Get FREE BuzzFlash News Alerts

Email:  
Home

The Rise and Fall of ACORN ‘Gotcha’ Man James O’Keefe

Share
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 5:23pm.

BUZZFLASH GUEST COMMENTARY
 
The man who dressed as a pimp and was responsible for a series of surreptitious videos ‘exposing’ ACORN may wind up in the company of real pimps if he is convicted and serves time for being part of a plot to tamper with the phones in the office of Senator Mary Landrieu.
 
By Bill Berkowitz
 
On his way into the offices of ACORN (the Association of Community Organization for Reform Now), dressed in a pimped-out outfit circa the 1970s -- fur jacket, cane, and fedora hat -- James O’Keefe looked confident and ready to deal. And deal he did. “O’Keefe exploded onto the right-wing media scene in the fall of 2009 with a series of videos that prompted calls for congressional investigations into ACORN, including one video showing employees of the community organizing group advising O’Keefe and young woman, who were posing as a pimp and prostitute, on effective strategies in breaking the law,” Politico’s Andy Barr recently pointed out. 

c

You Tube Filmmaker: James O'Keefe dressed as a pimp before entering ACORN offices last year. O'Keefe was arrested Monday after allegedly attempting to tamper with U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu's office phones in New Orleans.

Except for some pending legal matters – O'Keefe and Hannah Giles (who posed as a prostitute to O’Keefe’s pimp) “are facing a civil suit in a Philadelphia courtroom over their recording of a July, 2009, meeting at the ACORN office in that city,” Raw Story recently reported -- O’Keefe was riding high in conservative circles. His future was bright; a host of speaking engagements, more interviews on the Fox News Channel. 
 
Last week, O'Keefe gave a speech to the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, a libertarian group in New Orleans. The pre-speech promo pointed out that “James has been a pioneer in the use of new media to drive these kinds of important stories. He will discuss the role of new media and show examples of effective investigative reporting."
 
That was then.
 
Now, if convicted, there may actually be some real live pimps in O’Keefe’s future.  
 
On Tuesday, January 26, O’Keefe, along with three others -- Robert Flanagan, the son of acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana William J. Flanagan; Joseph Basel, the founder of The Counterweight, a conservative student paper at the University of Minnesota campus in Morris; and Stan Dai, who served as the editor-in-chief of the GW Patriot at George Washington University -- was arrested by FBI agents for allegedly trying to tamper with the phones in the Louisiana offices of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.).
 
Andrew Breitbart is one conservative that has benefited greatly from O’Keefe’s ACORN work. While Republicans and other conservatives are trying to keep themselves at arms length from O’Keefe, Breitbart is urging readers of his BigGovernment.com blog to “wait until the facts are in” before passing judgment on O’Keefe:
 


“Mainstream Media, ACORN, Media Matters (all the supposed defenders of due process and journalistic ethics) are jumping to conclusions over the arrest today of James O’Keefe, with the clear intention to smear and, if possible, convict O’Keefe and his alleged co-conspirators in the court of public opinion in order to taint the ‘jury of their peers.’ Speculation is rampant, but facts are few. And basic logic suggests that there’s much more to this story, since there is so little information.”


 
According to the Washington Spectator’s David Weigand, in an interview with veteran conservative Hugh Hewitt, Breitbart admitted to paying O’Keefe “a fair salary” for stories he placed on Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com.  

Back in his pre-ACORN-expose days, O’Keefe teamed up with Lila Rose, a fierce anti-abortion activist who heads up a group called Live Action. In 2006, Rose and O’Keefe came up with the idea to infiltrate abortion clinics -- especially the offices of Planned Parenthood – with hidden cameras in attempts to catch Planned Parenthood staffers breaking the law. Both O’Keefe and Rose have acknowledged that they were inspired by the work of Mark Crutcher, the head of an anti-abortion group called Life Dynamics.
 
