ACORN workers cleared in NYC prostitute video

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associted Press

ACORN workers cleared in NYC prostitute video
(AP) – 1 hour ago

NEW YORK — A New York prosecutor's office says it has found no criminal wrongdoing on the part of three ACORN employees caught on video advising a couple posing as a prostitute and her boyfriend.

The Brooklyn district attorney's office said Monday that its five-month inquiry is over and that no criminal activity was found.

The videos were made by conservative activists Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe, who used a hidden camera on visits to offices of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

Since then, O'Keefe has been arrested after visiting Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in New Orleans. He denies trying to tamper with the Democrat's phones.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gGAuocA-mRDscWwH701sQ_IWj56AD9E6432G0

[Political Heretic]

1. BLAST THIS FROM THE ROOFTOPS! The attempt to slander ACORN was disgusting, AND:

FAR TOO MANY DUERS PARTICIPATED IN IT, TO THEIR FUCKING SHAME.

That is all.

[AlbertCat]

9. FAR TOO MANY DUERS PARTICIPATED IN IT, TO THEIR FUCKING SHAME.

FAR TOO MANY CONGRESS MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN IT, TO THEIR FUCKING SHAME.



Now, that is all.

[EFerrari]

21. Yes, that happened and it was DISGUSTING.

[Political Heretic]

29. YES. Thank you, well deserved addition/correction! Far too many Congress Members participated too!

[MUAD_DIB]

22. Which ones? Are you sure they were real DU?

[tabasco]

25. They're real DU'ers

if they haven't been tombstoned.

Doesn't mean they weren't trolls. A lot of them fly under the radar these days.

[Political Heretic]

32. I don't know what "real DUer" means, but they were 1000+ posters.

This wasn't an isolated case either. Other people, please back me up on this.

When ACORN first started to be run through the mud during the election season, I was all over it. The elite and their lackeys hate ACORN for one simple reason: they are the largest organizing force amount poor people and communities in the country.

And to my surprise there were huge threads on DU with people slandering ACORN on every front - not just the stupid pimp thing but plugging the "voter fraud" meme, and bogusly claiming ACORN has some sort of shady history on this front (RW lie.)

There were arguments against their organizing tactics, arguments against their leaders - there were even some arguments about an agency focused on mobilizing poor individuals, families and communities as though somehow that itself wasn't a good idea.

Other posters made points that were even more confused. Some swearing up and down they were all for organizations providing advocacy and community organizing for low income individuals and families, but claim that ACORN somehow was the wrong organization to do it, etc. etc.

There was tons of people on the anti-ACORN wagon, and I could only conclude that it was basically classist - upper middle class white people afraid of those "poor brown folk getting too uppidy" by organizing, voting, and participating.

[fascisthunter]

35. it was coming from DLC types

which did not surprise me that much.

[chat_noir]

31. O'Keefe/Giles: "They edited the tape to meet their agenda" according to a law enforcement source

B'klyn ACORN cleared over giving illegal advice on how to hide money from prostitution

Brooklyn prosecutors on Monday cleared ACORN of criminal wrongdoing after a four-month probe that began when undercover conservative activists filmed workers giving what appeared to be illegal advice on how to hide money.

While the video by James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles seemed to show three ACORN workers advising a prostitute how to hide ill-gotten gains, the unedited version was not as clear, according to a law enforcement source.

"They edited the tape to meet their agenda," said the source.


http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/03/01/2010-03-01_bklyn_acorn_cleared_over_giving_illegal_advice_on_how_to_hide_money_from_prostit.html#ixzz0gy1bBHFt


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7821137

[suffragette]

48. "Acorn is gratified that the DA has concluded something we knew all along,"

ACORN lawyer Arthur Schwartz said, adding it was "unfortunate" the O'Keefe and Giles used "subterfuge to convince congress and the media to vilify an organization that didn't deserve it."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/03/01/2010-03-01_bklyn_acorn_cleared_over_giving_illegal_advice_on_how_to_hide_money_from_prostit.html#ixzz0h2Ba2b5I


Thanks for including this link. I'm glad the NY Daily News is including the important information about the editing of the tape in order to conduct the smear. This needs to be included in the reporting.

From another AP article on this, it looks like Issa is still going after Acorn:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gGAuocA-mRDscWwH701sQ_IWj56AD9E65NNO0
But Kurt Bardella, spokesman for Rep. Darrell Issa of California, the ranking Republican on the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee, said Monday that ongoing federal and state investigations "will expose the criminal nature of ACORN's deliberate effort to abuse taxpayer dollars to advance a radical political agenda."

This witchhunt needs to be stopped.

[JackRiddler]

57. Aren't there any charges they could be slapped with?

Hope the lawsuit gets them.

