If this guy doesn't wind up in jail, then there is simply no justice in America. Right-wing anti-ACORN filmmaker James O'Keefe and three accomplices were arrested today for attempting to wiretap the phones in the New Orleans office of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA). From Politico:
"The complaint said that Flanagan and Basel each entered the premises, wearing light green fluorescent vests, denim paints and blue work shirts, tool belts and hard hats. They informed a member of Landrieu’s staff that they were telephone repairmen and requested access to the main telephone at the reception desk. At that point, the two men allegedly attempted to manipulate telephones and accessed the telephone closet, saying they needed to work on the entire system. The men, who said they left their credentials in their vehicles, were arrested by the U.S. Marshal’s Service soon afterward."How fucking stupid are these guys?! Trying to bug a Senator's phone?! And one of the accomplices is the son of the acting US Attorney for the state of Louisiana (a loyal Bushie of course)!! All four men are facing up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Since the crime happened in Louisiana, these four criminals could get special treatment (i.e. leniency) due to their personal and political connections. Personally, I think the acting US Attorney for Louisiana, Bill Flanagan, needs to resign. There is no way he or his office could be objective and not favor the defendants when one of them is his son. Besides, he's a Bushie who needs to go.
Some of you may remember when Mr. O'Keefe and an accomplice named Hannah Giles posed as a pimp and prostitute and tried to embarrass some low level staffers at an ACORN office or two. The right-wing media went crazy over the story, and the Republican party tried to illegally block all public money going to the organization that helps the poor.
I wonder how the wingnuts at Fox and in the blogosphere will bend over backwards to defend their golden boy, O'Keefe. Shit, rightie blogger Andrew Breitbart organized the entire ACORN smear and has been paying O'Keefe the entire time. At this time, Breitbart denies all knowledge of this crime, but he is a notorious liar. Chances are he is doing what he does best...lying.
UPDATE (1/27/10): The Republican Party of Salt Lake City, Utah (arguably one of the most conservative cities on earth) has canceled its invitation for O'Keefe to speak at its Feb 4th fundraiser.
I wonder how the wingnuts at Fox and in the blogosphere will bend over backwards to defend their golden boy, O'Keefe. Shit, rightie blogger Andrew Breitbart organized the entire ACORN smear and has been paying O'Keefe the entire time. At this time, Breitbart denies all knowledge of this crime, but he is a notorious liar. Chances are he is doing what he does best...lying.
UPDATE (1/27/10): The Republican Party of Salt Lake City, Utah (arguably one of the most conservative cities on earth) has canceled its invitation for O'Keefe to speak at its Feb 4th fundraiser.
28 comments:
Wow! Have another sip of that progressive Kool Aid, Splash!
If this guy is indeed guilty as charged then he should indeed be punished and not given leniency.
This sounds pretty foolish of a stunt to me anyway.
As for the capturing ACORN employees on tape COMMITTING or being complicit in committing crimes, well this gentleman did some damned good investigative journalism. (Something the mainstream state-controlled media used to do once upon a time.)
ACORN is corrupt and rightly so had all of their public funding removed accordingly. If you are sticking up for ACORN in that fiasco then I have some serious reservations regarding you, sir.
That being said, this does not entitle him to bug a senator's phone. Pretty stupid act there...
The AG should recuse him from anything to do with the case though. Resigning is a little over the top though, I would think.
Hell, if every connected Democrat parent resigned every time one of their kids got caught doing something stupid, the Republicans would be the ones with the fillibuster proof majority in congress now. :)
and the Republican party tried to illegally block all public money going to the organization that helps the poor- to start brothels by using the human trafficing of children.
oops.
Oh, Paine...always willing to give the benefit of the doubt to any lying, corrupt scumbag, as long as they call themselves a conservative. But I have a question for you. Is this O'Keefe a prankster as you claim, or a "damned good investigative journalist"? Not sure you can be both. I don't remember Walter Cronkite (hell, or even Brit Hume) dressing up like some 70s stereotype of a pimp or try and break into a Senator's office. He is a right wing saboteur who is playing politics -- nothing else. Everyone on the right (including you apparently) applauded him for illegally taping his meetings with low level staffers, and they blew it up in an attempt to attack President Obama. Didn't work.
