RedState's ACORN "exclusive" based on theft? Another questionable tactic in conservative assault on Obama, ACORN
In a recent "exclusive" report, RedState.com editor-in-chief Erick Erickson analyzed "a list of [ACORN CEO] Bertha Lewis's contacts" that "just showed up one day unsolicited" from "a credible source who is no fan of ACORN," and claimed, "We did not ask for it. We did not expect to get it. But now that we have it, we should see who is in there." In analyzing a private contact list apparently obtained without Lewis' knowledge or permission, conservatives, in their obsessive quest to attack ACORN, have added possible theft to a growing list of questionable tactics that include the secret taping of ACORN employees, lying about whether any ACORN officials turned away filmmaker-activists James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles, and secretly taping a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) phone conference.
Erickson runs with "leaked" "list of Bertha Lewis's contacts" obtained from "no fan of ACORN"
From Erickson's September 22 RedState.com post:
With everybody focused on ACORN these days, what if we could dig around and see who in the Obama administration shows up in Bertha Lewis's rolodex? Bertha Lewis is the CEO of ACORN.
Bertha Lewis is considered one of the 100 most influential women in New York according to Crain's New York Business. She is an activist, organizer, and radical of the far left. When she calls, union bosses and others pick up the phone.
It's not that hard to look into her contacts. RedState has seen a list of Bertha Lewis's contacts. We did not seek it out. It just showed up one day unsolicited. We did not ask for it. We did not expect to get it. But now that we have it, we should see who is in there.
The contacts came from a credible source who is no fan of ACORN. An ACORN employee gave it to him. Having examined the file for a week and after consulting with others, we believe the list is legitimate. It fits a recent pattern of leaks out of ACORN as the rats scramble from the sinking ship.
Does Eagle Publishing condone theft?
RedState.com purchased by Eagle Publishing Inc. RedState.com is owned by Eagle Publishing Inc., the parent company of Human Events, Regnery Publishing, and the Conservative Book Club. Eagle is led by Thomas L. Phillips and Jeffrey J. Carneal, both of whom have careers built around conservative activism.
Possible theft the latest questionable tactic in conservative campaign against Obama officials, ACORN
Over the period of several weeks in late August and early September, Fox News host Glenn Beck and Matt Drudge protégé Andrew Breitbart have heavily promoted and strategically leaked secretly recorded audio and video files in an effort to -- in Breitbart's words -- "force the reluctant hands of ABC, CBS, NBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post." At the same time, Beck and Breitbart repeatedly attacked former White House adviser Van Jones in an effort to -- in Beck's words -- "chang[e] the course of the conversation."
O'Keefe, Giles secretly recorded ACORN employees; Breitbart hatched distribution strategy. O'Keefe and Giles, also a Townhall.com columnist, obtained video of several ACORN employees without their knowledge, and at least one state attorney general has raised legal issues with the tactic of secretly filming conversations. O'Keefe first posted his secretly recorded video on Breitbart's BigGovernment.com. Portions of the video were subsequently replayed and discussed numerous times on Fox News and other media outlets. Following O'Keefe's post, Breitbart wrote on BigGovernment.com about how O'Keefe contacted him in August to pitch his "independent film investigative journalism project." Breitbart, in a September 21 Washington Times column, described "a multimedia, multiplatform strategy" to leak the videos through Fox News "designed to force the reluctant hands of ABC, CBS, NBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post."
From Breitbart's September 21 Washington Times column:
When filmmaker and provocateur James O'Keefe came to my office to show me the video of him and his friend, Hannah Giles, going to the Baltimore offices of ACORN - the nation's foremost "community organizers" - dressed as a pimp and a prostitute and asking for - and getting - help for various illegal activities, he sought my advice. In the past, Mr. O'Keefe created brilliant social satire that rocked his college campus and even made its way on to the talk-radio and cable-news shows, but the magnitude of his latest adventure had the potential to rock the political establishment.
