MSM Leaping to Conclusions — While Big Government Waits for Facts
by Andrew BreitbartWait until the facts are in.
Mainstream Media, ACORN, Media Matters (all the supposed defenders of due process and journalistic ethics) are jumping to conclusions over the arrest today of James O’Keefe, with the clear intention to smear and, if possible, convict O’Keefe and his alleged co-conspirators in the court of public opinion in order to taint the “jury of their peers.”
The ACORN story was a huge black eye for the organized left and their allies and cohorts in the mainstream media. So they are relishing every minute of this breaking story, making it their top story – while they ignored the initial ACORN story until they no longer could.
MSNBC and other “news organizations” are even billing this developing story as “Watergate”. What do Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow know? And when did they know it?
I’m sure they would like to believe O’Keefe is stupid enough to try to “wiretap” a sitting U.S. senator in broad daylight during office hours, while recording the entire sequence of events on his cell phone camera. And they’d like you to believe it, too.
But there is absolutely no allegation in the criminal complaint that “wiretapping” or “bugging” is any part of this case, just the charge that O’Keefe and the others entered Sen. Landrieu’s office in New Orleans “for the purpose of interfering with the office’s telephone system.”
And yet Carol Leonnig, in a story in Wednesday’s Washington Post writes in her lede:
The conservative young filmmaker whose undercover sting damaged a liberal activist group last year faces federal criminal charges in an alleged plot to bug the New Orleans office of Sen. Mary Landrieu
In other words, speculation is rampant, but facts are few. And basic logic suggests that there’s much more to this story since there is so little information.
Leonnig, as you may remember, is the reporter who was forced to retract the false and libelous accusation that O’Keefe was motivated by racism in his ACORN sting.
Will Leonnig and the Washington Post be compelled to retract again?
Let me state clearly for the record: wiretapping is wrong. But until I hear the full story from James O’Keefe, I will not speculate as to what he was doing in Louisiana.
Regardless of the outcome we will keep the readers of Big Government apprised of this emerging story.
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840 Comments
Yea, took the MSM quite a bit of time to catch up on the ACORN story but seconds to report this one….it even made Drudge!!!
The Conservative Edge
Thank you Andrew.
Let us know where to send our money for the James O'keefe defense fund. We want him to have the best attorney's that money can buy.
Too bad James wasn't busted in Chicago, we could of bought the judge………and probably for a hell of alot less money.
The very people that should go to jail are corrupt politicians getting bribes.
I'm really hoping there is a lot more to the story. It's one thing to record your own conversation, it's completely another to wire-tap a sitting US Senator. Keep us posted!
In the meantime Joe Klein put his neck on the chopping block. 2010 is already like the Energizer Bunny. (perhaps one of the most brilliant campaigns ever) It keeps giving and giving and giving.
And we are the idiots? If Joe Klein represents who is not idiotic then I'll swim gleefully in that label.
The smell of desperation is in the air. Desperate people do desperate things. And they are ready to to take the toxicity to parabolic levels. Akin to those assets the banksters are hiding off the sheets.
Certainly every clear thinking person waits for the full story before making assumptions. It's almost comical how the msm just can't help but show their hypocrisy at every turn, they are an embarassment to all of us. Guessing they are just so giddy with excitement to have the spot light off the President and all his side kicks – they have all blown more double-talk into the air waves the last 2 days, it's just stunning.
The realist in me suspects a game is afoot here. With the meticulous fashion in which the ACORN story was rolled out makes me doubt that O'Keefe would be stupid enough to try something criminal in so brazen a way. Smells funny. I get this funny feeling that Madcow and Olberface are going to be wiping egg off their faces about this.
I'm curious about this James O'Keefe story.
I wonder if the Federal Government will extend to him the same courtesies and luxuries that they have extended to the Christmas Day Underwear Bomber and Khalid Sheik Muhammed, or are they going to demand that he be sent to GITMO and undergo Waterboarding immediately?
It's always "alleged"… unless a conservative is involved. My thoughts are with these guys and I hope they weren't doing anything stupid as alleged. There should be more to the story . James needs a good defense team, as the other 3 do and we'll just see how this unfolds.
Okay, I'm not alone.
This story quickly evolved into "wiretapping" when there's no evidence (or charge) suggesting it. "Tampering" is not "wiretapping". That said, the whole thing about gaining access to federal property under false pretenses is serious business.