It's funny, if some violent murderers from Blackwater run around Iraq murdering civilians, the right always defends them, says it was just some "bad apples" and claims you can't blame the entire company. With ACORN, you found an isolated example of a poor employee, and you condemn the entire organization. Nice double standard there.
The US Attny needs to do more than simply recuse himself. All of his subordinates would be tasked with prosecuting their boss's son. Seems like that might hinder their abilities to do their job well. The guy needs to go.
As for free...I don't what the fuck you are talking about. ACORN has never trafficked children. That is a 100% made up lie - by you - with the intent of slandering the organization. What is it about an organization that helps the poor that pisses you off so much? If you want to be even marginally credible on anything, perhaps you should try introducing a fact or two into your comments. Just a thought.
First, I was thinking more along the lines of 60 Minutes reporters etc or Bob Woodward that used to dig to get a story. That is all but gone nowadays.
Evidently, like most of the leftists, you never paid attention to the orginal O'Keefe story other than what Daily Kos had to say about it. Go back to my blog and see the unedited videotapes for yourself. (9/12/09 posting)
O'Keefe went into multiple branches of ACORN all around the country and only ONE refused to help him set up his hypothetical brothel with underage foreign girls. THAT is what Free was referring to in his comment. This corrupt organization was caught red handed multiple times in multiple locations.
Tax payer money should never be given to such a partisan group EVER, particularly when it is used to illegally register trumped up and fraudulent votes for Democratic causes.
You know what else? I NEVER saw a single mention of O'Keefe on the statist MSM when he first brought the ACORN debacle to light; however, I flipped passed that jackass extraordiare Keith Olberman last night and O'Keefe's arrest made his progressive daily countdown. Funny how this is only publicized by the left when it suits their political agenda.
Lastly, as I recall, the Black Water folks were exonerated of all charges against them I believe.
I can state with 100% certainty that MSNBC covered the crap out of the so-called ACORN story. I can't speak for CNN or the networks. But, more interestingly, is why the MSM didn't cover O'Keefe's arrest at all yesterday. Nothing on ABC, CBS, or NBC Nightly News, and barely a mention on Fox except to defend the guy and say the story "needs more context." Really? What context does one need to understand breaking into a Senator's office.
ACORN is and always was non-partisan. That is a fact. There has NEVER been a single case made or proven that a single fraudulent vote has EVER been cast by someone registered by ACORN. You guys on the right can keep up with the bogus accusations, but there is no "there" there.
There are thousands of ACORN offices throughout the country. How many did O'Keefe go to? 4? 5? Hardly proves anything, if you ask me. Shit, you guys on the right defended KBR/Halliburton when its stated policy is that if a male staffer RAPES a female staffer, said female cannot file charges in court. It must be handled through corporate arbitration. 35 Republican Senators voted against outlawing such a practice. So, which is worse...some huckster pretending to be a pimp "exposing" some rookie dummie at ACORN, or a company that takes billions of tax dollars condoning rape. I'll saide with ACORN, my friend.
Lastly, the Blackwater murderers were not exonerated, a conservative, activist judge threw out the charges. Very different. But, I guess it's only judicial activism when it's a leftie, eh?
He is a right wing saboteur who is playing politics
I guess he can't be that awsome, the folks at ACORN were more than happy to help him traffic some Salvadorian kids into the states to be sex slaves, in seperate offices in 4 seperate States no less.
It's funny, if some violent murderers from Blackwater run around Iraq murdering civilians,
All charges dropped and the judge in the case is bringing charges against the prosecutors for ethics violations in rules of evidence on that case.
ACORN was on tape offering tax advice to human slave traders. Bit o' a difference eh? You can go ahead and CLICK THE LINK I GAVE YOU to hear that John Stweart guy from the Daily Show- Conservative shill he is!- tell you all about it... and show the tapes of the ACORN staff explaining to Mr. O'Keefe how to bring chidren into the country illigally for purposes of prostitution against thier will. So nope, not a lie- they were caught red handed offering the advice for a whoping 100.00 dollar fee, hate to be the bearer of bad news to you on that one.
