Rep. George Santos asks judge to loosen travel restrictions around Washington, D.C.

Washington — GOP Rep. George Santos, who was indicted on federal charges in May, has asked the federal magistrate judge overseeing his case to ease his pretrial travel restrictions and allow him to move within a 30-mile radius of the District of Columbia.

Santos' lawyer told U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Shields in a letter Wednesday that the embattled congressman has a "good faith basis" for requesting the change to the conditions of his release, which restricted his travel to Washington, D.C., New York's Long Island and New York City.

"In light of the small geographical area of the District of Columbia, there is a frequent need to travel outside the District of Columbia for usual and customary functions of someone who lives and works in the District of Columbia, such as dining, shopping, meetings, events, and even use of the local airports," Joseph Murray, Santos' lawyer said.