Speaking to Fox News’ Megyn Kelly Tuesday night, a relieved and smiling Dinesh D’Souza spoke out for the first time after being sentenced to eight months in a community confinement facility in San Diego, along with five years of probation.
D’Souza told the Fox host that even though the prosecution was an effort to put him “out of business,” his faith in an “independent judiciary is affirmed.” The conservative author was charged in January for violating campaign finance rules, and pled guilty in May.
“I think I’ve got a big smile on my face now I think I’ve had for several hours. I can’t wipe it off because this was really an effort put me out of business,” said the conservative filmmaker. “Today, my faith in an independent judiciary is affirmed. My own country tried to get me and put me away, and the court said no.”
The creator of “America: Imagine The World Without Her” was especially thankful that he’ll be able to continue what he does for a living without the speed bump of jailtime.
“If I was locked up I wouldn’t be able to make a film in an election year, 2016. Now I can do my work, I can continue to write books, and I can continue to function,” D’Souza said.
As part of the community service portion of his sentence, for which he thanked the judge, D’Souza will be teaching new immigrants English, referring to it as “the good part of my sentence.”
“Believe me, they’ll all be Republicans by the end of it,” he added.