Patterico's Pontifications

9/11/2009

Two More ACORN Officials Fired

Filed under: General — DRJ @ 2:33 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Just one day after ACORN fired two Baltimore employees — presumably for counseling a fake pimp and his prostitute regarding ways to cover up illegal activities — ACORN fired two more employees who were similarly exposed in Washington DC:

“O’Keefe, the filmmaker, was accompanied by 20-year-old Hannah Giles, who posed as a prostitute. On a videotape of their visit to ACORN’s Washington’s office, they are seen receiving guidance to establish the woman as the sole proprietor of a bogus company to mask the nature of her business.”

Here are the YouTube posts from Washington DC:

ACORN expressed concern over illegal activities, but also described the incidents as part of a political smear campaign designed to discredit it:

“The group’s leaders said Friday they were “appalled and angry” at what their staffers had done, but insisted the videos were part of a political “smear” campaign and not representative of the institution as a whole.

“But that does not excuse the behavior of the employees,” wrote ACORN’s president Alton Bennet and executive director Mike Shea. “We have fired them and are initiating an internal review of practices and reminding all staff of their obligation to uphold the highest legal and ethical standards.”

The discredit part seems to be working.

— DRJ

80 Responses to “Two More ACORN Officials Fired”

  1. I think that the ACORN clowns in chief first claimed that these “smear artists” had approached another ACORN office. At that office they were supposedly turned away angrily.

    Well nice try, but no banana. Because after ACORN tried that gambit, the “smear artists” promptly produced another film taken at the Washington D.C. office. I suppose that ACORN senior management will be a little bit more circumspect about claiming their local offices are all pure as the driven snow in future.

    Who knows how many more of these caper films are in the film makers hands?

    I do have some sympathy for these organizers. Prostitution is a fact of life in poor communities; and I suppose you can say that the organizers were simply helping a businessman in their community get established. Heck, if they had been in Rhode Island where prostitution is apparently legal, then the ACORN organizers could have been even more up front about it.

    Mike Myers (3b216c)

  2. Is “smear” the new term for “truth”?

    great unknown (b751d2)

  3. The blaming the pranksters seems a familiar theme. I wonder where they learned it?

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  4. Any Obamabot ACORN members been arrested yet for conspiring to break various federal laws?

    No?

    Well, maybe tomorrow.

    Dave Surls (e0f56d)

  5. Almost wish they had tried at another dozen centers or so before they publicized any.

    MD in Philly (d4f9fa)

  6. Almost wish they had tried at another dozen centers or so before they publicized any.
    Comment by MD in Philly — 9/11/2009 @ 3:11 pm

    Maybe they did and there are more videos to come. They did wait until the initial denial before coming out with the second video. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more.

    Stashiu3 (ed6467)

  7. Some other blogger might describe these as “isolated incidents.”

    Xrlq (b32f32)

  8. Fox News just reported that the government has written ACORN and stated that they are no longer going to be working on the census.

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  9. I think the bigger takeaway from the FNC article was the letter from the Census Bureau Director to ACORN Nat’l HQ that their services are no longer welcome to help out with taking the 2010 census.

    One suspects that such a letter could never ever go out without the approval of the WH.
    Is the ACORN-in-Chief finally realizing that the group of thug lifers to whom he owes his entire political existence are suddenly a liability to him?

    In other words, how soon before Obama tosses ACORN under the bus?

    mike d (b28b9d)

  10. “Maybe they did and there are more videos to come….
    Comment by Stashiu3”

    I hope so.

    “Fox News just reported that the government has written ACORN and stated that they are no longer going to be working on the census.
    Comment by Have Blue — 9/11/2009 @ 3:30 pm”

    This would be wonderful news, except there is no guarantee that the replacements wouldn’t somehow manage to be worse, say from Venezuela…with their own forms pre-printed…

    MD in Philly (d4f9fa)

  11. Mike at 1 – My understanding of the Rhode Island prostitution situation is that it is not specifically legal. When they rewrote the statute they got too clever by half and specified that offering sexual services on the street was illegal. The take away is that offering such services inside (ie operating a brothel or massge parlor) is legal, or at least not illegal by the red letter law.

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  12. Is “smear” the new term for “truth”?

    Comment by great unknown — 9/11/2009 @ 2:48 pm

    Only if you are a Democrat.

    If you are a Republican, “truth” is the new term for “smear”.

