Patterico's Pontifications

3/3/2010

More Debunking of Liberal Myths on ACORN

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:46 am



I spent some time last night in the comments at Brad Friedman’s blog, where false statements and insinuations are the coin of the realm. In my comments, I set forth some of the facts I included in my post debunking liberal ACORN myths. One of the commenters wanted to discuss New York — possibly because the Brooklyn D.A. recently refused to prosecute ACORN, and because an anonymous source there falsely described the tapes as deceptively edited.

Well, I hadn’t quoted from the New York transcript in my previous post. But I did so to respond to the commenter, so I might as well set that forth here.

In New York, there was some back and forth about whether O’Keefe was going to live in the house of prostitution that he was setting up for Hannah and the girls. He expressed a desire to distance himself from the house of prostitution, and at times discussed having her be at the house with the girls and without him, but he also said, “I have to live there” and “well she is going to live with me but we are using the house so that she can do her work.”

Now comes the part that will be distressing to the “he didn’t pretend to be a pimp at ACORN” crowd:

James: Yea well she is gonna have this business in the house with a bunch of girls coming and doing these things, performing tricks and she is going to give me the money so that I can pay the mortgage that is how we want to work it potentially.

Volda (loan counselor): but your name is going to be on the mortgage your name is going to be
on the deed

James: but no one has to know where the money is coming from

They discuss using a third party as a passthrough, to hold the mortgage to keep O’Keefe distanced from the house, and O’Keefe says he still might want the money for his political campaign after the mortgage is paid:

James: what if I when I run for campaign in a couple of years and this third party is gonna give me the money to pay for the house. Pay for the mortgages. Can he continue giving me the money after I am done paying for the house you know cause she

Volda (loan counselor): But you don’t need it

James: yea but she is going to be bringing the money in so if I run for political office maybe that’s a good idea for continuing to give me the money while I am running for campaign so I can raise money giving money to this third party even after I am done paying the mortgage

So to the liberals who claim that he didn’t pretend to be a pimp: he talked about setting up a house for Giles and some girls to turn tricks and give him the money, which he would eventually use to finance his political campaign.

By the way, there is a fellow over there at Friedman’s cesspool who started quoting me dictionary definitions of “pimp” and saying that, because O’Keefe didn’t say he was recruiting the johns, he wasn’t pretending to be a pimp. (You gotta love the zeal with which these folks defend ACORN’s behavior.) So I took a look at the law in California (the only jurisdiction whose criminal penal code structure I am familiar with). It turns out that, at least here, O’Keefe’s character rather neatly fits the definition:

[A]ny person who, knowing another person is a prostitute, lives or derives support or maintenance in whole or in part from the earnings or proceeds of the person’s prostitution, or from money loaned or advanced to or charged against that person . . . is guilty of pimping.

That’s from California Penal Code section 266h(a). Another commenter demanded to know if I would prosecute O’Keefe for pimping based on the transcript, and I had to explain that, you know, he was just pretending to be a pimp.

Sigh.

Anyway, getting back to the transcript, let me set up perhaps my favorite quote:

Volda (loan counselor): because they might wants to ask about it I don’t think that they would go to that length but ya know you outta say where the monies come from where they don’t want to see that money record its illegal. Because it’s not legal in NY.

James: so we gotta we gotta make

Milagros (counselor): You can’t say what you do for a living because the law

Volda (loan counselor): so you say that you doing freelancing you gotta start thinking

James: okay

Volda (loan counselor): if you want it to work

Milagros (counselor): you are young you’re both and make assumptions

James: well she is very honest

Milagros (counselor): Honest is not going to get you a house that is why you probably been denied . . .

“Honest is not going to get you a house.”

That’s certainly not all that is in the transcript or the unedited audio. Just a couple of quotes to toss on the pile.

Anyway, Friedman is now moderating me over there. I don’t think he likes the facts I’m putting out.

51 Responses to “More Debunking of Liberal Myths on ACORN”

  1. I love this stuff. It sounds like you do too. Please keep it up.

    Pious Agnostic (291f9a)

  2. I will give Friedman credit where it is due though. He could have easily deleted your comments or banned you long before you thoroughly debunked his lies on his own blog. He at least deserves credit for that. I cannot say any other lefty blog would have let that go on for so long.

    zerodamage (259f2d)

  3. Friedman is a perfect example of the modern leftist.

    JD (0f9c01)

  4. The problem is that Liberals believe lies are the truth.

    PCD (1d8b6d)

  5. I don’t know, Patterico. Performing tricks could mean Hannah was opening up a school for gymnasts. Although Volda would probably think that is legal.

