feds arrest the ACORN "pimp"--trying to tap Mary Landrieu's phone!!

[teacherone]

ACORN 'gotcha' man arrested in attempt to tamper with Mary Landrieu's office phones

By David Hammer, The Times-Picayune
January 26, 2010, 6:23PM
Patrick Semansky / The Associated Press

James O'Keefe, left, and Stan Dai walk out of the St. Bernard Parish jail in Chalmette on Tuesday. O'Keefe, a conservative activist who last year posed as a pimp to target the community-organizing group ACORN, is one of four people arrested by the FBI and accused of trying to interfere with phones at Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in New Orleans.

Alleging a plot to tamper with phones in Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in the Hale Boggs Federal Building in downtown New Orleans, the FBI arrested four people Monday, including James O'Keefe, 25, a conservative filmmaker whose undercover videos at ACORN field offices severely damaged the advocacy group's credibility.

Also arrested were Joseph Basel, Stan Dai and Robert Flanagan, all 24. Flanagan is the son of William Flanagan, who is the acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. All four men were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony.

An official close to the investigation said one of the four was arrested with a listening device in a car blocks from the senator's offices. He spoke on condition of anonymity because that information was not included in official arresting documents.

According to the FBI affidavit, Flanagan and Basel entered the federal building at 500 Poydras Street on Monday about 11 a.m., dressed as telephone company employees, wearing jeans, fluorescent green vests, tool belts and hard hats. When they arrived at Landrieu's 10th-floor office, O'Keefe was already in the office and had told a staffer he was waiting for someone to arrive.
When Flanagan and Basel entered the office, they told the staffer they were there to fix phone problems. At that time, the staffer, referred to only as Witness 1 in the affidavit, observed O'Keefe positioning his cell phone in his hand to videotape the operation. O'Keefe later admitted to agents that he recorded the event.

After being asked, the staffer gave Basel access to the main phone at the reception desk. The staffer told investigators that Basel manipulated the handset. He also tried to call the main office phone using his cell phone, and said the main line wasn't working. Flanagan did the same.

They then told the staffer they needed to perform repair work on the main phone system and asked where the telephone closet was located. The staffer showed the men to the main General Services Administration office on the 10th floor, and Flanagan and Basel went in. There, a GSA employee asked for the men's credentials. They said they left them in their vehicle.

The U.S. Marshal's Service apprehended all four men shortly thereafter.


http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/acorn_gotcha_man_arrested_for.html
lol lol :D WTf???

[MsDoodahs]

You know....I'm not "for" phone tapping of private phones AT ALL, but this got me to wondering...

You know how businesses have calls recorded "to assure quality service" or whatever?

Maybe ALL telephones that the GOVERNMENT (in other words, TAXPAYERS) pay for should be recorded so we have a record of the "quality" of their "service."

Which would include phones of Senators and Congressmen.

hmmm.....

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

I thought that public servants have no privacy when on public grounds? So, I guess we pay for it, but we have no say in how it's used....Lovely how tragedy of the commons works out.

[ronpaulhawaii]

Just appeared on Twitter:


markdavis

Andrew Breitbart tells me we should wait for the other side of the story on phony phone men film scam at Sen Landrieu's ofc. I'm all ears.

[Bruno]

CNN all over this story after being incredibly absent when the original ACORN video-taping issue came out.

[jmdrake]

CNN all over this story after being incredibly absent when the original ACORN video-taping issue came out.

I heard the "political junky" on NPR point out how right wing media was either ignoring this story or saying they would "wait and see" while being all over ACORN and the left wing media doing just the opposite.

Anyway, one has to wonder why O'Keefe would do something so amateurish as using a cell phone camera. Couldn't he have parlayed all of his publicity into some decent spy gear?

http://www.pimall.com/NAIS/sunglasscam-nais.html
http://www.pimall.com/NAIS/IMAGES/myeyeglassman.jpg

[pcosmar]

A bit of update on this.

http://rawstory.com/2010/01/men-charged-attempting-bug-landrieus-office-intelligence-links/
Landrieu phone plot: Men arrested have links to intelligence community
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/01/30/senate-burglary-cia-domestic-black-op-team-arrested/
SENATE BURGLARY: CIA DOMESTIC BLACK-OP TEAM ARRESTED

[Stary Hickory]

CNN all over this story after being incredibly absent when the original ACORN video-taping issue came out.

Well of course....but I am waiting to see what the other side is. Something tells me all is not as it seems. Seems incredibly stupid at first glance, but I think we know the kind of coverage we are getting on this one. I'll pass judgment after I hear both sides.

[Stary Hickory]

Before people make asses of themselves here is Okeefe's side of the story. I am curious to see what is really going on.....his explanation seems more plausible and consistent with his previous behaviour.



Statement from James O’Keefe
by 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 perpetuated 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.

[Stary Hickory]

I am sure CNN will clear all this up...right? Or will they let the stigma they have anxiously branded this guy with stick..even though it's false?

[pcosmar]

I am sure CNN will clear all this up...right? Or will they let the stigma they have anxiously branded this guy with stick..even though it's false?