    Dr. K (3569f8)

  13. When a high school journalism student in Colorado tried to enlist in the army (around 2005) after claiming to be a drug addict, the recruiter got in trouble, the media covered the incident as proof that our military was desperate for warm bodies and the student was given an award (IIRC). For some reason, I doubt that these kids will get the same credit and praise.

    Pat (d574c3)

  14. Remember that ACORN several years ago went to court to be allowed to pay thier people less than minimum wage because “the work is so important” and paying lower wages would allow them to field more people.

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  15. “not representative of the institution as a whole.”

    So what’s the usual policy? ACORN will help people defraud the government to set up prostitution rings, but only if the prostitutes are of legal age?

    Just curious.

    Dave Surls (e0f56d)

  16. “not representative of the institution as a whole hole.”

    FTFY

    Apogee (e2dc9b)

  17. I wonder if ACORN will have a “Blue Ribbon Panel” to sort this mess out. Kind of like the panels that form every time the police do something that politicians don’t like. Spend a ton of money for outside “experts,” create new forms and generally do nothing helfull. Again, I doubt ACORN will do anything to change their practices.

    Pat (d574c3)

  18. I am counting on the fact that there are more Acorn exposes already in the can. Drip drip drip. Do you think a few other Acorn offices may be sweating a little today? Did the census director already know or at least suspect there are more to come? And is that why he acted so quickly to separate the census from Acorn?

    elissa (c654db)

  19. Even if there are no more videos, I’m glad ACORN is out of the census. Right now I don’t feel I’d want them on my property, much less to give them any info.

    jodetoad (059c35)

  20. It’s interesting that the woman warns them that if somebody gets suspicious, they’ll call Fox.

    Not ABC.
    Not NBC.
    Not CBS.
    Not CNN.
    Not the New York Times.

    Apparently, ACORN believes that only FOX News is likely to care about a brothel full of underage El Salvadoran girls; and that all the other news outlets will turn a blind eye.

    Where would they get an idea like that?

    Pious Agnostic (b2c3ab)

  21. With this development, I think that the NYT and CNN and the WaPo are going to assign a lot of reporters to this story.

    They’ll be tasked with investigating O’Keefe himself to see what dirt they can turn up on him to make him look bad. He’s going to get the full “Joe the Plumber” treatment.

    I hope he’s ready.

    Steven Den Beste (99cfa1)

  22. 21.

    He’s going to get the full “Joe the Plumber” treatment.

    I hope he’s ready.

    Yep. Thankfully the videos speak for themselves.

    armadillo (a896ea)

  23. And the tone of their coverage, once they do begin to cover it, will be “The reason we didn’t cover this story is because O’Keefe is a sleazebag.”

    Steven Den Beste (99cfa1)

  24. I am counting on the fact that there are more Acorn exposes already in the can. Drip drip drip. Do you think a few other Acorn offices may be sweating a little today?
    Comment by elissa — 9/11/2009 @ 4:03 pm

    Ditto. Oh, ditto. The first expose was infuriating. This one brought joy to my heart.

    Finally, finally, this organization is being exposed about something that’s shown to be a pattern and easily outrageable in a news media report (Oh that poor underpaid clipboard carrier um, what was it again, registered a few people twice? Why are people crucifying her?) and not easily swept under the *cough* bed.

    no one you know (1ebbb1)

  25. #“not representative of the institution as a whole hole.”

    FTFY

    Comment by Apogee — 9/11/2009 @ 3:50 pm

    Close, but…

    In this case I think it’s:

    Not representative of the institution as a ho.

    Dan S (7910cf)

  26. Oh, did you see the response of the Maryland Attorney General? NRO Corner has a quote:

    WBAL:

    STATEMENT OF STATE’S ATTORNEYS OFFICE FOR BALTIMORE CITY RELATIVE TO THE ALLEGED BALTIMORE ACORN INCIDENT

    Baltimore, MD – September 11, 2009 – We have received inquiries from citizens and the media asking whether the Baltimore City State’s Attorneys Office would initiate a criminal investigation for acts allegedly committed at ACORN offices located in Baltimore. The only information received in reference to this alleged criminal behavior was a YouTube video. Upon review by this office, the video appears to be incomplete. In addition, the audio portion could possibly have been obtained in violation of Maryland Law, Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article §10-402, which requires two party consent.