    MayBee (0ccdc4)

  6. Anyway, Friedman is now moderating me over there.

    /shocked voice: “But that’s censorship!” /end shocked voice

    typical lefty response to unpleasant facts: if they can’t lie them out of existence, they simply ignore them.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  7. Best case scenario: lies go unanswered and become truth

    Worst case scenario: lies are challenged, a few people see them for what they are, loyal followers tune out, opponents are annoyed and their time is wasted

    Amphipolis (b120ce)

  8. Contessa Brewer and David Shuster make you dummer just by watching them.

    JD (0f9c01)

  9. Counselor…..the tape was discreditted by the Brooklyn prosecutors based on the FACT that O’Keefe editted the tape to interleave cutscenes of O’Keefe DRESSED as a pimp…..somthing that never occurred in the Acorn office.
    If the tape was admissible evidence, O’Keefe impeached himself by altering the tape to push a narrative.
    The ACORN employees could have been fond guilty on content, as you expertly point out, except that O’Keefe impeached his own evidence by altering the tapes.

    wheeler's cat (096031)

  10. Mark Twain was correct: A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.

    Old Coot (9e58d8)

  11. If wheeler’s hairball wasn’t infected by worms it would know that the Brooklyn DA was not only a member of ACORN, he had previously accepted campaign donations from them as well.

    Dmac (799abd)

  12. Dmac – nishi/wheeler could not care less about facts. She pushes her memes, and this is his newest one.

    JD (0f9c01)

  13. There’s nothing about editing a tape for production that automatically discredits the producer of the tape.

    It can be that the prosecutor thought the unedited tape did not provide enough evidence to charge ACORN. But O’Keefe editing the tape before broadcast is exactly what every news organization does. It’s absurd to say the act of editing it impeaches O’Keefe in any legal way.

    MayBee (0ccdc4)

  14. Oh look who can’t take his licks!

    Aaron (451001)

  15. It doesn’t matter what’s produced as actual and irrefutable evidence, they’ll just continue onward with their delusional rants about doctored vids, more conspiracies, etc. Their own bizarre Kangaroo court of a lefty insane asylum.

    Dmac (799abd)

  16. Nishi’s a maroon. O’Keefe is not taking ACORN to court. He has no evidence in a legal sense to impeach. If the DA wants to proceed with a case, he needs to develop his own evidence, blaming the inability to prosecute on O’Keefe is blatant shirking of responsibility of duty to the DA’s constituents, favoritism, fabulism, and a poor excuse that he thinks people are stupid enough to believe. Liberals will grasp at that straw and declare victory because they are stupid and are defending a criminal thug organization.

    daleyrocks (5710d7)

  17. How does one prove or disprove the assertion that a tape has been edited or is unedited?

    Corwin (ea9428)

  18. “… he was recruiting the johns, he wasn’t pretending to be a pimp…”

    Conflating being a pimp, with a panderer – there is a difference.

    AD - RtR/OS! (b0c091)

  19. Great job as usual Patterico.

    By the way, there is a fellow over there at Friedman’s cesspool who started quoting me dictionary definitions of “pimp” and saying that, because O’Keefe didn’t say he was recruiting the johns, he wasn’t pretending to be a pimp. (You gotta love the zeal with which these folks defend ACORN’s behavior.)

    This is typical liberal word games.

    What is hilarious is that if these same liberals would apply these same,technical and literal standards to, …well …lets say….WMD in Iraq……then technically we did find WMD.

    We found over 500 shells of mustard and Sarin gas,many missile components that fit the WMD label according to the UN,and Saddam maintained his WMD hardware capabilities so that he could re-institute them when the heat from the UN was off (Saddam stated this himself in his FBI interviews and this was also stated in the Duelfer Report).

    …of course we know that the world thought there was supposed to be stockpiles, but if you break it down “literally” and go by the definition of “WMD”,then Weapons of Mass destruction were found.

    It is amazing how selective liberals are in their judgments.
    When it suits their ideology,they pretty much run with it no matter the facts.

    When it hurts them politically,it is time to break everything down literally word for word with every instance having to be verified.

    If they can find one inconsistency or piece that does not fit,then they condemn the whole scenario as illegitimate.

    Of course they don’t apply these same standards to the now disgraced stance of “Man Made Global Warming” either.

    Just more of the “it’s not rape-rape” logic
    coming from the “adults”.

    Baxter Greene (af5030)

  20. Mark Twain was correct: A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.

    Comment by Old Coot — 3/3/2010 @ 9:17 am

    Or, according to Sarah Palin, its pants.

    L.N. Smithee (e1f2bf)

  21. #

    If wheeler’s hairball wasn’t infected by worms it would know that the Brooklyn DA was not only a member of ACORN, he had previously accepted campaign donations from them as well.

    Comment by Dmac — 3/3/2010 @ 9:19 am

    Of course this conflict of interest means nothing to the “Haliburton”,”Saudi Connection”,”Big oil connection” crowd all of a sudden.

