Conservative commentator, author Dinesh D'Souza indicted
(CNN) - Conservative commentator and author Dinesh D'Souza has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of making illegal contributions to a U.S. Senate campaign.
D'Souza allegedly made and arranged $20,000 in campaign donations to an unnamed campaign in 2012 and then reimbursed those who were directed to make contributions, according to the charges handed up in New York City.
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Federal election law limits individual campaign contributions to a federal candidate to $2,500 each for a primary and general election campaign.
The law also bars any person from making contributions in the name of others or reimbursing another person's contribution.
D'Souza, 52, of San Diego, was charged with one count of making illegal campaign donations in the name of others and a second count of making false statements about those donations, authorities said.
"As we have long said, this Office and the FBI take a zero tolerance approach to corruption of the electoral process. If, as alleged, the defendant directed others to make contributions to a Senate campaign and reimbursed them, that is a serious violation of federal campaign finance laws," Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.
D'Souza attorney Benjamin Brafman said in a statement the indictment does not allege a corrupt relationship between his client and the candidate.
"Simply put, there was no 'quid pro quo' in this case, nor was there even any knowledge by the candidate that campaign finance rules may have been violated. Mr. D'Souza did not act with any corrupt or criminal intent whatsoever," Brafman said.
"He and the candidate have been friends since their college days, and at worst, this was an act of misguided friendship by D'Souza," he added.
A noted conservative activist, D'Souza is a former policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan. He also directed a 2012 documentary, "2016: Obama's America," that was highly critical of President Barack Obama and based on his book "The Roots of Obama's Rage."
D'Souza is expected to be arraigned in Manhattan federal court on Friday.
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And this, of course, was in no way a political hit by our beloved Hope and Change President, Barack Obama.
Dinesh D'Souza / Chris Christie 2016
"Simply put, there was no 'quid pro quo' in this case, nor was there even any knowledge by the candidate that campaign finance rules may have been violated. Mr. D'Souza did not act with any corrupt or criminal intent whatsoever,
Another GOP sleazebag bites the dust.
It's part of being GOP
During Reagan's administration, over 250 people were indicted for bribes in the EPA alone – does the GOP really think we forget the worst President of all – Richard Nixon and the lies that the Bush/Cheney team told us over and over just in the last decade? As an indepedent, I have no desire to vote republican and am not proud of the current crop of anti-government foes....it's the corporations trying to blame the government and the Tea Party is responsible for this big lie.
A policy advisor to a president and does not campaign finance laws? Really?!
Through him in jail and through away the key!!!!
I suppose this, too, will be declared by the conservative echo chamber to be another example of persecution by the evil liberal media. There has to be a Benghazi angle to this story - Hillary Clinton is behind this somehow.
lie and sucker for money... He going to jail.
this administration plays like sissies, wait awhile and strike out with their enemies list, girly men, obama and holder
Good riddance to bad trash...
I guess this means the film is true.
Maybe there is justice in the world?
Chicago politic using the FBI and the DOJ.
No surprise. It's most likely a vendetta by this Presidency.
Radical extremist Guns Over People tea potty wingnut involved. ALWAYS follow the money.
So eager to corrupt, he forces others dependent on him to break the law, all Republican voters I'm sure. Perfect example of what's wrong with our system . Laws like that were carefully crafted to eliminate corruption, and Mitch McConnell was advocating the supreme court to eliminate those barriers, while the government was in shutdown. He couldn't work on getting that fixed, but had plenty of time to work for rich business owner looking to contribute big money. If your not rich, you simply have no real reason to vote for them, economic model, tax breaks for the rich help the working class: please, all statistics, and history prove that absolutely false.
I know why boehner doesn't run for president, he would be pummelled! Their parties candidates look like a white collar lineup, and simply have nothing for the very class of americans that made this country great, they really gotta go.
Did he show his ID at the voting booth? That's what I want to know.
He sounds like another victim to me, ah, the joys of never having to say your sorry.
That's the political attack for his film, exposing the real Obama. Obama is creating legal charges against any and all who oppose him.........the mark of a true dictator.
-Perry Tanko
And this, of course, was in no way a political hit by our beloved Hope and Change President, Barack Obama.
****************
Oh no, it was an honest mistake by a man who has spent virtually all of his adult life in and around politics, and just forgot the rules. If you believe that, you also still believe that Nixon was framed. I did see you've gone to defense #1, which is to blame the president.
Dems and repubs are bought and paid for by political donors and special interest groups. We need to revamp the election process to get rid of all bribe dollars.
@Rick McDaniel
That's the political attack for his film, exposing the real Obama. Obama is creating legal charges against any and all who oppose him.........the mark of a true dictator.
Back to the dictator rant Rick? Can't you be even a little bit original?
Um, Well,
Limiting the amount you can give to a political canidiate is like restricting free speech. That is the only way the low life liberal's can level the playing field. Just ask why many cities are viying for the next Republican Convention. Republican's bring money! Democrats bring brown bags. Republican's provide jobs. Democrats ???
Waaaaaaahhhhhh – it's unfair that a con should be indicted when there's a Dem in the WH!!!! NO cons should be held to the law when there's a Dem "in control"! This whole incident was made up by the WH and the "librul media"!!! It's a hit job I tells ya – and entirely unfair!!!
@Malory- Battleground Texas(liberal group) is cryin` hit job after they were caught making fun of Texas AG Abbott for being in a wheelchair. Both sides have their bad apples.