    If it is determined that the audio portion now being heard on YouTube was illegally obtained, it is also illegal under Maryland Law to willfully use or willfully disclose the content of said audio. The penalty for the unlawful interception, disclosure or use of it is a felony punishable up to 5 years.

    Curious what the lawyers who hang around here say about that.

    Dan S (7910cf)

  27. #26 Dan S:

    Curious what the lawyers who hang around here say about that.

    Not a lawyer, and don’t play one on the innerweb thingy.

    But, welcome to Maryland.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  28. I am not sure what words to use to describe the quote in #26.

    Even if it is technically inadmissible as evidence, that is one heck of a skewed perspective; prosecute the guy who brought to light the brothel of underage illegal aliens.

    Now can someone say with a straight face that the Democratic Party is the one who looks out for the oppressed and downtrodden?

    MD in Philly (d4f9fa)

  29. Nice how the State’s Attorney Office focused on the illegal wiretap and not on the interstate, child sex-trafficking.

    Fine, you want to toe the line of the law then charge everyone involved. I am sure they will ignore it all though.

    HH (0922fa)

  30. ACORN knows it’s hard out there for a pimp.

    Techie (482700)

  31. Dan S. – When you read the statute, it seems like a red herring, but I’m not a lawyer.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  32. So, we have learned a couple things today. Apparently, the line the cannot be crossed is 2 incidents where ACORN is attempting to aid an international underage sex trade. 1 can be ignored. Secondly, the people at that State’s Atty office are disgusting people, who cling to ACORN and their denizens even more clingy-style than Barcky.

    JD (e19c2d)

  33. Plus we’ve got that tight ACORN/SEIU connection, which is nice.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  34. It is comforting to know that there is a line that ACORN can cross.

    JD (e19c2d)

  35. STATEMENT OF STATE’S ATTORNEYS OFFICE FOR BALTIMORE CITY RELATIVE TO THE ALLEGED BALTIMORE ACORN INCIDENT ….

    Curious what the lawyers who hang around here say about that.

    Comment by Dan S — 9/11/2009 @ 6:08 pm

    Bite me, you disgusting little excuse of a State’s Attorney protector of child-molesting pimps.

    nk, a lawyer.

    nk (df76d4)

  36. Hm. No federal whistleblower statute? After all, ACORN is funded with tax dollars.

    Apogee (e2dc9b)

  37. While we are kind of on the topic of horrific decisions made by the legal system, is it true that Excitable Andy was able to weasel out of a drug charge?

    JD (e19c2d)

  38. Dan S:

    Curious what the lawyers who hang around here say about that.

    It reminds me of Linda Tripp.

    DRJ (662925)

  39. I don’t know if this is a correct statement of Maryland law, but this explains why I thought of Tripp.

    DRJ (662925)

  40. While we are kind of on the topic of horrific decisions made by the legal system, is it true that Excitable Andy was able to weasel out of a drug charge?

    Comment by JD — 9/11/2009 @ 7:12 pm

    The prosecutor dropped the case. Likely, he is into power glutes and bareback riding, too. The magistrate who objected obviously is not.

    nk (df76d4)

  41. Hey, DRJ, I read the article at the link you provided in comment # 39. I think the author of that article is incorrect (though I wish he were correct).

    Here is the relevant portion of the Maryland statute, including the definitions:

    § 10-401. Definitions.

    As used in this subtitle the following terms have the meanings indicated:

    (1) “Wire communication” means any aural transfer made in whole or in part through the use of facilities for the transmission of communications by the aid of wire, cable, or other like connection between the point of origin and the point of reception (including the use of a connection in a switching station) furnished or operated by any person licensed to engage in providing or operating such facilities for the transmission of communications.

    (2) (i) “Oral communication” means any conversation or words spoken to or by any person in private conversation.

    (ii) “Oral communication” does not include any electronic communication.

    (3) “Intercept” means the aural or other acquisition of the contents of any wire, electronic, or oral communication through the use of any electronic, mechanical, or other device.

    (4) “Electronic, mechanical, or other device” means any device or electronic communication other than:

    (i) Any telephone or telegraph instrument, equipment or other facility for the transmission of electronic communications, or any component thereof, (a) furnished to the subscriber or user by a provider of wire or electronic communication service in the ordinary course of its business and being used by the subscriber or user in the ordinary course of its business or furnished by the subscriber or user for connection to the facilities of the service and used in the ordinary course of its business; or (b) being used by a communications common carrier in the ordinary course of its business, or by an investigative or law enforcement officer in the ordinary course of his duties; or

    (ii) A hearing aid or similar device being used to correct subnormal hearing to not better than normal.

