I Reserved Judgement of ACORN For a Reason.

[berni_mccoy]

That reason being: we didn't have all the facts. To be honest, I was certainly leaning toward condemning them.

Yes, the videos certainly looked bad. Damning even. But since they were heavily edited, they were not evidence.

Since the videos have come out and the damage done, some truth has come to light. And I believe that truth is going to backlash squarely on O'Keefe and Fox News. It's also going to backlash on Congress for acting under heated emotions. There is a reason we have government, and that reason is to follow the laws to bring about justice. What was done to ACORN is not justice, but instead, the equivalent of a lynching. I fully support a full legal investigation and that includes obtaining and examining the full unedited video of the interviews. This will reveal the whole truth. Even without the raw video, we've learned:

1. That the videos were obtained illegally, violating at least Maryland and California Wiretapping Laws: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/berni_mccoy/787
2. That Juan Carlos Vera, the man who O'Keefe made out to be helping in smuggling underage girls into the country, actually reported O'Keefe to authorities: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4070953
3. That many other ACORN offices reported O'Keefe to authorities for their suspicious questions regarding illegal activities and lying to get an appointment with ACORN: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x373378
4. That O'Keefe and Fox News have lied about all ACORN offices being complicit in illegal activity: http://mediamatters.org/research/200909170031
5. That the defunding of ACORN is definitely a rush to judgement and most likely Unconstitutional: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6602228

Furthermore, everyone should watch the video of Katherine Conway Russell as she reports what happens to her when O'Keefe came by: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x373378

I believe that if a full investigation is done and the law is followed, that O'Keefe is going to be in court defending himself against criminal charges in many states and that ACORN will likely have grounds for a civil suit against O'Keefe and Fox. The backlash cometh. I applaud those DUers who have been defending ACORN and digging up the truth. You should be proud. Keep up the good work.

[Hissyspit]

1. NO. 1 Clue It Was Bullshit:

It came from the right-wing.

Should be INSTANTANEOUS skepticism.

[redqueen]

11. +1

[Ian David]

2. Cutting funding to ACORN allows them to establish harm when they sue Fox "News." n/t

[TxRider]

9. No funds have actually been cut yet, symbolic so far I believe

Except for the census pulling it's association with them back

And I'm hearing this morning on TV the DOJ is launching an investigation of some kind.

[spanone]

3. we have NO facts....faux news and video...no investigation...no one under oath...c'mon america

[berni_mccoy]

4. Correction: we HAD no facts. We have some facts now and they say O'Keefe is in legal trouble.

[KharmaTrain]

5. O'Keefe Needs To Stand Up To Scrutiny Or Be Taken Down

This slimebucket fancies himself as a "filmmaker"...ala Michael Moore. He's surely full of himself thinking he's taken down ACORN and is the toast of the parallel universe.

As you say, there's a lot that smells here and the transparancy isn't there. O'Keefe and his handler, Breibart are hiding behind faux who inturn can play "plauisble deniability" by saying they didn't do this scam...right now it's a win/win as the images and first impressions have been made long before the truth is really know. But then will it matter? Look how many on DU are quick to call ACORN all sorts of names primarily based on right wing attacks, lies and talking points.

Ya want voter registration fraud...check this out:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/owner-of-registration-company-pleads-guilty-to-voter-fraud.html

That's REAL fraud and committed by rushpublicans. Not only has faux ignored it...so has the rest of the corporate media cause they're so indoctrinated with the "ACORN bad" meme. Makes for a nice smoke screen while the GOOP can carry on its ongoing efforts at voter suppression...which is what this ACORN thing is about. They don't want poor, especially blacks, registered to vote...they know they can't match the numbers. Since they can't win an election outright, the only way is to steal them and with groups like ACORN and La Raza standing in the way.

[berni_mccoy]

17. very true.

[Kingofalldems]

6. I noticed one member who was all over the ACORN threads

Seemed to be basking in their troubles. Will there be an apology?

[berni_mccoy]

8. I'm not seeking to call out anyone who rushed to judgement. As I said, I was tempted.

But it was only for reasons that Hissyspit pointed out above that I held judgement in reserve. I seek only to commend those who have worked to uncover the truth on this and to push toward a full investigation.

Remember, we don't know that some ACORN members may have engaged in illegal behavior. That may come out as well here. But what is certainly true is that O'Keefe has been lying.

[blm]

13. If it's same someone who shows up to defend FOX and BushInc a little too often, hit alert.

It's past time on that one.

[BooBluePotion]

7. You made a wise Decision berni

I would like all DUers who are in doubt about their fellow progressive to read the first post by Hissyspit. I know the right is full of serial liars who would like each of us to fall by the wayside and they will use our human instinct to hate criminals against us. These people can not be trusted with our emotions so please leave your feelings out of breaking right wing controlled stories.

[Johonny]

10. But Jon Stewart says they are great journalist

and he's never wrong

[starroute]

12. We need to do something about the Daily Show

It really bothered me to see Stewart jumping on the anti-ACORN bandwagon -- first with an extended segment and then with a gag tossed into a segment on Afghan election fraud.

I understand that the Daily Show needs to take some shots at left-wing causes and politicians -- but when it picks up those targets unexamined from right-wing talking points, something is off track. This isn't the first time it's happened, but it's surely the most blatant. That second reference, which bought into the ACORN=election fraud lie, was particularly disturbing.

I think we need to let them know they can't just pile onto whatever is the current right-wing target of mockery without doing any due diligence of their own and have it be accepted as good fake journalism.

[BooBluePotion]

19. I'm with you

One only needs to look at Lou Dobbs with his Birth Certificate debacle. What little credibility he possessed is gone now for those that watched his circus. If these incidents are any indication our upcoming elections will be smeared by the right so everyone should be warned it is heads up time.

[ellenfl]

14. good investigative reporting, berni. k&r eom

[berni_mccoy]

16. Good investigative blogging by many DUers here.

[ellenfl]

20. yeah, but you searched them out and put this together. eom

[bertman]

15. I sure hope you're right, Berni. This was nothing more than a high-tech media hit job.

Recommend.

[Beaverhausen]

18. Those 'filmmakers' won't go on any other network other than Fox

right there, that tells you how credible their 'reporting' is.

Good summation, Bernie, and I agree.