For an article I wrote in July 2009, Frederick Clarkson, a long-time researcher into the anti-abortion movement, told me that "Crutcher waged a similar campaign for several years, and while his efforts were much ballyhooed in the conservative press, little ultimately came of it." His "efforts were, however, carried out over the telephone and the conversations were primarily with receptionists. Rose takes the effort farther. Video is far more compelling than recordings of phone calls," Clarkson added.    
 
O'Keefe was also the founder of the Rutgers Centurian, a conservative magazine published at New Jersey's Rutgers University, whose motto is "veritas vos liberabit," (Latin for "the truth shall set you free.") In his first editorial statement, O’Keefe wrote:


 
Disguising truth has helped every blood-thirsty tyrant and dictator keep the shackles on humanity throughout history.  Let us rock the foundations of academia and challenge the thrones that have for too long indoctrinated us about our world and the context in which we live. As the Journal of Conservative thought at Rutgers university THE CENTURION will try its hardes to serve to that end.  Turn the page. You may read things you agree with and you may read things that you disagree with. But at least you’ll come closer to realizing your own truth, and in the words of Jesus Christ, “The truth shall set you free.”


 
According to a May 2005 piece in Salon, Morton Blackwell’s conservative Leadership Institute "gave O'Keefe books on starting a publication, awarded him a $500 'Balance in Media Grant,' and suggested never-fail places on campus to ferret out liberal excess." 
 
O'Keefe was released on an unsecured bond of $10,000. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
 

Technorati Tags:Technorati Tags:

»

gucci sneakers

Submitted by menccq on Mon, 08/16/2010 - 2:17am.

Now, I would be the first to admit that I am not a willing shoppergucci sneakers. I don’t run true to female type on this mattergucci outlet; normally I need to be dragged kicking men gucci shoes and screaming to the shops as my clothes fall off me in rags, so dilapidated have they become. Why gucci handbags sale? Frankly, I just can’t stand the disappointmentcheap gucci handbags. Not that there are no clothes to buy, oh nogucci accessories; I live in London for goodness’ sake gucci wallets, close to both the Kings Road and Westfield Shopping Centregucci jewelry. It isn’t that there are not enough clothes to choose fromgucci clothing, rather that there are too many and – more to the point – they all make me look like a sack of potatoesgucci shoes for women. A sack of potatoes in a pair of well-cut jeans, perhapsgucci skirt, or in a pretty patterned shirt , but – to my jaded eyes – still a sack of potatoes.

»

This article is to my

Submitted by goodxo.com on Sun, 08/15/2010 - 12:11pm.
This article is to my feelings, thanks for your sharing, hoping to see more useful content, refueling,We are a Chinese supplier, we provide the best bag bag and clothes,ghd Moncler clothing P90x ghd Moncler Jackets Men Moncler
»

luizjogos Jogos de Tiro

Submitted by Jogos de Carros on Sun, 08/15/2010 - 9:16am.

luizjogos Jogos de Tiro Jogos de Carros Jogos de Vestir Jogos Online Gratis Jogos de Pokemon Jogos do Naruto Guitar Hero Online Jogos de Guerra

»

 I know my mother

Submitted by danbao622 on Sun, 08/15/2010 - 1:46am.

 

I know my mother likespandora jewelry brand best, but she has never bought one piece of pandora jewelry,pandora,pandora schmuck. The next weekend is Mother’s Day. pandora armband I have decided to go home to accompany my dear mother. pandora ringe At the same time, I want to buy a pandora anhänger as a present for her. When I enter into pandora deutschland store, I am in big surprise. I feel I am in the paradise of cheapst pandoraworld and can touch the warm and bright atmosphere there. At pandora uk there are so many various different kinds of Pandora jewelry. cool fashion cool fashion goto study goto study rosetta stone rosetta stonerosetta stone spanish rosetta stone spanish rosetta stone language rosetta stone language Abercrombie And FitchAbercrombie And Fitch Abercrombie Abercrombie Abercrombie Clothing Abercrombie Clothing

 

»

cheap coach bags

Submitted by souni on Thu, 08/12/2010 - 9:04pm.