But don't take it from me, take it from that wing-nut NeoCon John Stewart.
What is it about an organization that helps the poor that pisses you off so much?
I would say the tax fraud and trafficing in underage girls. Or at least the willingness to do it. Yeah, pretty much that.
As for only, ONLY ONLY! 4 or 5 offices BUSTED being totally down with sex slavery... I mean seriously how many ACORN offices do you need before you're like... um this is more like orginized crime than helping the poor.
Unless of course your definition of helping the poor is El Salvadorian sex slavery which in that case they do a fabulous job.
Once again, you proved nothing. How many children have been sold into slavery by ACORN? Even one? No. So, your claim that they have engaged in the practice is bogus. Try having at least a little proof before making such a strong accusation.
Interesting how neither you nor Paine have come up with a plausible excuse as to what O'Keefe and his right wing hoodlums were doing in Sen Landreau's office. If this was reversed, and some guy from Daily KOS or something broke into David Vitter's office, you guys would be calling for him to be sent to Gitmo. But, typically, when someone calls themself a conservative, the rules/laws simply don't apply.
And, lastly, ACORN's funding was not cut off. The attempt to do so was unconstitutional. Have you ever heard of a bill of attainder?
And just for the record, I am not defending the actions of the couple of idiotic ACORN staffers who were caught in that sting. They were incompetent fools, and deserved to be fired (funny how the GWB White House had less accountability than ACORN). But to draw conclusions about the entire organization based on these isolated incidents is just plain stupid.
And you saw the footage of O'Keefe in his successful stings. Did you see all of his footage? The footage where he was told to leave the ACORN offices, the footage where was told he could not be helped in his quest to be a 1970's pimp? No, of course not. Because he is not a journalist. He is little more than a younger version of Glenn Beck. He only presented a very limited, highly politicized, version of events. Sure, that fits the definition of journalism according to Fox News, but for those with actual standards, it is quite pathetic.
From free0352's hero Michelle Malkin in a rare instance of honesty about O'Keefe's criminal activity: "The Times-Picayune has not posted the full FBI affidavit, but the details they have are damning. This is neither a time to joke nor a time to recklessly accuse Democrats/liberals of setting this up — nor a time to whine about media coverage double standards. Deal with what’s on the table."
Once again, you proved nothing. How many children have been sold into slavery by ACORN?
I dunno, how many?
So, your claim that they have engaged in the practice is bogus.
They were totally willing to do it. Like, enthusiastic. You could tell it wasn't the first time they'd done something shady.
Try having at least a little proof before making such a strong accusation.
I thought the video of them agreeing to do it was pretty compelling. I guess all that kool-aid counter acts your common sense.
Interesting how neither you nor Paine have come up with a plausible excuse as to what O'Keefe and his right wing hoodlums were doing in Sen Landreau's office.
Thats because it's clearly illigal. Which I said, on my blog, before you posted this thead.
If this was reversed, and some guy from Daily KOS or something broke into David Vitter's office, you guys would be calling for him to be sent to Gitmo
Federal Prison perhaps, though I think a short jail sentence and a stiff fine would take care of this nicely.
And, lastly, ACORN's funding was not cut off.
And that's sad because now you have to wonder how many criminals are getting cheap tax advice and home loans at taxpayer expence.
And just for the record, I am not defending the actions of the couple of idiotic ACORN staffers who were caught in that sting.
No you're not, because you can't possibly. You're just trying to say that like 20 employees in Maryland, D.C., New York, St Louis and San Diego aren't reflective of the entire orginization. The fact that it is is obvious, but you've never been Mr. Obvious now have you.
And you saw the footage of O'Keefe in his successful stings. Did you see all of his footage?
Yes, I did. One out of five infiltrated offices turned down his offer to set up brothels staffed by under age sex slaves. Bravo ACORN. With a record like that, how could I ever be concerned with my tax dollars funding this stellar institution.
He is little more than a younger version of Glenn Beck.
Glen Beck cries, this guy busts criminals. If he hadn't just got himself in a world of trouble, I'd say he'd have made a bang up detective rather than a journalist.
