Disabled military veteran Richard Osthoff talking to MSNBC's Chris Jansing on October 20, 2025 (image via screengrab)
Disgraced former Rep. George Santos (R-New York) is out of prison after receiving a commutation from President Donald Trump on Friday, October 17. Santos, in 2024, pleaded guilty to criminal charges that included wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
One person who is furious about the commutation is Richard Osthoff, a disabled, New Jersey-based military veteran who accused Santos of stealing $3,000 that was raised for his dying dog via GoFundMe. The money was raised for surgery that the dog needed to survive, but the dog died.
During a Monday afternoon, October 20 appearance on MSNBC, Osthoff had scathing comments about the commutation and Trump's treatment of veterans in general.
When Jansing noted that Santos, under the commutation, "doesn't have to pay restitution," a frustrated Osthoff commented, "His whole thing is about keeping money away from people that he owes money to. And I'm not surprised that he doesn't want to pay them back. He's laughing all the way to the bank right now."
Jansing pointed out that Santos, after his release, told CNN's Dana Bash he wants to "make amends" for past actions — a claim that Osthoff doesn't believe.
Osthoff told Jansing, "He's been so rude to me. He's lied about me. He's defamed me on TV dozens of times. He has no remorse."
The disabled veteran went on to lambast Trump for the commutation.
"I still haven't eaten since I heard that," Osthoff angrily told Jansing. "That was three days ago. I was really just sick to my stomach for the president of the United States to stick me in the gut with a knife — and every other veteran and every other military member to get a knife in the gut. He also knifed Holocaust victims, Holocausts survivors and 9/11 survivors and victims in the gut by letting this guy out this early. He should have done at least half of his seven years. This is disgraceful."
Osthoff continued, "President Trump — this is another thing in the long line of his disrespect for our military and our veterans. He wouldn't go to a Marine Corps cemetery in France because the weather didn't agree with him. He calls us suckers and losers — what's in it for us?.... It's disgusting. He hates us."
Osthoff argued that Santos "walking out of prison" is a "complete travesty."
"The same with the January 6 people," Osthoff added. "This is a president, a rogue president now, just using his pardon power like a cudgel against everything that's decent, good and holy. It's shameful and a disgrace. And I'm almost ashamed that I served my country now. This is not the country I raised my hand three times to reenlist for. That man disrespects the military and veterans and just about everybody that walks that doesn't wear a red hat every single day."