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Posted on 01/26/2014 6:48:03 PM PST by SeekAndFind
The indictment of a major critic of the president has elicited little more than yawns from the media.
This is a case where you don’t even have to connect the dots. Just read a little history:
After news broke Thursday that federal prosecutors had charged conservative commentator, author, film-maker and professional Obama-basher Dinesh D’Souza with violating campaign finance laws, Walter Olson at the Overlawyered blog posted on the relatively mild civil sanction meted out to a “big-league trial lawyer” who’d done pretty much the same thing D’Souza is accused of. D’Souza has been indicted for allegedly paying $20,000 to reimburse straw donors to the campaign of Republican Senate candidate Wendy Long, who lost a 2012 contest against incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand. Arkansas trial lawyer Tab Turner, as Overlawyered recounted in 2006, reimbursed donors of $8,000 to John Edwards’ 2004 presidential campaign and just had to cough up a $9,500 civil fine. By highlighting the contrast in his post Thursday, Olson seemed to be suggesting that D’Souza has been selectively targeted for prosecution because he’s so critical of the Obama administration.
Former acting U.S. attorney general George Terwilliger of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius raised the same suggestion in an interview Friday. Terwilliger, who served in the administration of two Republican presidents and later defended noted Los Angeles lawyer Pierce O’Donnell against campaign finance charges similar to those leveled against D’Souza, told me there are “legitimate questions that could be asked about the political motivation for bringing the case.” Want more conspiracy theorism? Dominic Gentile of Gordon Silver, who represented Nevada campaign finance defendant Harvey Whittemore, conducted exhaustive research on so-called conduit payments of the sort D’Souza is accused of making. In Whittemore’s sentencing memo, he documented civil and criminal penalties in “straw donor” cases. “Twenty thousand dollars?” Gentile told me. “I’ve never heard of a $20,000 criminal case” for campaign finance violations.” And at D’Souza’s arraignment Friday in Manhattan federal court, his own lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, told U.S. District Judge Richard Berman that whatever D’Souza did, his conduct wasn’t criminal.
This thing stinks to high heaven of political motivation.
First, there is this very curious note in the DoJ press release on how D’Souza’s crime was discovered:
The Indictment is the result of a routine review by the FBI of campaign filings with the FEC by various candidates after the 2012 election for United States Senator in New York. Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the FBI.
How is it possible that a measly $20,000 in donations could leap out at investigators during a “routine review”? Most people charged with this crime front hundreds of thousands of dollars — and end up with far lesser charges. And are we to believe this “routine review” only snared Mr. D’Souza? If $20,000 in contributions leapt out at the FBI, are we to believe that D’Souza is the only contributor guilty of setting up straw donations? Where are the other lawbreakers?
And why refer to D’Souza as a “former college president” rather than what he’s vastly more famous for — a conservative writer and filmmaker — if not to attempt to obscure the political nature of the prosecution?
The press release goes out of its way to mention D’Souza could go to jail for his crimes:
D’SOUZA, 52, of San Diego, California, is charged with one count of causing $20,000 in illegal campaign contributions to be made to a candidate for the United States Senate in calendar year 2012, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. He also is charged with one count of causing false statements to be made to the FEC in connection with the illegal campaign contributions, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
But as the Reuters blog points out, prosecuting and sending someone to jail for funneling $20 grand illegally to a campaign is unheard of.
Armed with this kind of information, you would think one — or maybe two — beat reporters at Justice would bestir themselves to at least ask Holder’s hack press secretary some questions along the lines of those raised above. Perhaps a talk with the FBI might be in order as well.
In both instances, they will get the usual runaround (“we don’t comment on open criminal cases”). But this case is apparently so unusual that you would think someone inside DoJ might be willing to fill in some blanks.
There’s nothing new about politically motivated prosecutions. But this particular prosecution seems so petty, so petulant, that only someone schooled in Chicago Way politics would approve it.
Does that bring anyone to mind? Bueller? Bueller?
Dinesh should apply for his PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) card at the nearest Indian consulate and make this an international incident, now that he’s a political prisoner in America.
Stinks indeed.
This is nothing but revenge for his movie, Obama 2016. That’s all this is. He pissed off the Chicago mob up in the District of Corruption.
It might be best to fund D’Souza’s defense and force the government to expose their methods. These campaign filings are public record. Go back and find others, but focus on Democrats. We need to punch back twice as hard. Bury the FBI in leads and then ask why no action is being taken. Keep this story in the news and it’s good for at least a half dozen House seats, plus another Senate seat.
This is absolutely the Chicago Way. I live here and that’s SOP. It isn’t Old School, it still happens today. Cross the Machine and you’ll pay and pay. Go along and they’ll pay you.
What there are is whores.
Can be referred to as Jo-whore-no-lists.
Every Republican interview response to an MSM question must include the throwaway line “as a Democrat Party supporter you...”
Let them squirm and deny that they’re not an arm of the DNC. Did you hear Cruz’s interview with CBS’s Bob Scheiffer?
Maybe they think that the Presidency will always be in Democrat hands from here on out so they will never need to worry about a future Republican administration targeting Democrats...or they know that the media would raise hell if it did.
The Democrats like to claim Thomas Jefferson as the founder of their party. The current Democrat President seems to take his motto from something written by Jefferson: "a long train of abuses and usurpations."
But D'Souza's candidate lost. Not good enough for libs.
Any and all persons who have the AUDACITY to oppose Obama shall and will be punished severely.
Why the press is silent on this I don't know.
Eventually there will be a republican AG, and IF they try this crap, see if it flies.
BTW, I've always wondered about the GOVERNMENT "loans" to "green energy" companies that went bankrupt, yet nobody "knows" what happened to the $.
No products created or delivered, but PLENTY of large bonuses for "executives".
And we're not talking 20 K.
We're talking 500 MILLION to Solyndra alone.
I'd wager 500 million dollars that a large amount of that cash went into indirect donations to democratic candidates.
I suspect that D’Souza didn’t directly repay these people for their donations. What likely is the case is that they work for D’Souza. The government will build the case that their salary/remuneration was a direct repayment for their donation. I don’t think there is a real case here.
You need to put this in the context of Schumer statment at the same time advocating using the IRS to target the Tea Party.... multiple agencies being used target the president’s political enemies this thing is far worse then just this one thing..
I just mentioned this story & it’s lack of media coverage about an hour ago.
The silence is deafening.
That’s another win this could bring us. I think the publicity tied to the IRS issue is a winner with the mushy middle. Abuse of power, etc. doesn’t sit well with the voters.
This is another opportunity here: “D’Souza was released on a $500,000 bond”. That’s not excessive? He only has to put down $50K AFAIK, but he’s a flight risk?
Everything stinks with these LIB/DIM degenerates “in charge”.
I think the current Indian government might support him.
Do you mind telling us who is streaming this free?
the myriad $200 donations to obama from overseas comes to mind.......
Dinesh, College Republicans, and Young America’s Foundation.
http://www.dineshdsouza.com/archives/news/dsouza-debate-bill-ayers-whats-great-america/
Thanks for the info and the link. Will go there in the morning when I can. Much appreciated.
A pleasure, FRiend! :)
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