Newly released audio shows Rep. George Santos (R-NY) asking a documentarian for money to appear in a documentary project about him. Filmmaker Blake Zeff tweeted that his team “eventually ditched the project when it was clear” Santos wanted “lots” of money to appear in the film. In the audio, which was reportedly recorded during conversations between Zeff and Santos in January and February, Santos can be heard asking what the project will mean for him “monetarily.” “Look, I don’t have a number in my head,” Santos says in the clip aired on MSNBC’s The Beat with Ari Melber on Thursday night. “Like, the fact that I’m having these conversations, these are conversations I never in a million years thought I would be having. But when in Rome, you know, let’s have the conversations.” “I don’t know if grifting for interviews was a common practice in Rome,” Melber said after airing the clip. Zeff later appeared on the show to say that while he was not saying Santos’ request for money was unlawful, it was “not common” as a journalist to hear politicians asking to be paid to appear in interviews. The audio comes after Santos this week pleaded not guilty to 13 federal charges, including fraud, lying about his personal finances, and misusing campaign money.