Another one of the newest releases from coach outlet is the Ostrich Lily.The Lily is a totally new design and model from Coach,and has caught many peoples attention.The shape is quite attractive Poppy Collection,very stylish,and a bag that can be carried around on a regular basis coach handbags.The main version is the black and camel leather version,though people who have more money to spend will probably by the ostrich version.Many celebrities have bought the bag,and many carry it alongside them as their primary bag.Two of these celebrities include coach shoes and Eva Longoria.chanel outlet may be the perfect fit for you.

For males and females alike,wearing Cheap louis vuitton bags show the world you have clout and style.Established in 1854,the lv outlet name is one of the oldest and biggest in the industry.They done everything,from inventing the world's first flat-bottomed suitcase,to manufacturing the most iconic monogrammed fabric in the market.They continue,despite the most Louis Vuitton Damier severe recession of the past 60 years,to flourish and draw the right crowd.Marketing can certainly be said to play a factor in their success,with middle class heroes such as Buzz Aldren Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Handbag and Sean Connery advertising LV bags in the past few seasons.Marc Jacobs has also made a huge impact drawing in the company younger crowd as he executes his role as lv bags fashion director with grace.It looks like chanel outlet are here to stay.

»

BreitlingWatches

Submitted by lehua777 on Wed, 08/11/2010 - 3:19am.

Choose the most qualitative Replica Watches, Swiss Replica Watches, Cheap Watches, Wholesale Watches, Rolex Watches, A.Dunhill Watches, A.Lange&Sohne Watches, Alain Silberstein Watches, Audemars Piguet Watches, B.R.M Watches, Buying watches nowadays should not be as hard as acquiring a golf bar in a mine. Baume & Mercier Watches, Bell&Ross Watches, Blancpain Watches, BMW Watches, Breguet Watches, Breitling Watches, Replica Watches, Burberry Watches, Bvlgari Watches, Calvin Klein Watches, Carl F. Bucherer Watches, Cartier Watches, Are watches especially made for men. But the authentic one is overwhelming because of its high price. Chanel Watches, Chopard Watches, Christian Dior Watches, Chronoswiss Watches, Concord Watches, Corum Watches, D&G Watches, De Witt Watches, E-Sprit Watches, Ebel Watches, Emporio Armani Watches, Fendi Watches, Ferrari Watches, are suitable in all kinds of fashion style. Fossil Watches, Franck Muller Watches, Girard Perregaux Watches, Glashutte Watches, Graham Watches, Gucci Watches, Guess Watches, Hamilton Watches, Harry Winston Watches, Hermes Watches, You have to search for the real specification of the authentic one and look for a website that offers the same spec for Replica Watches.

»

The birther movement is full

Submitted by davidgarso on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 8:03am.

The birther movement is full of malcontents -- anti-Semites, skinheads, political malcontents, white firsters, and a radical right wing Jew -- in the case of Taitz, I speculate (as a Jew who knows the landscape of Israeli politics) -- who fears for Israel (in the Netanyahu paranoid style) under Obama. The birthers are a group of psychos who would be shooting each other if they didn't share a common hatred of Obama and iyinet frmtr trkygnclr webmaster seo yar??mas? | iyinet frmtr trkygnclr webmaster seo yar??mas? | iyinet frmtr trkygnclr webmaster seo yar??mas? | iyinet frmtr trkygnclr webmaster seo yar??mas? | iyinet frmtr trkygnclr webmaster seo yar??mas? | zay?flama lida fx15 ve biber hap? zlfvbh | zay?flama lida fx15 ve biber hap? zlfvbh | burmeh yaza lida fx15 biber hap? ile formda girin the fear of America becoming a nation where whites are in the minority and our foreign policy is to join as partners in the international community.

»

dfsdf

Submitted by doubleface on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 5:09am.