    § 10-402.

    (a) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this subtitle it is unlawful for any person to:

    (1) Wilfully intercept, endeavor to intercept, or procure any other person to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire, oral, or electronic communication;

    ***

    (3) It is lawful under this subtitle for a person to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication where the person is a party to the communication and where all of the parties to the communication have given prior consent to the interception unless the communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing any criminal or tortious act in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States or of this State.

    So, the way I read this, if you use a tape or other recording device to record an in-person conversation in Maryland, you are committing a crime even if you are part of the conversation.

    Wow! This statute puts the kibosh on ANY investigative journalism! So, just you try to find out about AND expose another Spiro Agnew or other crooked government official in Maryland.

    Does anyone know if there are similar statutes in other states?

    Ira (28a423)

  42. “In addition, the audio portion could possibly have been obtained in violation of Maryland Law, Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article §10-402, which requires two party consent.”

    Interesting. So, if someone calls me on the phone and threatens to kill me, and I record and play the conversation, without obtaining their consent…then I’m guilty of a crime?

    Whatever.

    Dave Surls (e0f56d)

  43. Ira – What does intercept mean? Recording face to face communications does not seem to be intercepting squat, but I’m not a lawyer.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  44. Apparently, Channel ___ Eyewitness News Undercover Investigative News Team are habitual felons……

    Techie (482700)

  45. Ira – Sorry – Missed the definition above.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  46. Ira,

    I don’t know anything about the Maryland laws regarding intercepted communications except I remember some of these issues were presented in the Tripp wiretapping case. I don’t have time to research it tonight so my second link was intended to show what the issues might be, and not to answer them.

    DRJ (662925)

  47. It stinks to the high heavens!

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  48. Yes, Chimperor/Lovie, you do stink.

    JD (f52b33)

  49. JD. Learn from my example. Condemn evil. Support good. Don’t let partisanship destroy you. This is why I am better than most of you. This is why you stink! Now go wash yourself or something…

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  50. Ira,

    Here’s a contrary opinion.

    DRJ (662925)

  51. Hey JD, I am going to hit you so hard, you will cry to DRJ to ban me. You want some of this? You are a lying piece of shit. You cant even be man enough acknowledge that something is wrong and condemn it. Just because the offender has an “R” to his name. And you dare to talk to me about truth? You disgust me.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  52. You had simple and direct questions posed of you, that you have chosen to play coy, and do everything but address. Then you come around with your sanctimonious hogwash preached from your faux moral high ground, in a thread where your fellow supporters of Barcky were trying to aid in what they believed to be an international underage sex slavery operation. Nice.

    JD (f52b33)

  53. DRJ – I liked your second Tripp link in terms of dissecting the term “interception.”

    daleyrocks (718861)

  54. Sorry, folks. I will not let this little soi pissant derail a thread like this. I apologize that Lovie is such a douchenozzle.

    JD (f52b33)

  55. Emperor _ what are you blathering about? Some “R” did something wrong?

    Are you refering to calling a liar a liar?

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  56. Learn from my example…This is why I am better than most of you.

    You have to admit, The Emperor, that it doesn’t seem very modest, or (more to the point) at all persuasive, to be phrasing your point in this way.

    soi pissant
    Comment by JD — 9/11/2009 @ 8:39 pm

    So stealing this, plus hyphen. LOL

    no one you know (1ebbb1)

  57. This APORN, er, ACORN, thingy made my week. It just keeps getting better and better. Even the LA Times might have to drop its pose of ignorance and write something.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407)

  58. Thanks for the replies to my question above.

    I wonder how much of this sort of, well, crap has to be revealed before the Feds start looking at a RICO case. All the voter registration issues, now tax evasion and child prostitution abetting… do we have a pattern yet?

    Dan S (7910cf)

  59. noyk – It is all yours 😉

    JD (f52b33)

  60. One would think, Bradley, but just checking in at LAT Top of the Ticket political blog, they are still playing ignorant. They posted last at 5:08 p.m. (PST) and the ACORN story broke around 2 or 3 p.m. (PST).

