"Pimp" (O'Keefe) gets arrested and faces federal charges.

[dusred]

Hard to make out exactly what the "pimp's" involvement was but is what it appears is that O'Keefe and a few kids went into a Senators office. The other guys acted like they were from the phone company and O'Keefe I guess was standing there videoing them with his cell phone (sounds odd doesn't it?).

Here are my questions:

1. Why were they in there to start with.2. Why is the Federal Marshal and the FBI involved (yes it was a federal building but it didn't go across state lines)3. Why are they being charged with wiretapping when they didn't wiretap anything?

Here are a few reports from various sources on the internet:Quote »Copied from http://www.washingtonpost.com/...04182

"James O'Keefe was among four men who created a ruse to enter the lawmaker's downtown office, saying they needed to repair her telephones, according to court records unsealed Tuesday. O'Keefe used his cellphone to take pictures of two men, Joseph Basel and Robert Flanagan, who are accused in an FBI agent's sworn affidavit of impersonating telephone company workers. Stanley Dai is accused of aiding the Jan. 25 plot.

All four were taken to a suburban New Orleans jail and charged with entering federal property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony. If convicted, each man faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000."[/quote]Quote »Taken from " TARGET="_blank">http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/200671.php:

"As mentioned via some Twitter between myself, CollegePolitico and SluBlog, if the media had actually, you know, paid attention to who this guy was when he was demolishing ACORN, it may have been easier for them to report on him now. Since they didn't (they actively ignored it to a large extent), they have to explain that this was the guy who destroyed ACORN and bring that whole can of worms up again. Which doesn't minimize what's apparently happened here, but it's still slightly ironic and snort-worthy."[/quote]Very interesting how the media works isn't it?

Next bit taken from Faux News, which IMHO had the most details which wasn't overly biased

Quote » Taken from: http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews...sted/

Federal prosecutors have charged him, and three alleged cohorts, with “entering federal property under false pretenses for the purposes of committing a felony.” The Feds say they tried to “manipulate,” or “maliciously…interfere” with the phone system of Louisiana Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu.[/quote]Maliciously? Just because of who he is I'm guessing they decided that that was his intent (unless of course the Fed's are now God). If it's malicious to expose corruption I guess he's a malicious person. I'm not excusing him for what he allegedly did (if he really did do anything). I'm guessing we will have more enlightening details in the near future and maybe a few of my ?'s will be answered.

Quote » (continued)

The allegations are basically this –that O’Keefe was standing in the reception area of the Senator’s New Orleans office, when two alleged accomplices came in, claiming they were from the phone company. They were dressed in “blue denim pants, blue work shirts, light green fluorescent vests, tool belts, and construction-style hard hats.” They then proceeded to check the main telephone at the reception desk, picking it up, and even calling it from their cellphone. As they did this, O’Keefe was allegedly taping it all with his cellphone camera . . . .

What was his intent?

No where in the media material provided by the Department of Justice is there an allegation that they were trying to wiretap the Senator’s phones, though there are reports a listening device was found in one of the suspect’s cars.[/quote]Thoughts? Just because of who O'Keefe is do you think he will face prison time? Is there enough evidence to press ANY charges other than lying to a receptionist? The whole thing is full of holes and seems messed up.

side note - nobody has posted in the politics section in 3 days. I think we need to unban Jacko, Bob, and others so it can get exciting again.

[bigbadberry3]

Attempting something is still a large no no. Can you be prosecuted for attempted murder even though you didn't actually do manage to do something? Yes. Just like soliciting a hooker, you can be charged for intent.

[dusred]

Who is to say that's what they were attempting?

"one of the guys had a recording device in his vehicle"

Look at what they do for a living. . . they make films. If he would have had it on his person THAN I might be able to see why they are charging with attempt to wiretap.

[bigbadberry3]

I'm going off this article

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITI...=Sbin

They were definitely poking around the phone system and there is nothing more powerful than information, even for journalists.

[srellim234]

I'll preface this with the fact that my wife is a detective in L.A., I was a manager for a pharmaceutical wholesaler and we both have worked with the feds on cases.

From the law enforcement prospective, very few details about what was found will be released by the FBI until the case gets closer to court, and then it will be released to the defense attorneys during the discovery phase. They're not going to give away the prosecution's case this early in the process, and definitely not to journalists.

The public at this point has absolutely no idea what these guys were caught with and how it relates to their intent in this case.

[dusred]

I'm going off this article

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITI...=Sbin

They were definitely poking around the phone system and there is nothing more powerful than information, even for journalists.

Read the CNN article already and because of "journalism" like this I prefer to let them be the biased clowns they are.

O'Keefe is the same activist who dressed up as a pimp last summer and visited ACORN offices to solicit advice on setting up a brothel, among other scenarios, law enforcement officials confirmed. He secretly recorded the visits on videotapes that were posted on the Internet, leading to a media firestorm.

Didn't mention at all how they were baiting ACORN but just says how they were trying to setup a brothel. It says "leading to a Media firestorm" implying that the fact that they were asking for advice about setting up a brothel led to a media firestorm. Complete bias and sloppy Journalism.

The public at this point has absolutely no idea what these guys were caught with and how it relates to their intent in this case.

It says what they were caught with in the articles (I'm not saying the articles are accurate) but it doesn't exactly say what they were caught doing or anything that would show intent (IMO). We'll wait and see what happens.

[audtatious]

Everything is speculation at this point. If he is guilty of a crime he should pay for it.

I don't create threads anymore in politics so someone else will have to do the dirty work.

[dusred]

Everything is speculation at this point. If he is guilty of a crime he should pay for it.

Quote »I don't create threads anymore in politics[/quote]Why not?

[audtatious]

Cuz it's not up to me to steer the politics section and try to keep it busy (which I was trying to do). If members are interested in talking politics then they can create the threads. If not, it can die and go away.

[dusred]

I suspect once the Senate elections come up we'll have plenty of traffic here. I suspect we'll be seeing lots of new faces.

[telcoman]

[QUOTE=dusred side note - nobody has posted in the politics section in 3 days. I think we need to unban Jacko, Bob, and others so it can get exciting again. [/QUOTE]

[themadscientist]

Akin to saying the village is nothing without its idiot.

[dusred]

Mad, you never cease to make me laugh out loud (yes, that's what lol means) with your comments. Back when the election was going on we had about 100 village idiots posting here in teh politics section but now that their messiah is failing them they have all fled like little cowards.

[audtatious]

They have their views and we have ours. They don't want our views forced on them and vice-versa. I support the view that helps the most without costing us our freedoms nor financial bankruptcy. Others support their views by any ways possible regardless of personal and financial losses. IMO, in many cases the Gov simply needs to GTF out of the way. Progressives need to crawl back under the rock they have been hiding under as well.

[AZhitman]

Bob was never banned.

Jacko and that other retard that thought he was God's gift to the forums left of their own accord (actually, I think one of them was banned for an unrelated issue, had nothing to do with his opinions but everything to do with his extreme mental instability and penchant for bestiality... but I digress.)

[dusred]

Bob was never banned.

News to me. I thought he was. He was being an ***hole one day so I thought he was banned.

Jacko was a kook but it was fun exercising my b**** slapping skills on him.

[telcoman]

Akin to saying the village is nothing without its idiot.

So the name calling continues.

I guess many have left to spend their time reading more intellegent posts here.

I do!

http://www.dailykos.com/special/about2

[audtatious]

Isn't that a gay pedo site?

[audtatious]

Statement from James O’Keefe

The government has now confirmed what has always been clear: No one tried to wiretap or bug Senator Landrieu’s office. Nor did we try to cut or shut down her phone lines. Reports to this effect over the past 48 hours are inaccurate and false.

As an investigative journalist, my goal is to expose corruption and lack of concern for citizens by government and other institutions, as I did last year when our investigations revealed the massive corruption and fraud perpetrated by ACORN. For decades, investigative journalists have used a variety of tactics to try to dig out and reveal the truth.