I was awed by Mr. O'Keefe's guts and amazed by the footage, but explained that the mainstream media would try to kill this important and illuminating expose about a corrupt and criminal political racket, and that the well-funded political left would go into "war room" mode, with 25-year-old Mr. O'Keefe and 20-year-old cohort Miss Giles in the cross hairs. I felt I had a moral obligation to protect these young muckrakers from the left and from the media, and to devise a strategy that would force the media's hand.
Once the American public saw with its own eyes the grotesque, common practices of ACORN's housing offices, Mr. O'Keefe and Miss Giles could no longer be a legitimate focus of media scrutiny. "Kill the messenger" doesn't work with the American people when they realize that the message is so devastating and honest. I think the video exposed the misuse of public funds and systemic manipulation of the tax code in the name of "helping the poor."
If Mr. O'Keefe dumped the videos on YouTube, the political powers would have killed the expose before it got traction. I half-joked that he should secretly tape pitching the major television networks exclusive use of his videos for their nightly news broadcasts. But a simpler, less controversial method proved as fruitful.
I told him that in addition to launching his compelling and stylized Web videos, we needed to offer the full transcripts and audio to the public in the name of transparency, and to offer Fox News the full footage of each video before each was released. We had to devise a plan that would force the media to see the evidence before they had enough time to destroy these two idealistic 20-something truth seekers. Mr. O'Keefe agreed to post the full audio and full transcript of his video experiences at BigGovernment.com.
Thus was born a multimedia, multiplatform strategy designed to force the reluctant hands of ABC, CBS, NBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post. [The Washington Times, 9/21/09]
Beck facilitates "strategy" of releasing O'Keefe, Giles videos. During the September 9 edition of his Fox News program, Beck previewed an "exclusive" that would air on his program the next day, which he claimed would make "things change a lot for those in power." Beck later aired snippets of O'Keefe's and Giles' first video to be released. At 6:10 a.m. ET September 10, O'Keefe posted the video on Breitbart's BigGovernment.com. Later the same day, on his Fox News program, Beck interviewed Giles and credited Breitbart for starting the story.
O'Keefe's, Giles', and Breitbart's claims that every ACORN office was complicit undermined by police report. O'Keefe, Giles, and Breitbart repeatedly appeared on Fox News programs to claim that they were never turned away at any ACORN office, but those claims are undermined by the fact that ACORN officials in Philadelphia contacted the police in response to O'Keefe's appearance in the Philadelphia office. A September 22 Associated Press article further reported that California police say than an ACORN worker contacted them about "possible human smuggling."
O'Keefe's dismissal of ACORN's claim that "the videos were doctored" undermined by evidence that they were. O'Keefe reportedly dismissed Bertha Lewis' claim that the secretly filmed videos were doctored, stating, "They've lied every step of the way." But one video that reportedly "left out" an ACORN employee's statement that it would have nothing to do with a prostitution business undermines O'Keefe's claim. According to a report by CNN's Casey Wian on the September 17 edition of Lou Dobbs Tonight, the filmmakers edited San Bernardino ACORN organizer Tresa Kaelke's statement from one of the videos that ACORN would not associate itself with prostitution. Wian said: "Left out of the originally released tape but included in a transcript the filmmakers later released is Kaelke's statement that ACORN would have nothing to do with their prostitution business."
Breitbart, Beck distribute "secretly taped" National Endowment for the Arts phone call
Breitbart's blog publishes artist alleging NEA pushed art community to advance administration's agenda. Artist Patrick Courrielche alleged in a BigHollywood.com post that in an August 10 conference call "hosted by the NEA, the White House Office of Public Engagement, and United We Serve," artists "were encouraged to bring the same sense of enthusiasm to" issues such as health care, energy, and the environment "as we had brought to Obama's presidential campaign, and we were encouraged to create art and art initiatives that brought awareness to these issues."
ABC News: Courrielche "secretly taped" NEA call. Courrielche posted audio recordings from the phone conference and transcript at BigGovernment.com. In a September 22 ABCNews.com blog post, senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper reported that the August 10 NEA conference call was "secretly recorded by Los Angeles filmmaker Patrick Couriellech [sic]."