<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com>Wholesale Handbags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com>Cheap Bags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com>Louis Vuitton Handbags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com>Replica Bags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com/louis-vuitton-handbags-c-513.html>Louis Vuitton Handbags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com/miu-miu-handbags-c-16.html>Miu Miu Handbags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com/chanel-handbags-c-537.html>Chanel Handbags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com/gucci-handbags-c-11.html>Gucci Handbags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com/hermes-handbags-c-536.html>Hermes Handbags</a>,
<a href=http://www.thecheapbags.com/prada-handbags-c-533.html>Prada Handbags</a>

 

»

His life is like a movie

Submitted by Susancai on Thu, 08/05/2010 - 1:53am.

His life is like a movie having rise and fall. Thank you for sharing this post!

free ads |part time jobs|latex mattress

»

Used Stationary Bikes

Submitted by chan on Wed, 08/04/2010 - 2:49am.

Did you need a Used Stationary Bikes? There are many types of Used Stationary Bikes design to suit the needs of many health conscious people. You need to look at a number of important things to make sure it is the right Used Stationary Bikes for you before you buying. The first thing you need to consider when buying an Used Stationary Bikes is what sort you need. The next thing you need to consider is the stability of the Used Stationary Bikes. Find More Information at Used Stationary Bikes

»

MBT

Submitted by answer on Mon, 08/02/2010 - 1:07am.

For fans of walking,buy a mbt shoes is important thing,besides exquisite style design, really want to pursue more MBT shoes functionality and comfort, a look of fresh goods MBT shoes!If you want has a comfort feeling when you walking,MBT habari sandals which relieve pressure gait feet is a good chooice.MBT fora shoes can provide training and treatment of muscle damage.And is a nother choose,MBT sandals is specially designed to outdoor activities need high multifunctional shoes outdoors.If you want to purchase more mbt shoes clearance,you can login mbtstore.org.We also provide moncler which is very soft materials for you.Coat can also be used in summer, can increase the moncler jackets,and his personality and improve your impact on others. You can purchase the style and color moncler down jackets. If you want to dress up melting and stable,can be used by Moncler 2010 dressed as a mature.

»

sportshoes

Submitted by aalit on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 3:21am.
Nike is a famous brand;it includes Nike jerseys, Nike shoes, etc. Our company mainly wholesales Nike Shox NZ, Nike Air Max shoes, etc.There are Nike shoes for women, for men, for children, etc. So, Nike shox shoes are consistent of women’s shox shoes, men’s shox shoes, etc. Different shoes prices of Nike could meet all kinds of humans'tastes. Cheap air max is for the common, and dear max is for the wealthy men.site:http://www.sportshoes007.com
»

MuratCan

Submitted by MuratCan on Thu, 07/29/2010 - 9:23am.

The story comes with a young man.chat siteleriHe comes from a small town.chatHe goes to the prosperous city New York.güzel sözler He is ambitious to own a big house,yonja a luxurious car. He has the confidence that one daysohbet/adana sohbet/netlog sohbetnetlog his dream will come true. He imagines the daykizlarla sohbet/kizlarla chat/bedava sohbet sohbet etmirc indir/mirc indir sohpet He tries hischat sohbet | sohbet chat best to. One day,flip chatchat roulettechat roulet his entire dream comes true. He comes back home.He picksdini sohbet/ islami sohbet up his wife to the big city. He was invited to the party.muhabbetsohbet He brings his wife to take part in the partyHis workmates were disappointed for hisseviyeli sohbet old wife.His wife was also very sad thatgüncel haberler she wantchat sohbet | sohbet chat to go back to the town.Chat/sohbet He knows that today hesohbet odalari owns so much fortunate is from his tender andchat kind wife from many aspects. The reason why she looks old is because of him. He do not want his wife go back. He wants her live with him together. He want her suffer so much miserable life as before. While, he was so handsome is totally different from his wife. He wonders chat siteleriislami sohbetsohbet odalariand considers one day after one day. Soon, the day is drawing near. iyinet frmtr trkygnclr webmaster seo yarismasiHe doesn’t know what he could do to leave his wife. Suddenly, an ideaforumforum siteleri toplist eklecomes into mind.He goes to the .the price of the jewelry, then he puts his money film izle - dizi izle - mp3 indir -mp3 dinle - dizi izleyabanci dizi - lig tv izle on the counter with the twice price.burmeh yaza lida fx15 biber hapi ile formda girin//zayiflama lida fx15 ve biber hapi zlfvbh/travesti/

»

chanel bags

Submitted by Miu Miu bags on Wed, 07/28/2010 - 12:57am.