I just have a hard time believing the kid is that stupid, and I'm certain that AB isn't that stupid, and I don't drink kool-aide for anyone left right or in between.
Story has legs, ride it AB ride it.
… really? You don't see the double standard in all of this? Would you be so forgiving if Michael Moore got caught naked in Michele Bachmann's office? Creative journalism is one thing, but when you have to lie, cheat and steal to make a story, it becomes a spoiled fruit that falls far from the tree of real journalism.
hahaha I hope they are all tingly, let them tingle! TINGLE AWAY! This last week has revealed a great deal to many, they need this lest we find them dangling from a rope in a closet somewhere. It's a little mercy for the poor tormented things. <belly laughs>
Is this what happens when a tiger is trapped? I hate to sound like a right wing conspirator, but this just does not look good for James O'Keefe. I agree, he is much smarter then this. Would this administration really go this far and attempt to frame these young men in this matter. Part of me says yes.
If what I have been told by a source not far removed from this situation is true, then before it's over this thing will make the ACORN tapes look like a Swedish massage.
Meanwhile, Louisiana's Democrats are hard at work trying to pin this whole thing on David Vitter.
The point is we don't know any more than they picked him up for molesting the Senators office somehow, and no I won't excuse the kid if he really drank from the bowl of stupid that would spawn such a ridiculous plan.
Interesting. However, being that not one single "lie, cheat, or steal" has been proven, let alone revealed.
PS If Michael Moore got caught naked in Michele Bachmann's office, people would be concerned for Michael Moore's well-being… and that's about all the sh!t anyone would give over it.
Sucker born every minute
That sounds like a lefty loon barking at Bush to me, just in the other direction. Sorry, but no.
Like the parasites they are, the MSM will latch onto a host and suck as much as they can from the rotting news corpse, assumption and speculation feeding upon itself until the last ounce of filth is consumed. It's business as usual for them. The most entertaining part of a circus like this is when the truth comes out and they're outed as the paint-chip chewing crack addicts they are, center stage and in front of the American public. That carnival barker Carol Leonnig of the Washington Post has always suffered from a severe head trauma, she'll never learn.
One can only hope Mr. Logic but I think spending 10 years in a federal prison in Louisiana with a black population will be more than enough justice for O'Keefe. The Lord works in mysterious ways my friend.
Was Mary hiding something from her constituents?
You are assuming that O'Keefe isn't in a position of power. He may well be yet..
I suspect Mr. O'Keefe's "grand" stratagem is to really expose the liberal mainstreamed media's bias and its too-cozy relationship with liberal powers-that-be at the high level. The public must fully know the real ugly truth about the LMSM and its shady journalist practices.
It took weeks for the Idiots stream media to acknowledge James and Hannah's expose of the corrupt ACORN. Within seconds Madcow and Olberdouche were "Alert Breaking" ? Who contacted them that fast ? This whole thing smells as rotten as Holder's Justice Department. I believe in James and believe this is a witch hunt brought on by ACORN and the White House.
Especially the chumps that voted for President TOTUS.
Syn,
Well, now, there YOU go again.
Runnin' right off the Rez.
People all have their pet causes to donate to. Whether that would be the James O'Keefe Defense Fund, the Bwarney Fwank Send A Gerbil Home Fund, ot the George Clooney Haitian Rebuilding Effort, it is all a matter of perspective.
10 years in a federal prison in Louisiana…oh yeah…we're tingly! Funny how suddenly you all care about facts. Funny stuff indeed. My original comment got deleted where I gave links upon links from this website and their blatant disregard for facts when accusing ACORN of everything under the sun without one single arrest, prosecution or conviction. You're two-faced standards are disgusting and I hope O'Keefe pays the ultimate price for it.
It's a piece of flotsam to cling to after dashing a ship against a rock, no shocker there.
You nailed it
I'm sorry…President TOTUS arrested by Federal Marshals yesterday for another attempted terrorist attack on a Federal Building?
Syn,
Now, there YOU go, again.
Mind your manners. My standards aren't two-faced.
You ought buckle your seatbelt on this one…………………………
Has anyone any data about the recording that O'keefe made in his cell phone?
Syn,
Take a powder.
From today, until any potential jail, do you realize conceivably how many years you are talking about? Do you really believe what you are being fed?