Beck interviews Courrielche, promotes allegations of "propaganda machine." Beck promoted and interviewed Courrielche for the first time on September 1, introducing him as "a contributor on Breitbart's Big Hollywood blog" and "the guy who was brave enough to not only tape [the conference call] and then bring it here." While discussing Courrielche's allegations, Beck said that the "people involved in a conference call, including the White House, knew that this was on the fence, if not outright illegal. They knew for sure that this would outrage you if it would ever get out." Beck again promoted Courrielche's allegations on September 2, saying that NEA spokesman Yosi Sergant, a participant in the conference call, "is creating a propaganda machine for the president of the United States and that is wrong."
Beck credited for Sergant reassignment. ABC News' Yunji de Nies reported on September 10 that "[l]ast week, FOX News' Glenn Beck spent a solid amount of airtime blasting Yosi Sergant -- then-National Endowment for the Arts' spokesman -- accusing him and his agency for using government tax dollars to create propaganda for the Obama Administration. Today, the NEA says Sergant has been reassigned." The Huffington Post's Ryan Grim wrote that "the move represents a significant step down and was the result of the controversy."
Beck credits Breitbart for breaking NEA story. On the September 11 edition of his radio show, Beck said Breitbart -- not him -- "broke" the NEA story: "I saw in The Washington Post today, there's a new story. It says Beck strikes again; Yosi Sergant reassigned at the NEA. This is a story that I didn't -- I didn't break. Stu, who was it that broke -- this was Breitbart. This is again another Breitbart story."
Breitbart claims new "mission" -- helping O'Keefe, Giles "receive a grant to continue their partisan artistry from the National Endowment for the Arts." In his September 21 Washington Times column, Breitbart claimed, "At the very least, filmmaker James O'Keefe and actress Hannah Giles deserve a Pulitzer Prize for their expose of deep corruption and unspeakable immorality at the ACORN housing division. But more important, I won't rest until they receive a grant to continue their partisan artistry from the National Endowment for the Arts. That's this week's mission." [The Washington Times, 9/21/09]
Breitbart, Erickson, Beck have a long history of smearing progressives
Breitbart has repeatedly smeared progressives. Breitbart in the past has posted a series of Twitter messages just after the death of Sen. Ted. Kennedy, in which he called Kennedy a "villain," a "duplicitous bastard," and a "prick" who "destroyed lives"; wrote on his Twitter account: "Van Jones! If Obama isnt racist, why does he hang out w so many who are? Or is his explanation Spike Lee's: Black people CAN'T be racist?"; claimed in an August 3 Washington Times column that the "Democratic Party -- which is now Mr. Obama's party -- now depends on the ability to keep blacks in fear: of cops, of Republicans, of conservatives, of 'Uncle Toms,' and even of Tiger Woods, who proves that America, while still imperfect, is clearly heading in the right direction"; and stated in a June 15 column, "David Duke and James von Brunn currently share more in common with Markos Moulitsas and Arianna Huffington" than conservatives.
Erickson defended Beck for calling Obama racist, traffics in violent rhetoric. Erickson has previously defended Beck's assertion that President Obama is a "racist," claiming that "it's not a stretch to say it." Erickson went on to call for a boycott of companies that have pulled out of Beck's show and who, according to Erickson, are "kowtowing to Barack Obama's worshippers, brownshirts, goons, and thugs." Erickson also appeared on the April 15 edition of Fox News' Hannity to claim, "If we don't do something, if we don't turn the corner, we're going to be enslaved to the government." Erickson further wrote in a March 31 post on RedState.com: "At what point do the people tell the politicians to go to hell? At what point do they get off the couch, march down to their state legislator's house, pull him outside, and beat him to a bloody pulp for being an idiot?" Erickson later added: "Were I in Washington State, I'd be cleaning my gun right about now waiting to protect my property from the coming riots or the government apparatchiks coming to enforce nonsensical legislation."
How about if I bug your house and broadcast it on the radio.. is that free speech?
And I did listen to all the calls myself..
