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Pardon Me, President Trump, But Don’t Forget Dinesh D’Souza
Townhall.com ^ | April 18, 2018 | Arthur Schaper

Posted on 04/17/2018 8:33:16 AM PDT by Kaslin

Presidential pardons have fallen under renewed scrutiny. Critics contend that President Trump is helping friends and fellow conservatives. He pardoned Sheriff Joe Arpaio following his conviction at the hand of a liberal federal judge. Trump also pardoned Kristian Saucier, convicted of federal crimes for taking photos in a submarine. Ultimately, the public is hearing heavy condemnation about these pardons only because of the media’s deranged anti-Trump hatred. Perhaps Trump should issue a blanket pardon for press agents like Jim Acosta, Rachel Maddow, and their illiberal ilk. They have engaged in massive corporate fraud and deception for decades. 

Trump’s latest pardon to invite press/establishment calumny features Irving Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney and then assistant to President George W. Bush. Libby’s nefarious crimes? Obstruction of justice, perjury, giving false statement, and much of a result of overzealous prosecution, all of it connected to leaks over former CIA Agent Valerie Plame. 

Is President Trump going too far with his pardons? Should the presidency still retain the power to pardon? Founding Father Alexander Hamilton had argued for this provision in order to secure the peace among competing combatants following domestic insurrections. The Framers were prescient beyond their years. Toward the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln intended to issue full pardons to every Confederate soldier who would repledge allegiance to the United States. “What is the best way to defeat an enemy? Make him your friend.” His successor, Democrat Andrew Johnson, issued a blanket pardon on Christmas Day 1868, despite (or perhaps because of) the animus between Executive Branch and the “Radical” Republican Congress. 

Pardons can also combat new, growing problems: Deep State corruption, overzealous prosecution, and judicial activism. In the case of Sheriff Joe, the Arizona District court order was unconstitutional. In his trial, he was not permitted a jury! Someone tell me how any of that is legal. Judicial tyranny is a threat to our Republic, and presidential pardons are essential to chipping away at the dictatorship of the bench. As for overzealous prosecution … Mueller and company are on a witch hunt, wasting millions to look for crimes. Trump pardoned Libby to signal how he will scuttle upcoming prosecutorial abuses. That’s a good thing.

As for deep state corruption, one criminal case comes to mind for which Trump needs to issue a pardon: Dinesh D’Souza. The case may have faded from public memory, so here’s a brief recap. In 2014, the young conservative writer and speaker was arraigned in a Manhattan federal court for a $20,000 campaign violation, as he had exceeding arbitrary limits. How? After reaching his own limit, D’Souza asked a friend to donate to a friend, then D’Souza paid back her friend. Honestly, why is this a crime to begin with? This case highlights how criminal law has lots its basis in mens rea, or criminal intent. People are going to jail for breaking laws they know nothing about! 

On top of that, this case showcased the aggressive, selective enforcement of the Obama Administration and his coven of left-wing U.S. attorneys. Other people had skirted campaign finance laws and spent more money, but they got a slap on the wrist and paid a fine.

D’Souza was prosecuted in a very public manner, then convicted of a felony. His otherwise liberal attorney was flabbergasted at the outrageous conduct of the federal judge presiding over the case. There was no reason for D’Souza to be sent up the river like that. None. Four years later, Congressional investigations have discovered a criminal dossier on D’Souza, which included special directions for the FBI to go after him because he was a frequent critic of the president. 

D’Souza’s conviction and confinement in a halfway house had their benefits. He found time and resources to report on the replete corruption of the Democratic Party, their determination to “steal America.” In spite of the attempted moral stain of a felony, the polished and erudite conservative intellect has not stayed from the political and academic fray. In fact, the unjust trial and conviction gave the former Reagan adviser more street cred.

Still, it’s absolutely ridiculous that he was damned so arbitrarily for something so minor, and the political machinations behind should horrify all of us. This power play by the Obama Administration showcases another example of overzealous persecution and the weaponization of the federal judiciary. These abuses must be confronted, condemned, and closed down. Trump can accomplish all of these goals with a fully justifiable pardon for Dinesh D’Souza. After all, former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards faced unconscionable indictments for purported campaign finance crimes, but was acquitted. The most outspoken conservatives recognized that the trial was heavy-handed in that case.

It certainly was for Dinesh. Pardon me, Mr. Trump, but you need to pardon Dinesh D’Souza!



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: dineshdsouza; pardon; presidenttrump
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1 posted on 04/17/2018 8:33:17 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
(Pardon Dinesh D'Souza)
2 posted on 04/17/2018 8:41:37 AM PDT by yoe
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To: Kaslin

Yeah, without a doubt. D’Souza was prosecuted by Obama solely because he was a political opponent who spoke out. Not much different than what Putin does to his opponents.

It is a disgrace upon this country that D’Souza was prosecuted and his pardon is more than warranted.


3 posted on 04/17/2018 8:51:42 AM PDT by Obadiah (Over 21,600 posts and only two unhappy FReepers. I must not be doing it right.)
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To: Kaslin

Not only a full pardon, but follow it up shortly with the “Presidential Medal of Freedom” which would be appropriate.


4 posted on 04/17/2018 8:57:00 AM PDT by fantail 1952 (There may be better than he is, just haven't found him yet!.)
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To: Obadiah

And that is exactly how the democRats feel about the ‘persecution’ of McCabe and Hitlary. Both of which will be pardoned as soon as a Rat is POTUS if it gets that far.


5 posted on 04/17/2018 8:57:41 AM PDT by deadrock
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To: Obadiah

His pardon is not just a must. It is factual


6 posted on 04/17/2018 9:01:04 AM PDT by Kaslin (Politicians are not born; they are excreted -Civilibus nati sunt; sunt excernitur. (Cicero)
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To: Kaslin

Yes!


