Conservative filmmaker and author Dinesh D’Souza pleaded guilty Tuesday to breaking federal law by shelling out $20,000 in contributions in the name of others for Republican Wendy Long’s failed 2012 US Senate bid to defeat incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
“I knew that causing a campaign contribution to me made in the name of another was wrong and something the law forbids,” a soft-spoken D’Souza told Manhattan federal Judge Richard Berman. “I deeply regret my conduct.”
Both he and his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, declined further comment afterwards.
Under the plea deal, D’Souza — who directed the controversial flick “2016: Obama’s America” — faces 10 to 16 months behind bars when he’s sentenced Sept. 23, although Brafman is expected to seek a non-prison sentence. He also faces $250,000 in fines.
Assistant US Attorney Carrie Cohen outlined the government’s charges against D’Souza, saying he allegedly made two $10,000 donations on behalf of two “close associate” and their spouses.
One of the close associates was Denise Odie Joseph II, who was reportedly D’Souza’s mistress. She wrote a $10,000 check out to Long on behalf of herself and her husband, Louis, and was reimbursed the next day in cash by D’Souza.
Had the case gone to trial, Cohen said, Long would’ve testified that D’Souza lied to her about the source of the donations. The straw donors, Cohen added, also would’ve testified against D’Souza, who resigned under fire as president of the Christian-teaching King’s College in 2012 following allegations he was having an extramarital affair.
Under federal law, candidates can’t receive more than $5,000 per contributor or $10,000 per married couple for election campaigns.
D’Souza had faced up to two years in jail and three years of supervised release if he didn’t plead guilty.
Born in Mumbai, India, D’Souza, 52, is also a former policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan.
Long, who graduated from Dartmouth College in 1982, a year before D’Souza, issued a statement saying she is “heartbroken” over the matter and claiming the statute the government used to “target” D’Souza “is unconstitutional.”
“When our government criminalizes the very free speech that the First Amendment was written to protect, sends people to prison for simply exercising their constitutional rights, and when government power is wielded like weapon against political enemies, we are all in trouble,” she said.
Long, who graduated from Dartmouth College in 1982, a year before D’Souza, issued a statement saying she is “heartbroken” over the matter and claiming the statute the government used to “target” D’Souza “is unconstitutional.”
“When our government criminalizes the very free speech that the First Amendment was written to protect, sends people to prison for simply exercising their constitutional rights, and when government power is wielded like weapon against political enemies, we are all in trouble,” she said. ” There is no corruption here, and this entire episode is a shameful government overreach and a violation of the US Constitution.”