If you appetence to go big time and achieve big money fast and easy, afresh you should get abounding Miu Miu bags. Rather than get 18-carat online autograph that would be abounding at an absonant price, Miu Miu Handbags online will crop bigger address margins and achieve academy profits. But afore you exhausted into the abounding Miu Miu bag sale supplier.

Replica Handbags are precise copies of the original brand Handbags, eg:LV Handbags of creativity is endless, LV 2010 is bound to make your mood, enjoying to spend a vacation.It is expected that by 2015 the growing middle class and the balenciaga handbags sale rich will make China the largest consumer.Penelope accessorized a beautiful outfit by Prada bags and Prada handbag Wyeth Designs with a coordinating beige chanel Classic flap handbag with gold hardware and chanel bags are all very unique and luxury .one of the world's most famous design handbags brand and more at the cheapest prices is the Marc Jacobs Medium.Gucci is the leading name in luxury and style. With its outstanding quality, exceptional beauty, and the finest Italian craftsmanship, Gucci bags offers you only the best of the best. ... so even connoisseurs can't make the differences between replicas and real ones.they are recognized as masterpieces of art all over the world. Our Replica Handbags can give you the same quality for better price.

Mulberry Handbags ia a famous UK-based design for its creative and quality leather products.Mulberry Roxanne is famous for its uniting style and sophistication,stand out of greatest detailing. Also Mulberry Elgin have set new trend and become much desired objects to possess. So what are you waiting for?!

»

Purchasing the authentic

Submitted by weihe on Sun, 07/25/2010 - 10:27pm.

Purchasing the authentic designer replica handbags bags which cost about a thousand dollars is a louis vuitton luxury that most people cannot afford.handbags So why deny yourself the benefit of being able gucci handbags to carry trendy designer bags when replica handbags are available.Chanel, chanel handbags Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Prada - the mere mention of these names is enough to make some women hyperventilate, especially those who are obsessed with fashion.

»

All markings and engravings

Submitted by weihe on Sun, 07/25/2010 - 10:15pm.

All markings and engravings are exact replica watches copies. Solid 316L, stainless steel is used, fake watches identical to the material used in authentic fake rolex watches and a sapphire crystal glass which replica is scratch resistant.Breitling replica watches have a Swiss movement, and are not typical of the fake watches you buy from a street seller as they are fully functional.

»

HTML clipboardgames forums

Submitted by t6wer4ad on Sun, 07/25/2010 - 9:03am.

HTML clipboardgames forums chat up web dolls games dir games vb qtryat nsetak forums qatar saudi arabia egypt girls youtube youtube youtube site youtube video gmail games msryat girls games new games msryat egypt forums girls forums

»

We have smart and stylish.

Submitted by platnumcn on Sun, 07/25/2010 - 12:03am.
We have smart and stylish. nike dunks are turning heads that you’ll wear them past party places. It’s variety of louis vuitton bags colors, top notch fabric, and the impressive leather pieces, thenike dunks are standard. You can attire the nike dunks with a louis vuitton bags, a trouser or a short.
»

Yes, we will be presented

Submitted by dankaylee on Fri, 07/23/2010 - 3:56pm.
Yes, we will be presented by a teacher. car transport If so many of us invent the true evidence that some of the time that it begins to run previously.
»

The first thing you notice

Submitted by liumang on Fri, 07/23/2010 - 2:07am.
The first thing you notice about this shoe is bright red top. footwear upper also includes money in detail. White is put into use on the inner wall, Nike swoosh, sole, laces, and other regions around the sneaker.This Nike Classic BW Amer textiles comes in a new White / Pink / Blue colorway. shoes sneakers Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, nike sneakers are Cole Haan, which designs,despite their ban in 2002. cheap jordans is one of the world's cities most polluted by plastic bags, asics running shoes
»

unblock drain, drainage,

Submitted by petersonpol on Tue, 07/20/2010 - 9:43am.

unblock drain, drainage, drain Reading, septic tank emptying, Leak Detection and other plumbing problems...

