Dinesh D'Souza faces a couple of years in jail for his role in making sure his Senate candidate had plenty of money. But in the classic conservative "do it now, apologize later" style, he is throwing himself on the mercy of the court and hoping to tutor new immigrants or something.
In a Wednesday court filing, D'Souza's lawyers said their client will present himself as a "disgraced and humiliated man" who acted out of character by having two "straw donors" donate $10,000 each to his friend Wendy Long's unsuccessful 2012 U.S. Senate campaign in New York, and then reimbursing them.
The sentencing recommendation includes an unusual statement from D'Souza, 53, to U.S. District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan, who will impose sentence at a Sept. 23 hearing.
D'Souza said the means he chose to help Long, a Republican he had known since both attended Dartmouth College, was "completely aberrant," and has led to his credibility as a public figure to be called into question. He added there was "zero chance" he would commit the crime again.
"I cannot believe how stupid I was, how careless, and how irresponsible," D'Souza wrote.
"I took a short-cut, knowing that there was a campaign limit and trying to get around the limit," he continued. "This should not have happened, and I am ashamed and contrite that it did."
The Mumbai-born D'Souza, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1991, proposed community service that could involve teaching, instructing new immigrants in English, or working at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego.
Here's the thing. D'Souza knew exactly what he was doing. Exactly. And if he doesn't have a penalty that stings, he's going to do it again, or encourage someone else to do it again.
Also? I don't want that guy influencing young people in any way, shape or form. That means teaching, working at the Boys and Girls Club, or instructing new immigrants in English. Not acceptable.