Take a step back and look at the big picture…………
Except that the major liberal mainstreamed media has long been known to lie to, cheat, and deceive the uninformed public about the Tea Party activists, rallies, pro-2nd Amndt or pro-life demonstrations, conservatives and patriotic citizen-soldiers. The LMSM went so far to slander and vilify these people as if it's factual and make them big news stories. That's "creative" journalism for you!
hey m8 link isn't working
Interesting statement kinda has a Sandra Bernhard ring to it.
Thanks, Andrew, for not jumping to any conclusion with this one. The vultures in the MSM will do that enough for everyone.
I hear humble pie is mighty tasty.
He doesn't view video evidence as a "fact". He apparently does view emotional, incoherent rants as facts though.
What the hell, Chopper, Landrieu got bought off for a lousy $100 million…that's not expensive.
Let's charge it to the Federal government! Now there's an idea!!!
"terror attack"
slander much?
/eyeroll
What big picture Mr. Logic? The kid pulled a Timothy McVeigh at a Federal Building and was busted for it by Federal Marshals. Not regurgitated talking points from a right-wing blog or heavily edited and doctored videos from a pimp and a prostitute posing as journalists.
This punk attempted to bug and tamper with property of the United States Government including their phones. He was not arrested by security guards but US Marshals. This isn't some satellite ACORN office, this is a United States Federal Building this little weasel tried to tamper with for whatever reasons this little Timmy McVeigh wannabe chose to do what he tried to do. Prosecute the punk to the fullest extent of the law or…give us the names of the puppet masters kid and we'll just leave you to ACORN and the California AG.
[...] Advice On The O’Keefe Arrest Posted on January 27th, 2010 by macaoidh From BigGovernment.com: Wait until the facts are [...]
Timothy McVeigh?
Get a grip. Stop embarrasing yourself in front of God and the world.
I have watched for years how MSM have influenced juries through their "unbiased" reporting.
I can't count how many times I have been asked "what really happened?" and because of my job, I usually just told them that I cannot get into it, you'll have to wait till the trial.
So, I wait until we hear something formal then I will decide off the evidence.
Thank you Andrew for being straight with us & not trying to putt a spin on.
"the charge that O’Keefe and the others entered Sen. Landrieu’s office in New Orleans “for the purpose of interfering with the office’s telephone system.”"
Andrew, that's the problem we're having right now — that act is a federal felony in and of itself even if there are no other charges ever brought. And what flummoxes many of us is why James would openly engage in such activity.
There's only 2 possiblities here — the fbi shaded/fabricated their statements that were released today and there is a whole other subtext OR James went out of line in a bad way. i don't see a 3rd option, I'm sorry.
indeed, someone on hot air pointed out that if so, James underwent more direct interrogation than dude who tried to kill 300 people on Xmas day [!!]
Yeah…Timothy McVeigh! What the hell was this idiot thinking considering the past history of stupid behavior like this at Federal Buildings has not worked out to well. It should be treated as an act of terrorism until we know for sure what the hell this punk was trying to accomplish at a United States Federal Building.
Well I've never been arrested by Federal Marshals at a United States Federal Building if that's what you're asking.
Should we set up a legal defense fund for James? Any attorneys out there willing to help establish such a fund as I think he's going to need it? We need to show him how grateful we are for all he & Hannah have done to save us from wasting more of our tax dollars that would have gone to line ACORN's pockets, exposing …ACORN's corruption, as well as exposing the racist views of Planned Parenthood along with Lila Rose.
who had "5 posts before the jackass pulls out the odious [and completely incorrect] mcveigh comparison" — u win!
Excuse me, "syntax":
Where (and please cite) did you read/hear/observe evidence that he (O'keefe) tried to EITHER bug OR tamper with the phones? THIS is the information we are waiting for, BEFORE we jump like lemmings to a conclusion. So, provide the proof, move this process along… or move on (pun intended).
just another sign of ordinary people speaking up saying i won't be trading my ben franklin for your karl marx !
whatever the real facts are you have a young motivated (little person) standing up for what he believe and he wasn't trying to bring in illegal teenage el; salvadorians to help with tax fraud and fake laon papers!
glen beck is right i will not let my republic go down without a fight!
you have awakened me in mass and now ill goto to other staes to help save us from this plight!
Fox 11 (Los Angeles) just said "police say O'Keefe may have been attempting to wiretap her phone".
Police said that? The arresting police? Police who were watching on t.v.?