...as for Michele Malkin... I don't know if she's my hero or anything but I'd definitely hit that.
So willingness = actually doing it. Interesting, then I've totally fucked all of the Victoria's Secret models. I mean, I am totally willing...
And your claim that it was 20 employees is not backed up by Andrew Breitbart, James O'Keefe (who both said they weren't turned away at all - a lie) or ACORN. When pressed by an actual journalist, Breitbart admitted that O'Keefe was turned away at 23 ACORN offices. That is far more than he even admitted going to.
Your hero, O'Keefe, is a liar. And the only thing he proved is that ACORN has trouble finding quality employees that will work at a job whose starting salary is $18K. I'm not surprised.
Firt off, I said in my very first comment on this string that if O'keefe is found guilty then he should be punished accordingly with no leniency shown.
Second, in at least one of the ACORN cases, it was a manager of that branch that was complicit in giving advice in helping the "pimp" with his illegal and grotesque hypothetical brothel.
Further, you are smoking something if you think that ACORN has not been involved with fraudulent voter registration favoring the Democrats for YEARS. Look at the myriads of investigations that have uncovered this crap over the past years.
I said no fraudulent VOTE has ever been cast. That is 100% accurate, and you cannot cite a single case that disproves it. ACORN is hardly the only private firm doing voter registration that has some questionable registrations. Registrations are thrown out all the time. If your agenda is to demonize ACORN, then you ignore all of the other companies (many that register Republicans, too) who have had similar problems. I guess that's what you are doing.
So willingness = actually doing it.
Yes, when you purchase crack from an undercover cop for example, you still go to jail. When you aproach an undercover officer and solicit for sex, she cuffs your ass and you get charged. Thats the legal standard of proof and also the common sense one.
Bretbart or o'keefe never claimed 23, ACORN did. They got caught in that lie.
Your hero, O'Keefe, is a liar.
Yes, that is the nature of doing things undercover. I'm pretty sure he isn't a pimp in real life.
And the only thing he proved is that ACORN has trouble finding quality employees
Such trouble in fact they're incompitent and don't deserve any tax dollars. At least when we hired blackwater the State Department was well protected and they killed Iraqis. We got our money's worth. I don't think anyone had human traficing in mind when they gave money to ACORN, hence why even liberals in congress (and john stewart) wanted thier funding dumped.
As for the voter registration thing, I don't think we should waste money on groups regestering people to vote when you can do it at the post office. Seccond, you learn how to do it in civics class. Anywone too stupid to find the liberary or post office is too stupid to vote. Third, there wouldn't be so much voter fraud if you were required to show ID when voting.
Guess whose party opposes that? Yeah, yours.
Do you know how to read, moron? I said Breitbart admitted he was turned away 23 times. That's him saying that, not ACORN. There is a link. You know how the internet works, right? From the story linked to, "Breitbart called me back, and we spoke for about 40 minutes. I asked him if James O’Keefe had been turned away at any ACORN offices, and if so, how many? For the bulk of our call, he refused to answer the question, other than to say that Bertha Lewis is a liar. Finally, I got him to narrow the number of offices that turned James O’Keefe away to 23"
See how easy that was? And O'Keefe is a lair not for pretending he was a pimp or pretending he is a journalist, but because he doctors the videos and draws incorrect conclusions from what he shows. What about the Tresa Kaelke video that O'Keefe, Glen Beck and others brag about? You know the one where Ms. Kaelke, an ACORN employee "admits" to murdering her husband? Except that she made it all up because she KNEW O'Keefe and his little ho were fakes. The police checked, and she has no dead husbands. Beck and O'Keefe claimed they had uncovered a murderer at ACORN, yet it was a lie.
As for your comments regarding Blackwater, they are so asinine that it doesn't deserve a response.
"Anywone too stupid to find the liberary or post office is too stupid to vote"
Anyone notice what's wrong with that sentence? First, it's spelled ANYONE. Second, it's spelled LIBRARY. I think if you're going to accuse someone of being too stupid to vote, then you should at least not be too stupid to use spell check.