7 posted on 04/17/2018 9:08:19 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: yoe

Signed & forwarded!!


8 posted on 04/17/2018 9:25:37 AM PDT by FES0844 (SGould the allow it. Hi call the shots. IÂ’m sure Laura would have stayed)
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To: Kaslin

“Critics contend that President Trump is helping friends and fellow conservatives.”

If Bill Clinton and Barack Obama can pardon dang near every radical and revolutionary from the 60s and 70s, then Trump can pardon whoever he wants.


9 posted on 04/17/2018 10:39:19 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Kaslin
There is a difference between Scooter and Dinesh, although they were both picked out to selectively prosecute.

Scooter didn't actually commit a crime, but Dinesh (unfortunately) did. Compared to what democrats do in hiding campaign contributions it was nothing, but he did knowingly break the law.

10 posted on 04/17/2018 10:46:35 AM PDT by Lakeshark (Trump. He stands for the great issues of the day. Stay the course!)
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Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: Max Tactical

Oh please

Being a good Christian is not required to get pardoned by potus

That pardon comes from Lord


12 posted on 04/17/2018 4:39:50 PM PDT by wardaddy (As a southerner I've never trusted the Grand Old Party.....any questions?)
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To: All

AND, Ramos and Campeon.


13 posted on 04/17/2018 6:21:45 PM PDT by jackibutterfly (It' funny (NOT ha! ha!). We dehumanize humans and humanize animals.)
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To: Kaslin; Pelham; Ohioan

Dinesen whatever his good side is clueless about the South

Hence frankly I’m ambivalent at best

Very few Yankees understand us

Laura Ingraham does a decent job as does Trump

Dinesh is like Beck obsessed with racism

The Wallace voting whites and Dixiecrats sure as shite did go to the GOP

Dinesh and Beck and Bitch Lowery and Goldberg and all the other neoconservatives and freeper neoyankee protestations to the contrary

Where did Dixiecrat voters go..

Evaporated ?

No they went GOP...I had some in my extended family ....I know exactly where they went

it my home state they went early....Goldwater

Reminds me of Jews refusing to claim Judah Benjamin


14 posted on 04/17/2018 8:12:15 PM PDT by wardaddy (As a southerner I've never trusted the Grand Old Party.....any questions?)
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To: yoe
Did you see his latest movie? He has a scene where he is in jail, sentenced by Obama. He is talking with several inmates, "hey whata in for?" It shows them laughing out loud as he tries to explain why he was sent to jail. "Well I loaned a friend some money so she could donate to a friends campaign and everything was paid back, it was over the legal limit, who knew?"

It was a laugh out loud scene, with prisoners shaking their heads and mocking the Potus and judge.

15 posted on 04/18/2018 1:00:33 PM PDT by thirst4truth (America, What difference does it make?)
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To: wardaddy; Pelham
You are completely correct about the Wallace vote--and I suspect that it was not only the White voters. I can personally attest, having been active in both the Goldwater (1964) & Wallace (1968) campaigns; that not only did most Wallace supporters end up voting Republican from the Reagan campaigns on, but that Wallace held back running in 1964 so as not to detract from the Goldwater effort.

Note also that it was because of the Goldwater movement that Strom Thurmond switched parties, providing the edge in 1980, 1984, 1992 and 2000. The Thurmond switch also provided the impetus for appointing Conservatives to the Supreme Court.

Also, note Bill Rusher of National Review wrote a book about the building of the new majority on these key switches in the mid 1970s. (He even called me, personally, for my thoughts in that connection.)

Personally, I would advocate pardoning D'Souza. But if he is a critic of Southern values--being himself, I believe a relative new comer to our shores--I find an arrogant need to attack the rooted population, if that is what he has done, utterly contemptible.

16 posted on 04/18/2018 1:33:56 PM PDT by Ohioan
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To: Ohioan; wardaddy

D’Souza once tweeted a photograph of Hillary that included a small Battle Flag in the background- D’Souza believing that that would add to the evidence of Hillary’s moral depravity.

Of course the photo turned out to be fake, but Dinesh’s pc moral preening was the real thing. Recent imports usually drink the neocon koolaid which includes demonizing the South. Makes them feel virtuous and superior to the natives.

The most vile thing D’Souza did was the same stunt that Frum pulled, targeting paleos as the enemy of the civilized world. Frum chose Buchanan, D’Souza targeted Sam Francis and pretty well wrecked his career. Sam Francis arguably was the proto Trump, defining years before the coalition and policies that Trump champions.

A Sam Francis archive:
http://www.sobran.com/fgf/francis/archive2008.shtml


17 posted on 04/18/2018 2:26:01 PM PDT by Pelham (California, a subsidiary of Mexico, Inc.)
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Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: Max Tactical

You don’t have to be a Christian to get a potus pardon

I’m riding with that

Fire away


19 posted on 04/18/2018 7:52:57 PM PDT by wardaddy (As a southerner I've never trusted the Grand Old Party.....any questions?)
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To: Pelham
Frum is another one who deserves nothing but contempt. Here was my suggestion, a few years back:

Frum To Haiti

Those who come here--presumably for some honorable reason, and repay us by seeking to stir hostility among obviously better rooted Americans, destroy any claim to integrity or honor, by reason of their hostile conduct. We all know about cultural hospitality, has it ever been so sorely abused as by these arrogant clods--and that is how I see them--who spit in our faces?

I would love to engage them in a debate. They woould not enjoy it, I assure you.

20 posted on 04/19/2018 9:52:15 AM PDT by Ohioan
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