[No Elephants]

53. +1

[Caliman73]

2. That's good, but unfortunately ACORN is tarnished already.

I think they should sue and make O'Keefe and Breitbart go all over the country admitting that they lied and set ACORN up.

[sabrina 1]

52. They are suing Giles and O'Keefe.

Too bad this news will not get the same coverage the scam conducted by the rightwing liars who slimed the organization got.

And too bad how quickly Democrats, in Congress as well as on internet forums never considered the source of the lies and jumped so quickly on the Fox News bandwagon.

This is the third vindication of ACORN so far and yet the smears still persist because sadly the 'left' rather than stand up to the rightwing smear machine as always seems to care more about what the 'right' will think of them than the truth and are always more than ready to dump their best allies as soon as they are targeted by these lying cowards.

I am sure we will hear from those Democrats in Congress who rushed to defund them based on these lies, obvious to anyone who wasn't more concerned about their own interests than the interests of truth and the poor :sarcasm:

So far, despite the other victories achieved by ACORN as they challenged the lies, Democrats in Congress who violated the Constitution in order to join their Republican colleagues in the ACORN attack, have remained silent. I don't expect that to change unless they are forced to do so.

[The Wielding Truth]

3. Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe should now be prosecuted.

[mod mom]

5. and MSM should acknowledge they never work their pimp costumes into ACORN in the 1st place.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RZM]

19. O'Keefe seems like a loser

but that doesn't mean he deserves to be raped. People like him are routinely targeted for sexual exploitation all across our state and federal prison systems. I'm not somebody who usually objects to casual jokes, but for the thousands of people who endure sexual abuse in prison, it's really not very funny.

[MUAD_DIB]

23. He shouldn't be beaten to within an inch of his life either.

:eyes:

[uppityperson]

43. I agree, suggestion

hit alert on prison rape "jokes" as they are deleted if alerted on.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MissMillie]

61. I'm thinking a civil suit... but yeah

Bankrupt them and anyone who funded them.

[alstephenson]

4. I'll bet this will be all over the MSM!!!

NOT.

[PfcHammer]

6. Hannah has a cute, tight little bum in those cut offs she's

wearing in those videos. Jus sayin.

[PfcHammer]

7. Hannah has a cute, tight little bum in those cut offs she's

wearing in those videos. Jus sayin.

[kpete]

10. ACORN cleared in Brooklyn: 'No criminality'

Source: Politico

ACORN cleared in Brooklyn: 'No criminality'

Kings County, New York District Attorney Joe Hynes put out a statement just now:

On Sept. 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.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0310/ACORN_cleared_in_Brooklyn_No_criminality.html#comments

[Brickbat]

11. Looking forward to seeing this covered the heck out of on all network and cable news.

Oh. Wait.

[damntexdem]

12. There was criminality -- on the part of the filmmakers.

Why doesn't the DA look into that?

[spotbird]

15. They're allowed to

commit crimes because the laws don't apply to them. Last week there was a report that negotiations are underway to make the Landrieu phone tampering crime go disappear. They're just special people.

[spotbird]

13. The woman who

posed as a hooker looks like one in real life.



She is sexy, but not pretty or attractive.

[ChicagoSuz219]

14. Great news! We're gonna need them...

...although they might think about a name-change.

[alstephenson]

16. Already happening...

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/.artsmain/article/1/1338/1616027/Columns/National.Review.ACORN%27s.New.Shell

[ChicagoSuz219]

17. Thanks! A few months ago, I suggested changing the name to...

...OAKTREE. A full-blown Acorn... ;-)

[alstephenson]

18. Ha! Cute.

[Raster]

20. "...five-month inquiry is over and that no criminal activity was found."

There are several DUers, one in particular, that have droned on and on about the ALLEGED illegalities committed by ACORN. Will those DUers, especially the ding-dong, stand up and admit their "mistake"?

The same DUers have complained incessantly about the BradBlog and its coverage of this matter. Ms. Dingdong, I think you owe the BradBlog an apology.

[MUAD_DIB]

24. Post a link to the DUer and share.

[fascisthunter]

47. that would get this poster's post deleted or worse

is that why you ask?

[fascisthunter]

46. ding!

waiting for the dong

[Raster]

50. I'm not holding my breath.

[Uncle Joe]

26. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.

[Judi Lynn]

30. Thank YOU, Uncle Joe!

:hi:

[Uncle Joe]

36. Peace to you, Judi

and have good night.:hi:

[Grassy Knoll]

27. Giles and O'Keefe need to sneak into.........

Clearasil's office and find out why they still have teenage acne....on their asses.

[angelicwoman]

33. The videos are highly edited

Could they be distorted, too?

[Judi Lynn]

34. They need to share the entire videos with the public they've been trying to con.

It's silly to create a story to destroy people without being decent enough to throw open the book so everyone can see the evidence as it IS rather than as it has been arranged to appear.

