Santos To Brazilian Outlet: I Don’t Speak Portuguese

The Daily Beast reports:

The lawyer Rep. George Santos (R-NY) chose to defend him in his fraud case in Brazil was convicted and jailed in connection with a gang execution, according to a report.

Jonymar Vasconcelos, 47, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2007 for his role in the fatal shooting of a mechanic three years earlier, São Paulo’s Folha newspaper reported Wednesday.

When approached by Folha, the newspaper says Santos replied that he doesn’t understand Portuguese—despite speaking Portuguese fluently in interviews—and then did not respond to questions sent in English.

Read the full article.

George Santos’ lawyer in the Brazil fraud case had been previously convicted in connection with a gang execution. Asked about it in texts, Santos first said he didn’t understand Portuguese, despite being fluent. Questioned in English, he didn’t reply. https://t.co/wDHU5B4QGs

— Roger Sollenberger (@SollenbergerRC) February 2, 2023

The obv questions here being how did Santos get hooked up to this guy, and why wouldn’t he talk about him — when it happened more than a decade ago. Brazil has said it’s reopening the case.

— Roger Sollenberger (@SollenbergerRC) February 2, 2023