What is wrong with having ARTIST support a cause?
This may be a bit of a blanket statement but I think MOST Artist are a Bit Liberal.. So maybe they would be happy to support Liberal issues?
Do You have ANYTHING more then your POINTLESS COMMENT?
Your free to Speak.... but maybe you shouldn't...
Maybe broadcast info about your call. << yes it is free speech provided you dont slander me.
artists may do whatever they like...i never suggested they cant
Oh, so all of a sudden you have standards? Hypocrite...
Coming from the man who has probably called more conservatives nazis while at the same time condemning anyone who has leveled such a charge at the President. Really?
From a guy who has complained about Beck and Fox news over and over, now supporting a general smear such as this. Really?
Well, at least you never seem to disappoint in your ability to be a total partisan hack and always follow your MMFA marching orders.
Really!!
P.S. Marching orders? Coming from the queen of sheep?
I find the shock and outrage on the left amusing. As always, I love your attempts to backpedal and qualify your attacks, but again, your own words show your true nature.
The right is the most hypocritical political party in America. Examples:
---embrace Bush & Cheney's torture policies, then have Bush
state that we don't torture. Their supporters know it v
violates multiple laws, but accepts it as legal under
BushCo
---State they know the Constitution like the back of their
hands, but support BushCo's calling the Constitution
a g___d____ piece of paper. Support the Patriot Act's
violation of the 4th Amendment
---State that some of the right's displays and word are not
racism but forward emails and make posters of the POTUS
as a witchdoctor in tribal-wear with a bone in his nose
and take marching orders from Becky Boy and King
Limbaugh who spout racism on a daily basis
---Lie about what is in the health care bills while taking
huge amounts of money from insurance companies and
lobbyists and receiving medicaid, medicare, and
Social Security payments from the government
---Express hatred for LGBT persons while sending emails to young congressional pages and making overtures in
airport restrooms
---Say you're the party of Family Values while having lia-
sons with your friend's wife, hiking the Appalachian
Trail while in Argentina, and visiting DC madams
---Issuing orders to stop the acceptance of government
money by ACORN when your state has NO contracts with
ACORN
---Railing against accepting stimulus funding for the un-
employed citizens of your state then turning around and
requesting more than $600million in loans from
the federal government to cover budget shortfalls
The list goes on, but I have no more time to invest in citing the hypocrisy inherent in your party. You're responsible for conducting the remainder of the requisite research.
They're double standards, but standards nonetheless.
In many cases, it is their lame attempt at earning $50 from those right-wing 'think' tanks at trying to change the subject.
As for you pointofview...
MMfA uses the term "probably theft" and you claim it to be a double standard on MMfA's part??
What if MMfA had written about the theft as fact instead of an alleged act?
Your claim at a double standard makes no damn sense!!
I’m sure it’s common for people to accidentally intercept and tape private cell phone conversations while going Christmas shopping. Happens to me all the time.
The Martins then turned the tape over to Washington Democrat Jim McDermott, a member of the House Ethics Committee, which was about to rule on Gingrich’s ethics violations. McDermott, in turn gave the tape to the New York Times and other newspapers. The New York Times then printed a transcript of the call’s participants discussing how Gingrich should respond to the Ethics Committee.
Of course, it’s just a “coincidence” that the Martins are active in Florida Democratic politics, just as it was a “coincidence” that they gave the tape to a Democrat on the Ethics Committee instead of the Independent Counsel or the Republican committee chair. Perhaps it was also an “accident” that McDermott gave the information to the press, rather than discussing the tape with his fellow committee members.
Since it is illegal to eavesdrop on cellular phone calls and disseminate the contents, the Martins eventually pleaded guilty and were fined a “whopping” $500 each. However, the court ruled that McDermott’s leaking of the call’s contents to the press is protected by freedom of speech. Because the recordings were a matter of “important public interest,” (how this conversation was a matter of “important public interest” is a bit questionable) the First Amendment trumped the privacy rights of the call’s participants
Were you liberals as outraged with this as you are now? Liberalism is the penultimate example of the means justifying the ends but you cry outrage when the shoe is on the other foot. All these posts ignore the fact that this network proves the corruption of the left, of ACORN and this administration.