“A federal law enforcement official said one of the suspects was picked up in a car a couple of blocks away with a listening device that could pick up transmissions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not part of an FBI affidavit that described the circumstances of the case.”
Uhhhhhh…..have you not read this quote? Sort of sounds like “wire tapping” to me..if this guy had a “listening” device that could pick up transmission hooked to the “repairmen” inside the office. See some people call that a “wire tap” including, apparently, the FBI.
Can I have some of the Kool-Aid you and you’re minions are drinking Andrew?
And give me a break–you took no pause and never will take any pause in jumping to conclusions about liberals who are in situations like this? Be principled for once instead of always blindly following the party line. Read more on my new website “Bigdenial.com.”
O'Keefe and his ilk need to be rebuked for their felonious actions. He is just another angry conservative that will stop at nothing to get dirt on anyone he deems "liberal." He, like so many conservatives, believes that he is above the law and that he can do whatever he wants. However, the law is clear. He needs to be severely punished from his crime. He deserves the maximum sentence. He is only interested in causing havoc through his repeated attempts to humiliate and intimidate liberals and liberal organizations through his undercover operations. He should do something that contributes to society rather than doing things that just cause mistrust and anger in the American public. Conservatism is only interested in the status quo, which includes greedy corporations and the like. This kind of selfishness needs to be stamped out of the American political system. No more corporate welfare and handouts to the wealthy. No more religious intolerance. No more bullying. No more propaganda.
How do you figure?
It's put not putt and that response was nothing but spin.
Unfortunately, people are going to pretzel themselves trying to come up with an innocent explanation for why they were posing as phone company employees and trying to get access to the telephone closet. There is no legitimate reason for them to pose as phone company employees trying to access a US Senator's phone system.
They screwed up. Big Time.
If you knew how to read you'd note I didn't ask anything.
Damn, i had 6
ever heard of false charges?
Try this one:
http://thehayride.com/2010/01/breathless-state-de...
that's my "shaded/fabricated" scenario …
[...] More from Breitbart at his Big Government Website. Filed under: The Future and its Enemies, The New, New [...]
Do you really believe O'Keefe is dumb enough to record this thing on his cell phone if it really is what it's been billed as? Even for a lefty, you'd have to be pretty gullible to fall for that.
He might well have violated the law. But there is a lot more to this than you've seen so far. Take that to the bank.
should this ever come to trial,you know won`t be no fair trial. not with this DoJ
"We should assume the worse…."
Maybe we should even assume the worst. Seriously, did any Liberals ever graduate high school?
"A federal law enforcement official said one of the suspects was picked up in a car a couple of blocks away with a listening device that could pick up transmissions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not part of an FBI affidavit that described the circumstances of the case."
===
why was this important information left out of the affidavit? Seriously an unnamed official claims makes a claim concerning important evidence then puts a disclaimer on it, oh by the way this information is not in the affidavit. Makes no sense at all the supposed monitoring device can prove that these guys were out to bug the office, yet it's not even mentioned in the affidavit?
whatever this was a stupid move by these guys and if they have committed a felony they should pay the piper as all should including Acorn, Black Panthers and on and on.
There is a lot missing from this story so I'll wait until all the facts are in. I cannot believe James O'Keefe would be stupid enough to commit a felony crime. He's much too savvy for this type of stunt. Best of luck to you, James!
"The kid pulled a Timothy McVeigh at a Federal Building…"
There we have it, ladies and gentlemen. A Liberal who trivializes the murder of hundreds of men, women and children by comparing them to someone arrested (and released) for "Attempting to interfere with a phone system."
Because Liberals care more about people than everyone else….right? Or is it they care more about wanting to appear more insightful than everyone else? It certainly isn't their ability to be factual.
all four released on unsecured bond – sounds like they're not too worried about them
Pants on the ground,
Pants on the ground,
Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground!
With the gold in your mouth,
Hat turned sideways,
Pants hit the ground,
Call yourself a cool cat,
Lookin' like a fool,
Walkin' downtown with your pants on the ground!
Get it up, hey!
Get your pants off the ground,
Lookin' like a fool,
Walkin' talkin' with your pants on the ground.
Get it up, hey!
Get your pants off the ground,
Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground!
Let me see if I fully understand this.
Everyone has their shorts in a knot, because O'Keefe entered a Federal Building under false pretenses. Hmmm. Barrack Hussein Obama does that on a daily basis…………
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkeCPhlLe0k
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703...
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2612878320100...