If stupidity were a reason to deny someone the right to vote, then I'm afraid half the country would be ineligible (the half that voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004 especially).
Funny how you talk about legal standards while ignoring the fact that what O'Keefe did in Maryland is AGAINST THE LAW. Maryland requires two party consent in all recordings. But, laws don't apply to conservatives, right?
How did you learn so much about getting busted for hiring a hooker or buying crack anyway?
I was a police officer for three years and I completed two years of law school. thats how. I've also interned at a prosecuting attorney's office and clerked for a circuit court judge.
oh and since you're such a good spelling teacher you should be able to look up the work "intent"
And you've got no quote of anyone admiting 23 visits (not that it would matter) you've got the opposite. I think I'd know what Bretbart said, I subscribe to his freak'n site and read it every day.
Do you?
So basically to spell this out for you in crayon-
For the bulk of our call, he refused to answer the question, other than to say that Bertha Lewis is a liar. Finally, I got him to narrow the number of offices that turned James O’Keefe away to 23 or less by asking if he could confirm that her claim of multiple dozens of ACORN offices was false. “Laughably false,” he said, adding that she has “lied every step of the way.”
= lie. Get it?
"I think I'd know what Bretbart said"
So, that's your standard? What you think someone said is the same what they actually said. No wonder you're so confused.
Did you personally ask Breitbart? Did he deny talking to this reporter? Did you personally ask the reporter who says Breitbart gave him that number? No, of course not. But, you think you know it's wrong.
That is actually the "opposite" of knowing something. You see, real journalists have standards and ethics and they don't pretend to be a pimp to score political points.
Naturally, you'll smear the reporter and take the coward's way out and just say he's biased - despite not knowing who he is. That is what the right in this country does. Anything that doesn't reflect your opinion is automatically considered biased. I know the game and expect nothing less from you.
As for your comments regarding Blackwater, they are so asinine that it doesn't deserve a response.
Why? Whats wrong with dead Iraqis and protected State Department employees? We are in a war there, this requires shooting people. Thats how that game is played.
WRONG AGAIN DUMMY. Read the quote. He said Bertha Lewis' claim of "dozens" was false, but he did not dispute the 23 number. Breitbart is a slippery character to begin with, and this was his best attempt to look credible. I say he failed.
And Breitbart has a stake in advancing this bogus controversy. It put him on the national map and made him a lot of money. He doesn't want some pesky, real journalist messing up his scam with actual facts!
"Whats wrong with dead Iraqis"
Well, aside from the fact that Bush said we were "liberating" the Iraqis from tyranny, and helping them form a democracy, I guess nothing. Because nothing makes the locals happier than having civilians murdered in their homes by contract soldiers who are above the law and are accountable to no one. Who sees a problem there?
Come on Splash. The Iraqi's killed were the ones fomenting the insurgency and commiting terrorist acts whether they were al Qaida in Iraq or Moktada al Sadr's militia or Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops etc.
Were some innocent civilians killed? Absolutely. This happens in urban warfare, regrettably. Our troops and our civilian contractors absolutely try to minimize civilian deaths especially when they are trying to pacify the local population though. Just from a common sense perspetive, it doesn't make sense to intentionally hurt or kill those you are trying to liberate, don't you think?
The problem is that you get terrorist scum intentionally hiding in public places so that any return fire is guaranteed to hurt innocents. They use this as a stick to beat us with and the left buys it more times than not.
Let me help you, in crayon again.
5, not 23. Thats what he said, and that's what O'Keefe said. Acorn said 23. You're an idiot. The guy in your article... is lying.
Well, aside from the fact that Bush said we were "liberating" the Iraqis from tyranny
Not Iraqis who shoot at us, we kill those Iraqis and thier dying is good.
I guess nothing. Because nothing makes the locals happier than having civilians murdered in their homes by contract
No one in the Nasoor SQUARE died in thier homes, they died in the street. And most of them died shooting at Americans so thier death is wonderful. However some were caught in the cross fire. Oh well, terrorist's bad not ours. No problem there, in fact they should have got a bonus.
Wait for 2010, and we'll see.
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