The West Virginia Republican Party has cancelled a speaking event featuring conservative author Dinesh D’Souza just before an upcoming sentencing date.
The cancellation of D’Souza’s speech at a West Virginia GOP “Victory Dinner” comes amid pressure from Democrats and the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in the state, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito.
Earlier in the year D’Souza was indicted on federal charges on breaking campaign finance laws. In May he pleaded guilty to campaign finance violation and could face over a year in prison. D’Souza is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23. The speaking event was planned for four days before that.
In response, The West Virginia Democratic Party charged that the West Virginia Republican Party was supporting actions of “an admitted felon who famously violated campaign finance laws,” according to National Review. The West Virginia Democrats called that an “insult” to voters in the state.
The Charleston Daily Mail also reported that Capito had decided not to attend the event. A spokeswoman for Capito said she did not support the invite of D’Souza.
“Neither the campaign or Shelley had any knowledge of the decision to invite D’Souza to speak nor do we agree with the invitation,” Capito spokeswoman Amy Graham said according to the West Virginia newspaper. “Shelley will not be attending the event and she will not allow her name to be associated with the event in any way.”
The event where D’Souza was expected to speak is expected to still happen, just at another date either in September or October. The West Virginia GOP said it did not know about D’Souza’s sentencing date when he was scheduled to speak.
