New York Republican Congressmember George Santos surrendered to federal authorities Wednesday at a courthouse on Long Island, where he pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, lying on federal disclosure forms and stealing unemployment benefits. Santos spoke to reporters after his release on $500,000 bond.

Rep. George Santos: “I’m going to fight my battle. I’m going to deliver. I’m going to fight the witch hunt. I’m going to take care of clearing my name. And I look forward to doing that.”

After his successful 2022 campaign for New York’s 3rd Congressional District, Santos was exposed as a serial liar who fabricated his educational background, employment history and religion. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has refused to demand Santos resign, saying he’ll await the outcome of the trial. Republican leaders see Santos’s vote as crucial in the House, where the party holds a slim four-vote majority. We’ll have more on George Santos’s indictment later in the broadcast.