President Donald Trump has announced on Twitter that he will fully pardon conservative writer Dinesh D’Souza on Thursday. D’Souza was convicted of making an illegal campaign contribution of $20,000 (£15,000) in 2014 to a New York politician.
D’Souza was sentenced to five years of probation for violating federal campaign law. Mr Trump said on Thursday D’Souza “was treated very unfairly”. D’Souza, who is a conservative filmmaker and political commentator, pleaded guilty in 2014 to using straw donors to illegal contribute money to a Senate campaign for his friend Wendy Long.
This would be Mr Trump’s fifth full pardon. Among the president’s prior pardons are Arizona Sherriff Joe Arpaio and former Bush White House aide Scooter Libby.
Who is Dinesh D’Souza?
D’Souza, who is a conservative filmmaker and political commentator, pleaded guilty in 2014 to using straw donors to illegal contribute money to a Senate campaign for his friend Wendy Long. He has stirred controversy on social media for his offensive comments directed towards former President Barack Obama.
In 2013, following the shooting of Trayvon Martin, D’Souza tweeted: “I am thankful this week when I remember that America is big enough and great enough to survive Grown-Up Trayvon in the White House!” More recently he made headlines when he criticised survivors of the Parkland, Florida school shooting in February that left 17 people dead.
Credit: BBC