I'd bet the real picture is NOWHERE near the story they've handed the public.

[havocmom]

39. Keep in mind, audio has O'Kreep talking pimp and ho

but video doesn't show his lips movin, so there is no proof it wasn't dubbed after the fact.

And we found out he didn't wear that ridiculous pimp costume into ACORN.

Whole thing was made up after the 'interviews'

[BrklynLiberal]

37. Let's see if this gets anywhere near the play that the original BS story got!!!

[tom_paine]

42. It won't, and that's as predictable as the Nazi Media not covering exoneration of Jews

I wish it wasn't that way, the way of Totalitarianism and it's captive media.

But it is.

[BrklynLiberal]

51. I knkow you are right...but maybe Rachel and Keith will do it some justice.

[Political Heretic]

38. Wonder of BradBlog will use this as ammo in the fight for a NYT retraction.

I plan to keep following that fight...

[Raster]

49. Brad Blog has been right on target the entire time.

Little Jimmy O. and his pimp-and-whore circus was nothing more than a bit of play acting, designed to fire up the knuckle-dragging crowd. And along with the knuckle-draggers, it seems America's own Grey Lady bought into the charade hook, line and furry pimp coat. And instead of acknowledging it's mistake, the New York Times stands by some pitiful rationalization as an excuse for its shoddy reporting, which unfortunately, seems to be a trend.

[defendandprotect]

40. K&R . . . i hope those who losd their jobs will be reinstated . . . ???

Were the unedited tapes turned over?

[Festivito]

55. Along with an apology for having been fired in the first place.

I think that supervisor should be fired. She ended up hurting ACORN, the employees and the country.

[progressoid]

41. ACORN is gone as we knew it.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0223/ACORN-breaks-apart-in-scandal-s-wake

ACORN breaks apart in scandal's wake

After being shaken by a series of controversies that dried up much of its funding, ACORN (the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) may be dissolving.

An ACORN official told Politico that the group “has dissolved as a national structure of state organizations” because of "diminished resources, damage to the brand, unprecedented attacks."

But ACORN spokesman Kevin Whelan told The American Prospect that despite the group having lost some major chapters, it remains intact.

“It is not true that ACORN is closed for business all across the country. It still exists. Bertha Lewis is still the CEO," said Mr. Whelan.

....

Some of its largest local chapters have already departed from the national group. On Monday, the New York branch said it was shedding the ACORN label and becoming New York Communities for Change. California ACORN split from the group in January. Politico also reported that the organization’s Philadelphia chapter is planning to cut ties with the national organization.

[mod mom]

44. the assholes behind this don't even care if ACORN was cleared becuz the damage is done

and their factually challenged audience will believe what they want to believe regardless. I hope ACORN sues O'Keefe & Giles for defamation (IANAL but would love some justice to come out of this)

[Kingofalldems]

45. Sneaky anti-ACORN disruptors hide in disgrace

[No Elephants]

54. And the lawsuit charging Congress with passing a bill of attainder.

ACORN Suing U.S. Over "Unconstitutional" Defunding Bill
Zachary Roth | November 12, 2009, 10:22AM

ACORN is suing the U.S. government over a law passed recently by Congress that bars the controversial community group from receiving federal money.

In a complaint filed this morning in U.S. District Court in New York, ACORN charges that the law is unconstitutional, because it's a bill of attainder -- that is, it targets a specific individual or group for punishment.

The complaint, brought on behalf of ACORN by the Center for Constitutional Rights, also mounts a broader push-back against ACORN's conservative critics. According to a draft version examined by TPMmuckraker, it claims that the law to defund ACORN was passed thanks to "a public relations campaign orchestrated by political forces" that are hostile to its work registering low-income voters. And it charges that ACORN "earned the animosity of political forces who are dedicated to the proposition that the fewer poor people who vote the better."

"It is outrageous to see Congress violating the Constitution for purposes of political grandstanding," said Bill Quigley of the Center for Constitutional Rights. "Congress bowed to FOX News and joined in the scapegoating of an organization that helps average Americans going through hard times to get homes, pay their taxes, and vote. Shame on them."


http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/acorn_suing_us_over_unconstitutional_defunding_bil.php


Sigh.

[catrose]

58. all RIGHT Acorn

Sue the bastards. Sue everybody. Oh, I wish we had Britain's slander/libel laws.

[Enthusiast]

56. Fox News will issue a retraction

this evening.



















:hide: :sarcasm:

[warm regards]

59. But alas, the damage is done.

[DissedByBush]

60. Here's what will keep this from being

A convincing clearing of allegations against ACORN.

The district attorney is deeply involved with the Working Families Party.

The WFP was founded largely by ACORN, and Bertha Lewis is a co-chair.

It would not be hard to make a claim of conflict of interest stick in the public opinion even if not true.