    Recent Posts
    September 11, 2009 , 5:03 pm | News shocker: Dick Armey now admires Bill Clinton »
    September 11, 2009 , 3:22 pm | Nevada 2010: A father-son ticket–Harry Reid and Rory Reid »
    September 11, 2009 , 9:05 am | Obama at Pentagon on 9/11: ‘No turning of seasons can diminish pain and the loss of that day’ (text) »
    September 11, 2009 , 8:22 am | Mark Sanford, now Joe Wilson: What’s in the water in South Carolina?

    Dana (863a65)

  61. Thanks for the “contrary” link, DRJ.

    I’m still of the opinion that the Maryland law appears to put the Acorn exposers in very serious risk.

    Ira (28a423)

  62. Ira – I think the blogger at the “contrary link” recognizes there could be a problem, even though he includes views that discount that possibility. In addition, I don’t know how the case law interprets the relevant statute but I agree that facially and practically there is reason for concern.

    Dan S – We’ll see if the Justice Department or the Maryland authorities pursue this. It doesn’t seem likely.

    DRJ (662925)

  63. 2009: The year of the Contract On America

    2011: The national year of the House Committee hearings.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  64. It would be interesting to know what ACORN has on these folks that would keep them from exposing their training and their procedures manuals.

    Richard Aubrey (7df0bb)

  65. …interesting to know what ACORN has on these folks

    A direct link to the President.

    Apogee (e2dc9b)

  66. As of this evening, the only hits at the Washington Post for the search term “ACORN” are AP feeds.

    And there are only two of those, and both of them are coverage of ACORN’s denials.

    Steven Den Beste (99cfa1)

  67. (I mean, two hits relating to this particular event.)

    Steven Den Beste (99cfa1)

  68. Given there are federal crimes being committed, I would hope that MD’s absurd law would be trumped.

    Anyone hear anything from Holder on all this? Surely DOJ will get involved with the tax fraud being perpetrated, right?

    Ed from SFV (9b7f1a)

  69. This is why I am better than most of you.

    This is why we think you’re not only deranged, but a pathological liar and coward as well. You were asked two direct questions regarding your statements concerning Rep. Wilson’s charge of Obama lying. Since you’re still running away with this can tied between your legs, please answer the following:

    Did Barcky tell the truth about this being deficit neutral, Lovie?

    Did Barcky tell the truth about Raddatz’s story, Lovie?

    Either answer them or get ready for that can to stick to your hindquarters like road apples on a horse that’s been rode hard and put away wet. Answer them or get used to the feeling.

    Dmac (a93b13)

  70. Lovie is better than the rest of us because her passive-aggressive-ity is far more advanced than anyone else’s in the universe. And that’s saying a lot, considering Quark’s passive-aggressive racial traits. Or Q’s (and I refuse to watch episodes with Q in them).

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  71. @69
    9/12/2009 @ 4:12 pm
    Duffus-mac
    I ain’t answering any of your questions, Duffus. Now go back to raping rodents in the backyard, creep!

    The Emperor (1b037c)

  72. Lovey – Don’t you have some more camels to hump?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  73. Notice how Lovie is the one interjecting homoerotic fantasies and violent criminal sexual desires into this conversation? I suspect Lovie needs law-enforcement attention, and the services of someone trained in stash’s field (sorry, stash).

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  74. John – You’re not volunteering to take one for the team with Lovey are you?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  75. Daley, if I were the last man on earth and Lovey were the last woman on earth, I would be the last man on earth and Lovey would be the last woman on earth.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  76. @72 and 74.
    And the fantasies keep coming. “Lovie”. Daley you have a sukkubus problem. You need intensive and violent exorcism. I would recommend prayers and extended fasting seasons. It’s curable. Have hope.

    The Emperor (1b037c)

  77. If Lovey were the last woman on earth . . . the rodents would be scared. Very scared.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407)

  78. Lovie, try “succubus.” Your spell-check won’t be telling you you’re wrong yet again about yet something else. At least, if you use “succubus” you’ll use the correct spelling for your homoerotic fantasies and projections. You won’t be right about anything else.

    Just a little research is all that was needed for information I already knew years ago. But, as usual, lovie doesn’t intend on doing any research, as its position is predicated on the lack thereof.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  79. @73 and 75.
    You guys are sick. You know that? Delirious. I am recommending the same treatment (@76.) for your dementia John. Just hang in there. You will be free.

    The Emperor (1b037c)

  80. Now Lovie believes I am more than one person. And yet, Lovie doesn’t back up any claims or answer any questions or counter anything.

    All Lovie has to offer is passive-aggressive-ity. As usual.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)


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