Controversial Dinesh D’Souza tweets resurface after Trump announces pardon

Twitter users reacted to President Trump’s announcement of a pardon for conservative activist Dinesh D’Souza on Thursday by resurfacing old tweets made by the convicted author, some of which his critics have called racist.

Trump announced Thursday in a tweet that he plans to pardon D’Souza because of his “unfair” treatment by the Obama administration. D’Souza pleaded guilty in 2014 to making illegal campaign contributions.

“Will be giving a Full Pardon to Dinesh D’Souza today. He was treated very unfairly by our government!” Trump tweeted.

{mosads}Both journalists and others chimed in with criticism of D’Souza, accusing him of posting racist messages and attacking school shooting survivors.

“Imagine making fun of kids being murdered. THIS IS WHO DINESH D’SOUZA IS,” wrote musician Mikel Jollett, a member of the band Airborne Toxic Event, who also accused D’Souza of being an apologist for racist stereotypes.

D’Souza in the past promoted the false “birther” conspiracy that former President Obama was born outside of the United States and was thus ineligible for the White House.

Imagine making fun of kids being murdered.

THIS IS WHO DINESH D’SOUZA IS. pic.twitter.com/SSPMTN2l9l

— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) May 31, 2018

“The Big Bang Theory” executive producer Bill Prady joined in the criticism, posting a tweet D’Souza made about  Obama in which the writer says Americans are “cowering in embarrassment” of the president.

“A sample tweet from the fellow the president just pardoned. Enjoy the fun use of the words ‘boy’ and ‘ghetto’ in reference to a black man. Join in—post your own racist D’Souza tweet with the hashtag #racistpardon,” Prady encouraged his followers.

A sample tweet from the fellow the president just pardoned. Enjoy the fun use of the words “boy” and “ghetto” in reference to a black man. Join in—post your own racist D’Souza tweet with the hashtag #racistpardon pic.twitter.com/u6LweN6s5s

— Bill Prady (@billprady) May 31, 2018

In another controversial tweet, posted by Everytown for Gun Safety founder Shannon Watts, D’Souza referred to Obama as a “grown-up Trayvon,” referring to the black teenager Trayvon Martin who was shot and killed in Florida by George Zimmerman in 2012.

{mosads}

NBC News political reporter Benjy Sarlin remarked that the conservative author’s Twitter feed resembles that of fired ABC star Roseanne Barr, who lost her show after posting a tweet calling a former Obama aide the hypothetical love child of the Muslim Brotherhood and “Planet of the Apes.”

“Not that it affects the legal case, but Dinesh D’Souza’s twitter feed looks like Roseanne’s x 1,000 and is what he’s been known for in recent years. There’s a separate message getting sent there too with this pardon,” Sarlin wrote.

Not that it affects the legal case, but Dinesh D’Souza’s twitter feed looks like Roseanne’s x 1,000 and is what he’s been known for in recent years. There’s a separate message getting sent there too with this pardon. https://t.co/aDKjkqYiXT

— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) May 31, 2018

A number of other journalists, activists and writers also resurfaced old tweets by D’Souza:

Trump pardons Dinesh D’Souza, another abhorrent, xenophobic racist.

Exhibit A: D’Souza’s horribly racist tweet about President Obama in 2015. pic.twitter.com/8QpQoFyofV

— Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) May 31, 2018

I wonder what Trump likes about Dinesh D’Souza so much pic.twitter.com/WvfLKWviEd

— Matt Novak (@paleofuture) May 31, 2018

#TBT https://t.co/Oq4zgsuKMu

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) May 31, 2018

This is Dinesh D’Souza. pic.twitter.com/kjwvVzIL5g

— Greg Hogben (@MyDaughtersArmy) May 31, 2018

Others, however, came to D’Souza’s defense, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

“Bravo! @realDonaldTrump Dinesh was the subject of a political prosecution, brazenly targeted by the Obama administration bc of his political views. And he’s a powerful voice for freedom, systematically dismantling the lies of the Left—which is why they hate him. This is Justice,” Cruz wrote on Twitter.

Bravo! @realDonaldTrump Dinesh was the subject of a political prosecution, brazenly targeted by the Obama administration bc of his political views. And he’s a powerful voice for freedom, systematically dismantling the lies of the Left—which is why they hate him. This is Justice. https://t.co/cGHzcgwSnK

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 31, 2018

“I must admit I am a bit astonished that Ted Cruz would forcefully come out and call this person a voice for freedom,” wrote CBS News reporter Sopan Deb in response to Cruz’s tweet.

D’Souza’s clemency would mark the fifth full pardon issued by Trump in his first year and a half in office. He has also pardoned former Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former Bush administration official I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby.