ACORN gotcha-guy arrested by the FBI: here’s what 'conservative news-gathering” looks like…

The FBI arrested four men Monday including James O'Keefe, 25, the right-wing filmmaker

(photo: James O'Keefe, left)

whose undercover videos at ACORN field offices punged the advocacy group into noisy McScandal after the videos got heavy promotion by Fox News, right-wing bloggers, Andrew Breitbart, and talk radio.

The charges: allegedly plotting to tamper with phones in Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in downtown New Orleans. He was apparently working for the right-wing astro-turf think-tank, the Pelican Institute.

Journalistic ethics and many state laws prohibit such forms of dress-up “undercover work" as O'Keefe did on ACORN- but Monday's cheesy dress-up caper went even further over-the-top. And was even dumber: it was in a federal building. and they were allegedly trying to commit a crime.

He wasn’t the only name-brand, right-wing fish caught by the FBI:

The Times-Picayune reports

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, the office confirmed. All four were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony.

(Betcha you won’t hear Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck talking about this bust...) 

Robert Flanagan's attorney, J. Garrison Jordan, said he believes his client works for the Pelican Institute. Asked the motivation for the alleged wiretap plot, he said: "I think it was poor judgment. I don't think there was any intent or motive to commit a crime."

Comments

[Ryder]

Don't matter what your politics may be, you gotta agree that these clowns are toolsheds. Even if the other side does the same crap, all that proves is that they are all toolsheds.

[Brian]

What an Idiot!
Even worse, Acorn workers fell for those costumes????

[KSing]

Probably a team hired by Bushler's Karl Rove to do some dirty work.

[Coiler]

Yes, it will be interesting in the days ahead to see the players, including FOX and Breitbart.

[sparky]

ROFL...its like he googled "Pimp" and got a picture of Huggy Bear from Starsky and Hutch.

[Coiler]

unSound Politics, no doubt won't have anything to say...

[Paul Johnson]

Hi Coiler! I suppose you fools figure this excuses ACORNS promotion of prostitution with illegal alien 13 yr olds! Oh, well of course it does. And I suppose that poor Mary Landrieu was somehow violated by their attempt to expose her obvious taking of a bribe for her vote on the now dead Health care farce! Oh, and how could I forget ACORNS voter manipulation reality. Yeah, you leftys really look out for fairness don't you.

[Paul Johnson]

Oh and yes, it really does show the intelligence level of the ACORN workers that bought into the costumes the supposed pimp and madame wore! How low level can you be?

[KS]

Breitbart clears his name

Andrew Breitbart was not connected with O'Keefe's gotcha. I'd like to hear the whole story, not just the breaking news and the media's predispostion to smear those who brought down ACORN.

[Coiler]

I think you have it backwards, the blue eyed devil was trying to set up a prostitution ring. I'm sure charges will be forthcoming in that matter too.

[Coiler]

rotfl? Hugh Hewitt clears BrightFart

How does that clear his name?

[joanie]

Yeah, you leftys really look out for fairness don't you.

Yes, we do. And justice. In fact, we are so justice-oriented, that we tell the truth about Acorn and the fact that it was the organization that turned in all the fraudulent registrations because that's what it is supposed to do and, therefore, acquitted on all charges.

But, "alleged" equals "guilt" in your case.

So, you see, we lefties "really look out for fairness." That's true. And we're proud of it. The American Way . . . Truth, Freedom and JUSTICE for all. You got something against all that?

Oh, and the people who got caught in this sting were fired. Which is also just.

What would you idiots do without ACORN? Is our side utterly perfect without them?

[Tigsnort]

Anybody remember this?:

Republican House Resolution praising and honoring James O'Keefe

[JDB]

The question is, how long until the right points out that Obama is going soft on these terrorist. These people attempted to attack the heart of our democracy. They should be handed over to the military immediately, and shipped down to Gitmo. Bill O'Reilly is right, terrorist like this should be shot on site.

I expect to hear at least two hours on Hannity tomorrow tearing into Obama for going light on terrorist again!

And I expect FOX News to give these actual felonies as much time as they did the non-felonies at ACORN.

[RunningH20]

YES, tigsnort right-on. Reminds me of a certain President's comments regarding the LA catastrophy when he said 'you're doin a heck of a job down here Brownie..'
Don't be too quick to praise or criticize, 'cause all the facts may not be in.
You are apparently one of us and will help us crush their nuts.

[Duffman]

Nixonian Nostalgia

:)

[Bill]

Rooster from "Baretta" and Huggy Bear are both laughing at this ass-clown. They know the dark conservative suit is a dead giveaway.

At least that's the word on the street.

[Coiler]

I don't expect FOX to give any time on this other than looking for loopholes for their agents.

[Coiler]

Breitbart should be prepared to spend some time with the FBI

Conservative new media figure Andrew Breitbart revealed last night on Hugh Hewitt's radio show that he pays a salary to James O'Keefe, the filmmaker who was charged yesterday in an alleged attempt to tamper witt the phones of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

AB: ... So when he puts a story out there, it's on the Brietbart sites, the Big sites, that he can tell people what transpired. So...

HH: Do you pay him for that?

AB: Yes.

HH: And are you free to tell me how much you pay him?

AB: I'll...perhaps at another date, but he's paid a fair salary.

HH: Is he...so he is an employee?

AB: I'm not sure that's technically the thing, but yes, he's paid for his life rights. And he's, you know, he's still...we reserve the right to say yes or no to any of the stories that he puts up on our site as we do to any other contributor who comes to the site.

HH: Will it be a mischaracterization to say he was working for you when he went about this?

AB: Well, I mean, no. He was not involved in anything that was related to Big Government, or Breitbart.com.

HH: And I think that's the key thing. Lots of people work for lots of corporations, and do dumb and sometimes illegal things that are not within the scope of their employment. And this was not within the scope of his employment.

AB: Yes, absolutely. That is absolutely the case.

Contacted after the Landrieu news broke yesterday, Breitbart initially told TPM "I need to find information on this. I'm out of the loop on this."

In a later statement to the media, he said, "We have no knowledge about or connection to any alleged acts and events involving James O'Keefe at Senator Mary Landrieu's office."

[KS]

"rotfl? Hugh Hewitt clears BrightFart

How does that clear his name?"

So it conflicts with the snotrag - Media Matters, but I'll put up the interview with Breitbart by Hewitt any time. Typical grasping at straws/sour grapes blah blah blah from the (Progressive) prohibitionist left. All you are doing is projecting the lies from the left onto a conservative.

[Coiler]

I predict the 2 or 3 of the scofflaws will rat out O'Keefe and Breitbart. Follow the money.

[KS]

Keep those warm and tinglies coming like Butch Maddow speculated on her TV show. We'll keep tabs on this - oh yes.

[Coiler]

"Butch Maddow" You guys are isolating yourselves again unless Dick Cheney's gay daughter is not relevant?

[Openly Straight]

The idiot w/ the Butch Maddow remark is latently gay. He/she is threatened because Maddow is more successful, smarter and happier than he/she is. Oh, she's gay too. Who gives a flying f--k? Only morons. This jagoff probably thinks 'teabagging' is what you do to brew a cup of tea. It's actually your lover's balls bouncing off your nose while he blows you upside down and backwards. Sure KS, you've never done that. You know what the problem with the country is right now? The unexpected, collosal and terminal stupidity of people like KS. Keep sucking on it KS.

[trickydick]

Uh, Butch is used by the LGBT community to describe themselves and maddow is kind of butch. What's the problem? Does it harm your senstivities?

[RunningH20]

There's nothing wrong with being butch but watching one on TV would not be a choice I'd make. Apparently (per ratings) many others feel this way. She is hanging on strictly due to political correctness. The end is coming.

[KS]

"Butch Maddow" You guys are isolating yourselves again unless Dick Cheney's gay daughter is not relevant?"

Just calling it like I see it - not being disparaging. I am not politically correct, so don't look for an apology here if you claim to be offended.

[Tigsnort]

"Butch Maddow"

You're so edgy, KS, so edgy.

[Weasels ripped my flesh]

So where is the outrage ?

[joanie]

I think KS was pointing out hypocrisy. Good for you, KS.