"The rest of the story" seems a bit involved,
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/us/02brfs-RECUSALINPHO_BRF.html


National Briefing | South
Louisiana: Recusal in Landrieu Phone Case



By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: February 1, 2010

Jim Letten, the United States attorney for New Orleans, recused himself from the case involving four men arrested last week on charges of interfering with the phones in Senator Mary L. Landrieu’s office. Mr. Letten said that after consulting with Justice Department officials, and “in consideration of various relevant factors,” he was allowing his first assistant attorney to handle the case. Ms. Landrieu, a Democrat, has requested that Mr. Letten, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, be reappointed. In addition, one of the four men arrested is the son of the acting United States attorney for the Northern District of Louisiana.
http://rawstory.com/2010/01/men-charged-attempting-bug-landrieus-office-intelligence-links/
Landrieu phone plot: Men arrested have links to intelligence community

Arrest report. pdf,
http://www.politico.com/pdf/PPM145_joseph_basel_et_al.pdf

[Stary Hickory]

Well it's becoming apparent that the break in and wire tap charges were pure sensationalism. Something that might be found on the cover of the Enquirer magazine and not something any self respecting news agency should have jumped on without learning about what happened.

There is no conspiracy. Okeefe did what Okeefe normally does. He used a hidden camera and tried to uncover some shenanigans. There was no break in nor any wiretapping. I am not sure if filming folks without them knowing it is a crime....hard to think it is. Happens all the time.

[Aratus]

echoes of watergate or maybe ambush journalism? like were the reports correct
about the deceptive phone company gear??? did they want the small cell phone
for an ambush interview or did they think they are "teflon" and quite prankishly
above the law?? this is going to drag out a bit further due to whose office... it is!

[Aratus]

I am sure CNN will clear all this up...right? Or will they
let the stigma they have anxiously branded this guy with stick..even though it's false?


dude, for once we can obviously say that neither joe biden or barack obama
even remotely suggested that the dudes go into the nice lady senator's office...
in the context of this highly charged political year... the 4 guys may eventually
get only just a slight slap on the wrist, however the incident has echoes of things
from our deep & historic past! the timing of it is EVERYTHING! the sheer boldness...

[Aratus]

EVEN THOUGH WE CAN QUiP HOMELAND SECURITY iS AN 0XYM0R0N THAT iS UP THERE WiTH
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE, SHE's A SITTING & RANKING DEMOCRAT 0N THiS HERE COMMITTEE!!!

[Stary Hickory]

dude, for once we can obviously say that neither joe biden or barack obama
even remotely suggested that the dudes go into the nice lady senator's office...
in the context of this highly charged political year... the 4 guys may eventually
get only just a slight slap on the wrist, however the incident has echoes of things
from our deep & historic past! the timing of it is EVERYTHING! the sheer boldness...

Oh good god! They walked in a building that is open to the public and inquired about the status of the phones because they did not believe they were being honest about it. They had a hidden camera. Okeefe has used hidden cameras before, we all know his format.

Stupid or not, I doubt it's criminal and also I know it's not "black ops" or some conspiracy. It most certainly has nothing to do with anything in our historic past. He simply wanted to get a gotcha moment on film where the office is lying about not answering the phone.

[Danke]

Charges reduced in phone caper at senator's office

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press Writer Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS – Federal prosecutors filed reduced charges Friday against conservative activist James O'Keefe and three others who were accused of trying to tamper with the phones in Sen. Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office.

The new charges are contained in a bill of information, which can only be filed with a defendant's consent and typically signals a plea deal. The new filing charges the four with entering a federal building under false pretenses, a misdemeanor. They had been arrested Jan. 25 on felony charges.

O'Keefe, a videographer famous for wearing a pimp costume in a stunt that embarrassed the ACORN community organizing group, has said the group was trying to investigate complaints that constituents calling Landrieu's office couldn't get through to criticize her support of a health care reform bill.

J. Garrison Jordan, a lawyer for another defendant, Robert Flanagan, said his client has "an agreement worked out with the government" but wouldn't elaborate or confirm that the others also have reached a deal with prosecutors.

"I think it's a fair resolution to the charges, and I'm happy with the agreement we've worked out," he said.

Lawyers for the other three defendants didn't immediately return calls. A spokesman for Landrieu said he couldn't immediately comment, and a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in New Orleans would not comment on a possible plea deal.

Federal authorities initially accused the four of trying to tamper with Landrieu's phones, but the new filing merely says they planned to pretend to test the phone system.

The FBI said O'Keefe, 25, of New Jersey, used his cell phone to try to capture video of two other men who posed as telephone repairmen and asked to see the phones at Landrieu's office. The fourth allegedly waited outside in a car with a listening device.

The two suspects who posed as repairmen — Joseph Basel and Robert Flanagan, both 24 — wore white hard hats, tool belts and fluorescent vests. One of them had a camera hidden in his helmet.

Flanagan, of New Orleans, is the son of the acting U.S. Attorney based in Shreveport. Basel, of Minnesota, and Stan Dai, 24, of the Washington, D.C. area, also were arrested.

The four suspects originally were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses for the purpose of committing a felony, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The new charges carry maximum sentences of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. A date for their next court appearance has not been set.

In an interview on Sean Hannity's Fox News talk show after his arrest, O'Keefe said he didn't think the group broke any laws and insisted he was using techniques commonly employed by investigative journalists.

Undercover videos are a staple of O'Keefe's work, most famously when he used a hidden camera as he brought a young woman posing as a prostitute into ACORN offices.

ACORN, the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, announced earlier this week that it is folding due to falling revenues that the group blames on partisan attacks.

[catdd]

Someone was caught investigating what the FBI should have been looking into themselves?

[MN Patriot]

You know....I'm not "for" phone tapping of private phones AT ALL, but this got me to wondering...

You know how businesses have calls recorded "to assure quality service" or whatever?

Maybe ALL telephones that the GOVERNMENT (in other words, TAXPAYERS) pay for should be recorded so we have a record of the "quality" of their "service."

Which would include phones of Senators and Congressmen.

hmmm.....

I like this idea!