congresspeople who are charged with crimes should be allowed to remain in Congress? Why or why not?
Media Literacy: Was it clear from this story what crimes Santos may have committed? How could you learn more about the charges?
Extension Activity
Read this article to learn more about the charges the Congressman is facing, and then discuss as a class — What makes Santos’ alleged actions illegal? What makes them unethical? Why do you think the laws were put in place that he allegedly broke?
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories.