I learned from a number of sources that many of Senator Landrieu’s constituents were having trouble getting through to her office to tell her that they didn’t want her taking millions of federal dollars in exchange for her vote on the healthcare bill. When asked about this, Senator Landrieu’s explanation was that, “Our lines have been jammed for weeks.” I decided to investigate why a representative of the people would be out of touch with her constituents for “weeks” because her phones were broken. In investigating this matter, we decided to visit Senator Landrieu’s district office – the people’s office – to ask the staff if their phones were working.

On reflection, I could have used a different approach to this investigation, particularly given the sensitivities that people understandably have about security in a federal building. The sole intent of our investigation was to determine whether or not Senator Landrieu was purposely trying to avoid constituents who were calling to register their views to her as their Senator. We video taped the entire visit, the government has those tapes, and I’m eager for them to be released because they refute the false claims being repeated by much of the mainstream media.

It has been amazing to witness the journalistic malpractice committed by many of the organizations covering this story. MSNBC falsely claimed that I violated a non-existent “gag order.” The Associated Press incorrectly reported that I “broke in” to an office which is open to the public. The Washington Post has now had to print corrections in two stories on me. And these are just a few examples of inaccurate and false reporting. The public will judge whether reporters who can’t get their facts straight have the credibility to question my integrity as a journalist.

[dusred]

As suspected, the MSM is completely full of bulls*** and were just trying to smear O'Keefe. I don't necessarily agree with their tactic of going about their journalism but whatever gets the job done I guess.

The senator will now make a speech with a red face and admit that she's been ignoring her voters.. . . which will lead to her a** being thrown out of office in the upcoming elections. Hope she's happy now.

[audtatious]

Doubtful. She will call him a liar and try to have his video withheld

[bigbadberry3]

He could of tried calling her office, or maybe bring an official phone serviceman with him and directly state why he's there instead of trying to go 007 on the senator's office. Let's be honest, the majority of politicians begin to ignore constituents after elections, but that does not permit people to try and storm her office. Like any other politician that people become unhappy with, you're stuck until they quit,die, or fail to get reelected.

[dusred]

And the fact that she would want the video withheld will be proof that she has something to hide. We could use the Liberals logic: "If you ain't got nothin' ta hide why you afraid?"

[heliochrome85]

Bob was never banned.

Jacko and that other retard that thought he was God's gift to the forums left of their own accord (actually, I think one of them was banned for an unrelated issue, had nothing to do with his opinions but everything to do with his extreme mental instability and penchant for bestiality... but I digress.)

i miss bob. jacko, ill never miss. nutcase sent me emails imploring me recently to change my ways, and live up to the promise of my profession by being informed. whatever that meant.

[themadscientist]

So the name calling continues.

Name calling is not a bad thing when it's true, bob. You have cultivated your image here with your one-sided flippant rants, lake of objectivity, and obvious fact-selective slant. In that respect you perform better than your messiah, the transparency I mean, even though it was accidental. I would not deny you what you have worked so hard for. Wear it like a badge of honor and spare me your feigned moral outrage.

[telcoman]

Name calling is not a bad thing when it's true, bob. You have cultivated your image here with your one-sided flippant rants, lake of objectivity, and obvious fact-selective slant. In that respect you perform better than your messiah, the transparency I mean, even though it was accidental. I would not deny you what you have worked so hard for. Wear it like a badge of honor and spare me your feigned moral outrage.

Here are some facts for you

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01...paper

[dusred]

(speaking of O'Keefe) He quickly became a cult hero among young conservatives who saw his work as groundbreaking and sought to emulate him.

Sure. The Tea Party movement is now a cult.

[audtatious]

Here are some facts for you

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01...paper

"James O’Keefe III, the guerrilla videographer, advised conservative students this month that they needed to start taking more risks. "



He is doing exactly what the DEMs have been preaching for years and they are hero's for fighting for their cause while O'Keefe is a guerrilla vidoeographer....

NYTimes is such a hack paper it's pathetic.

[telcoman]

"James O’Keefe III, the guerrilla videographer, advised conservative students this month that they needed to start taking more risks. "



He is doing exactly what the DEMs have been preaching for years and they are hero's for fighting for their cause while O'Keefe is a guerrilla vidoeographer....

NYTimes is such a hack paper it's pathetic.

He'll never equal Abbie Hoffman

[audtatious]

Yours and Obama's buddies have set the bar pretty high......