Forget the lecture for a moment. How can I make the 50 bucks those others are making?? I have been giving you all this wisdom for free. I did not realize I could make a profit doing it.
It is a double standard because MMFA cheers any time a leaked, or stolen document is used to bolster a liberal case. MMFA is still defending Rather when everyone KNOWS the documents he used were a complete fake. Now all of as sudden they have a problem with the technique being used against them.
It's clear you and others try to derail the conversations here. You just provided a clear example of one attempt with your false diversion to Dan Rather when it isn't a comparable event even!
We don't believe you when you say you're not paid to do that.
I miss her.. She made me laugh..
Well I always have Shatner..
Joke.. Don't you have anything worthwhile to say.. ANYTHING?
Hooohaahahahahohohoheee! The fact that republicans hurridly wrote the bill to please their rabid racially motivated base? Priceless!
I do hope this bill becomes law. Hahahahahahahahahahahaaaaa!
This is another example of a common thought process by those on the right. Only perfect people and faultless corporations should be allowed any power. Clinton - bad because he had an affair while in office then, gasp, lied about that affair. Like he's the first man to lie about an affair when he got caught! Or like that has anything to do with how he led the country! Criticize those on the right? Well, David Brock isn't perfect, so what the heck is he doing criticizing anyone?
Or ACORN. They had a few peon employees who provided questionable advice to some jerks who came into their offices. There's no evidence that this is a system-wide "criminal enterprise" (that's what Karl Rove called ACORN), only evidence that a few workers wanted to help people who shouldn't have been offered help. They had a guy who embezzled from them. Normally, when an entity has someone embezzle from them, we think of that entity as a victim. Not so in ACORN's case - they are bad guys for not uncovering it immediately. But what about all the other companies that have let embezzlers do it for years?
Guilt by association. The right has that logical fallacy down pat. No wonder they are trying to throw out the baby with the bathwater in their attempt to rid our nation of the scourge of ACORN.
This sounds like what O'Keefe wrote about in an article of his, where he stated the following:
He is trying to manufacture his own news and force the media to help him achieve his goal...
Also, in the article above, Breitbart is quoted as saying that "James O'Keefe and actress Hannah Giles deserve a Pulitzer Prize for their expose of deep corruption and unspeakable immorality at the ACORN housing division."
Having a couple low level employees do something wrong does not equate to "deep corruption".
If a cashier from a grocery store sweethearts a friend, does that show deep corruption in the company?
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http://www.mumistheword.org
If I were an interviewer, I would ask her about her faith, her father being a minister, how righteous she believes herself to be, and then ask her if she is sexually active. That would seem on par with her tactics, as well as the idiocy of many conservative commentators. Then I would wait for her response and see if she is gives a hypocritical response. She was good at judging people, such as Margaret Sanger, so maybe it is time people judge her.
Conservatives seem to believe they have a monopoly on morality. These kids broke the law, but it was to uncover a greater perceived injustice, so that's okay. Consider all the GOP lawmakers who have had extramarital affairs, or who was jonesin' for a page-boy, or needed to cruise for some anonymous gay sex in a airport bathroom.
It is easy to make accusations, and harder to refute them once the false accusations are out there. Maybe people should go on the news and say she really was a prostitute, and that is how she came up with this idea.
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http://www.themidnightreview.com
A pox on both your houses!!!!!
On the one hand, it is certainly true that the right wing followers of Limbaugh-Hannity-Beck are mindless purveyors of dangerous claptrap.
On the other hand, that does NOT mean that -- like the monkey that will type Shakespeare if it whacks at the keyboard long enough -- they don't occasionally stumble on something true and important.
Whether the undercover filmmaker did anything illegal is questionable and, in any case, a separate issue. That his footage shows a pattern of corruption and illegality on the part of ACORN and its employees is indisputable.
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No wonder journalism has a liberal bias, it deals in truths and conservatives are all liars and thieves!