    It is more than just a little hilarious that the same liberal crowd that puts the EDITING KING MICHEAL MOORE in the Presidential seat at the DNC convention for speaking truth to power is all of a sudden screaming “fake” because O’Keffe edited tape to expose the serious points for times sake.

    The fact that ACORN promotes prostitution,tax evasion, pedophilia,and child sex rings seems to be no problem for righteous liberals.

    “Yes We Can!!!!”

    Baxter Greene (af5030)

  22. Now, Mr. Smithee, why would you bring up John Edwards?

    Eric Blair (c8876d)

  23. #5

    I don’t know, Patterico. Performing tricks could mean Hannah was opening up a school for gymnasts. Although Volda would probably think that is legal.

    Comment by MayBee — 3/3/2010 @ 8:33 am

    Either that or she was going to do climate research!

    Jim R. (9618ce)

  24. The most disturbing part isn’t their lying. It’s that they persist in spite of how fricken irrelevant their lying is. ACORN’s conduct on camera speaks for itself. I once saw a retard kid trying to bury a bottle by twisting and grinding it into the grass. Their efforts remind me of that. And I’d say that it’s idiotic to even combat them were it not for the fact that we’ve all seen these retards grind bottles into the dirt until the historical record diverts from reality before.

    [Please pick a name to use here and stay with it, although I cracked up at “Abe Froman” so I hope you choose that. You haven’t tried to represent yourself as multiple different people and I know it’s not sockpuppeting, but Patterico asks that commenters largely stick to one ID. Thanks. –Stashiu]

    Abe Froman (682c85)

  25. I knew there was a climate change cult but who knew we’re dealing with an acorn cult as well. Heh.

    Mazzuchelli (0be5b4)

  26. Fair enough stashiu. There’s only one blog where I’ve bothered being consistent, but with your admonishment I’m now dedicated to building the Abe Froman brand name across the blogosphere.

    Abe Froman (682c85)

  27. Importing underage age girls across an international border (and then several state borders) for the purpose of “performing tricks” in the context of a conversation where the word prostitution is used seems to be a discussion of federal crime(s).

    So of course a DDA from the County of LA should prosecute this conversation about a federal crime… idiots.

    I’m trying to figure out what part of having underage girls performing tricks in my house for a cash benefit that I receive is NOT by definition “pimping”.
    Evidently the threshold for what constitutes pimping got moved when no one was looking. Must be that “victimless crime” thing or something

    Plus: ” HE WASN’T WEARING A HAT WITH AN OSTRICH FEATHER WHEN HE WAS IN THE ACORN OFFICE!!!!!!!!!
    SUCK ON THAT TRUTH WINGNUTS !!!!!! “

    SteveG (909b57)

  28. Abe Froman? The Sausage King of Chicago?

    Pious Agnostic (291f9a)

  29. There’s only one blog where I’ve bothered being consistent, but with your admonishment I’m now dedicated to building the Abe Froman brand name across the blogosphere.
    Comment by Abe Froman — 3/3/2010 @ 11:59 am

    Don’t forget us little people after you’re famous. (I’m still chuckling at that name, great choice!) 😉

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  30. I’m kinda wondering why the DAs apparently declined to file criminal charges on ACORN using Okeefe’s incriminating videos. That’s a common defense of ACORN raised by liberals in the comment section of these liberal blogs.

    lee (cae7a3)

  31. Why hasn’t Friedman written about Rangel’s corruption? Or has he?

    daleyrocks (5710d7)

  32. […] this article: More Debunking of Liberal Myths on ACORN […]

    More Debunking of Liberal Myths on ACORN | Liberal Whoppers (d16888)

  33. “Counselor…..the tape was discreditted by the Brooklyn prosecutors based on the FACT that O’Keefe editted the tape to interleave cutscenes of O’Keefe DRESSED as a pimp…..somthing that never occurred in the Acorn office.”

    That’s not what the district attorney said. This is what he said…

    “On September 15, 2009, my office began an investigation into possible criminality on the part of three ACORN employees. The three had been secretly videotaped by two people posing as a pimp and prostitute, who came to ACORN’S Brooklyn office, seeking advice about how to purchase a house with money generated by their ‘business.’ The ‘couple’ later made the recording public. That investigation is now concluded and no criminality has been found.”

    That’s straight from the horse’s mouth.

    http://www.brooklynda.org/press_releases/pr_mar_10.htm

    Dave Surls (f51d64)

  34. #31

    My guess is on the video and audio, what it shows, how it was handled, how it was obtained… take your pick, doesn’t meet their standards for building a successful case… one that would result in convictions.
    I realize the one DA is clearly in bed with ACORN, but personally, if I was charged using those tapes and my lawyer couldn’t get a judge to toss them in preliminary hearings, I’d give my lawyer back the $29.99 he charged me and pony up for a better one.