»

wwedeefWould love to see more designs. vey cool! Good work, th

Submitted by www123 on Sun, 07/18/2010 - 10:25pm.

Moncler Moncler | Moncler Jackets Moncler Jackets | Moncler Vest Moncler Vest |

»

Thanks for sharing this

Submitted by petersonpol on Sat, 07/03/2010 - 12:34pm.

Thanks for sharing this info. I think your website is great. By the way… I had a great sensual massage london recently. I never thought massage could be so great. anyway, keep me posted. Best. Stev

»

thankk

Submitted by mustym0300 on Tue, 07/13/2010 - 11:19am.

i agree you... film izle film izle ihtiyarlara Yer Yok Filmini izle

»

ACORN civil suit

Submitted by revolution9 on Sat, 01/30/2010 - 3:24pm.

Here's hoping in ACORN's civil suit, O'Keefe is required to supply the entire tape and ACORN's attorney subpeonas the police to testify that the ACORN representative called the police to report the incident.  Don't the police always advise civilians not to attempt to confront criminals, but to ease one's way out of the situation and then call the police?

»

Thanks for sharing this

Submitted by petersonpol on Wed, 06/23/2010 - 4:19am.

Thanks for sharing this useful info. how to complain

»

ACORN

Submitted by Joy Mcclellan on Wed, 02/03/2010 - 10:18am.

I am eagerly awaiting the ENTIRE tape that O'keefe made.   No one seems to notice that the ACORN workers simply talked with him and never invited the two of them into an office to actually show them how to cheat on taxes etc.   I volunteered for ACORN some years ago and they check the people you register and if you have made up names and addresses as some lazy people have done, they turn those over to the Feds as it is illegal.  The press doesn't get it that the people convicted of voter registration fraud have been turned in by ACORN.   The press in this country loves ''gotcha' journalism and when a republican is in trouble it doesn't get much media time and soon blows over. Case in point:John Ensign, who had an affair with an aide, bribed her husband.  When did you last year of that?

»

o'keefe and acorn

Submitted by Joy Mcclellan on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 5:13pm.

I don't believe those acorn workers EVER believed that o'keefe and his barely clothed co-hort were actually a pimp and prostitute.  Just like the lady who scamed o'keefe with her story of murdering her husband, I think they played along with the gag. 

Democrats have got to start behaving like the majority party and tell the truth....for instance in the acorn conviction for voter registration fraud, it was acorn who turned them in.  Acorn goes through all of the registration forms and looks for certain data which tells them that a worker has simply made up a name and address out of sheer laziness rather than actually doing the work of voter registration, hence, there has been no voter fraud.  The only fraud there is was perpetrated on the American people by the folks in the Republican party who jammed phone lines and other dirty tricks.

O'keefe, a journalist?  Don't call him that to any reporter who has to actually work for a living.

»

Repuggy Bear

Submitted by lame54 on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 12:39pm.

Repuggy Bear

Time to snitch on his friends

»

No Pimps in Federal Prison

Submitted by rickrock999 on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 10:31am.

He will be going to Federal Prison. Most Pimps are not in Fed. Lockup. He will be with Murderers however.

»

the ACORN travesty

Submitted by jrkau on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 2:06am.

This story is really similar to the 'illegal' taping of a conversation between Newt Gingrich and John Boehner, documenting a conspiracy to violate the terms of Gingrich's settlement with the House Ethics Committee.  Gingrich and Bohner got off scott-free while the taper and the person who released the tape to the media- - Congressman Jim McDermott - - were villified, and McDermott is still trying to pay his legal bills.  Now we have a reverse situation, where a right-winger is illegally taping what appears to be an illegal activity, and the taper is lionised by the republicans, and the tapee (ACORN) - - not just the individual, but the entire organisation - - is penalised.

How do we blame this on the leftwing media??

»