Video Vault: Santos Said Trump Read South Shore Press Columns

Former Congressman George Santos believes his weekly columns in the South Shore Press helped bring national attention to his incarceration and ultimately played a role in President Donald Trump's decision to commute his sentence.

Santos joined South Shore Press Managing Editor Stefan Mychajliw when he guest hosted on WBEN-930 Radio to discuss how writing for our newspaper while incarcerated allowed him to tell his side of the story.

Stefan Mychajliw: You continued writing weekly columns for our newspaper while you were incarcerated. How important was having that outlet?

George Santos: It was everything. I had very few ways to communicate with the outside world, and our newspaper gave me that opportunity. I'm grateful to John Thaler and everyone at the South Shore Press for making sure my voice wasn't silenced.

Mychajliw: Do you believe those columns influenced your commutation?

Santos: I do. And I always want to clarify that it was a commutation, not a pardon. I believe it came from the goodwill of many people, but those columns allowed readers to understand what I believed was over-prosecution, over-sentencing and the treatment I received while incarcerated.

Mychajliw: Did those articles reach President Trump?

Santos: Yes. During our conversations after the commutation, he specifically referenced the letters I wrote. He told me they were powerful and that what was happening to me was abhorrent. Hearing that confirmed the articles reached the highest level.

Mychajliw: What did that mean to you?

Santos: It meant the truth was getting out. Journalism matters when it tells people what's really happening. Those columns gave me the chance to explain my situation instead of letting others define it for me.

Mychajliw: Looking back, what stands out most?

Santos: Having a platform mattered. Our newspaper made that possible, and I'm thankful for it. Knowing the president read those columns and discussed them with me after my commutation is something I'll never forget. It reinforced my belief that honest reporting can make a real difference, even for someone writing from behind prison walls.