    I think the tapes clearly show criminal behavior by ACORN, but doubt that the tapes could be used to convict even the most hapless of dupes… that evil Alcala dumbass who probably just attorneyed himself into the death penalty could get them tossed.

    What would be cool is if these tapes encourage some enterprising jurisdiction to wait a few months and then do a real investigation that compiles some evidence a DA can have full confidence in

    I

    SteveG (909b57)

  35. OK so I meant to say I’d let my lawyer keep the $29.99…. but I wasn’t smart enough to get it out through the veil of stupidity that descends across my IQ

    SteveG (909b57)

  36. I’m of the opinion the people at ACORN were dumb enough to think the man in the pimp suit meant “performing tricks” as part of a magic act

    Hawkins (17d181)

  37. Dave Surls,

    I think it’s wonderful that the same people who claim that O’Keefe didn’t pose as a pimp (he was a student, boyfriend, etc.) are also pointing to the Brooklyn DA’s decision as vindication.

    A decision which states, “The three had been secretly videotaped by two people POSING AS A PIMP and prostitute…”.

    It just doesn’t get any better than that.

    Blue Ox (ff919a)

  38. That aaron thingie above is one of the community-based reality peoples from Pandagon. They are collectively far more stupid than the sum of their individual stupidity.

    JD (b9a8a2)

  39. Blue Ox – BAM! Right between the eyes!

    daleyrocks (5710d7)

  40. Rather than drive myself nuts trying to figure out how intelligent people could possibly come to these conclusions, I just remember this quote:

    “The first thing a man will do for his ideals is lie.” – Joseph A Schumpeter

    And I would add that the next thing a man will do is say it can’t be a lie by definition as long as it supports his ideals.

    Nuke Riding Cowboy (c47dae)

  41. Wheeler’s cat claims that by using the video footage to produce a documentary, and by using normal methods including edits and narration, in doing so – O’Keefe’s effort is hopelessly corrupt. This from the same people who use the heavily edited CBS interview to discredit Palin.

    Has CBS ever made available an unedited version of the video or audio from that interview?

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  42. It’s raining stimulus!!

    Uh, I’d like the $170,000,000 loan please. Can I get that in twenty’s?

    Pons Asinorum (95faa4)

  43. ‘I think it’s wonderful that the same people who claim that O’Keefe didn’t pose as a pimp (he was a student, boyfriend, etc.) are also pointing to the Brooklyn DA’s decision as vindication.’

    ‘A decision which states, “The three had been secretly videotaped by two people POSING AS A PIMP and prostitute…”.’

    Lefties say the darndest things. No doubt about that.

    Dave Surls (f51d64)

  44. Can I get that in twenty’s?
    Comment by Pons Asinorum — 3/3/2010 @ 10:20 pm

    Sorry Pons, I nuke spam. I can forward the site to you if you like. 😉

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  45. You are fast!

    No worries, knew it was to good to be true anyway. Thanks though 😉

    Pons Asinorum (95faa4)

  46. Here’s a new angle and explanation why the Brooklyn DA didn’t prosecute.

    http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=922118

    The charges against ACORN are potentially FEDERAL in nature. But this DA is beholding to Bertha Lewis, too, being a Working Families Party member and ACORN Bertha is the chief honcho of WFP.

    PCD (1d8b6d)

  47. […] Dave Surls reminds me of something I noticed when I read the Brooklyn D.A.’s statement finding no criminality by ACORN in New York: The three had been secretly videotaped by two people posing as a pimp and prostitute, who came to ACORN’S Brooklyn office, seeking advice about how to purchase a house with money generated by their ‘business.’ […]

    Patterico's Pontifications » Brooklyn D.A. Confirms O’Keefe Posed As Pimp; Friedman Lies Yet Again? (e4ab32)

  48. […] Dave Surls reminds me of something I noticed when I read the Brooklyn D.A.’s statement finding no criminality by ACORN in New York: The three had been secretly videotaped by two people posing as a pimp and prostitute, who came to ACORN’S Brooklyn office, seeking advice about how to purchase a house with money generated by their ‘business.’ […]

    Patterico's Pontifications » Brooklyn D.A. Confirms O’Keefe Posed As Pimp; Friedman Lies Yet Again? (e4ab32)

  49. > Anyway, Friedman is now moderating me over there. I don’t think he likes the facts I’m putting out.

    Libtards never do…

    IgotBupkis (79d71d)

  50. […] Which, by golly, is the absolute truth, as I have demonstrated here time and time again. […]

    » Brad Friedman’s Lies Fail to Save ACORN - Big Journalism (4556c3)


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