And this one has the full affidavit:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-01-2...
There is no information; just speculation. Now where can I find the unbiased story? Just one place. FOX.
/listens to WWL report
"N.O.-based a-nut"
that's right — that's their "hometown" — Why would James go to the belly of the beast?!
It took them 2 centuries, 17 years, 10 weeks, 2 days and 4 hours to give even minimal coverage of the multitudinous ACORN crimes, but now they're all over O'Keefe like John Edwards on a videographer. Typical. It's also typical that they actually believe that this somehow exonerates ACORN and justifies their felonious deeds. An ACORN worker commits 3 felonies before their morning latte and bong hit, but the MSM is indignantly protesting like Kanye West at an award show. Puh-leeze. The upside is that even more knee-jerk leftist freaks, in light of these events, will be brimming with overconfidence to defend ACORN and thereby expose themselves as supporters of the criminal enterprise. We can always count on the establishment media to over-reach and over play their leftist hand.
Attempted terrorism is attempted terrorism and should be treated as such until we can confirm differently. It's because of Timothy McVeigh (who shared the same ideology) that this idiot should have know better than to do what he was attempting to do whatever it may be. Senator Landrieu sits on the Senate Homeland Security Committee so we definitely need to know EXACTLY what these individuals were up to and were they trying to gain access to classified information and what were they planning on doing with that classified information relating to our national security.
A 'listening device' could easily have been another cell phone that was connected to O'Keefes. I would not yet jump to conclusions you willy libtards.
If you know how to read you'd notice I didn't go ghetto and attack your parents.
We do know they entered a Federal building under false pretense and that IS a crime.
18 U.S.C. § 1036
"The question is whether or not it is a felony to "tamper" with the phones."
my understanding is usc sect. 18 [or thereabouts] does indeed classify that as a felony …
" I met the guy"
lucky stiff!
"he's not that stupid"
preach it! which is why i force myself to devise those 2 scenarios only …
Conflicted a little?
I would love it if this were a sting operation to measure how "big of a story" James O'Keefe is depending on which way the story spins better. Not holding my breath given the facts so far, but I've suggested similar trickery myself in the past, and if this is such a case, then it'll be the best thing that's happened since… well, Massachusetts!
HEH
hahahaha
Come on ahead then, guys like you are so righteous, let's see you set an example with the courage to back up your heart felt convictions….ye, swat I thought.
That's right you pompous ass, go upstairs your mommies foot bath needs new water. May her couch fall through the floor on your head.
Yeah…remember? Your type is always whining about Liberal education and institutions and blah blah blah because we refuse to be taught that Jesus was Fred Flintstone who rode on the back of dinosaurs back in the 1700's when God wrote your version of the Constitution that completely disregards the freedom and church and state.
Syntax is from the 57th state where the motto is, “what’s in it for me.” He’s got his fingers crossed and clicking his heels saying… “I still may not have to get a job…” We’ll see Syn!
If they bugged the phone system… that is a felony.
If they attempted to bug the phone system… that is an attempt to commit a felony (still serious).
If they didn't have the means to carry out a felony (i.e. a device for bugging the phone system) it is a misdemeanor at worst.
I'm not sure a listening device planted on their own body is a felony. If it is… they're in deep.
Yeah thanks Andrew. You're so dreamy and hot and I hope this whole thing leads to ACORN being prosecuted for all of our talking points we always accused them of without one single arrest, prosecution or conviction. I wouldn;t want to jump to any conclusions about how this has got to be ACORN's fault and Obama orchestrated this when ACORN stile the lelection for them as soon as they got caught for killing all the Jews and murdering puppies who voted Republican. I hate people who jump to conclusions about those evil guilty bastards over at ACORN.
Nobody is accusing anyone of terrorism accept you.
But regardless, if he is a terrorist, then Eric Holder should be able to hook him up with the best attorneys US Justice can find.
Yeah, you when ghetto by exaggerating the hell out of the situation that you know nothing about.
Slander, it's what the left does best.
"Ends justify the means." Isn't that a liberal screed, especially investigative journalism?
If they bugged the phone system… that is a felony.
If they attempted to bug the phone system… that is an attempt to commit a felony (still serious).
If they didn't have the means to carry out a felony (i.e. a device for bugging the phone system) it is a misdemeanor at worst.
I'm not sure a listening device planted on their own body is a felony. If it is… they're in deep.
Thank you comrade!
…what if there was no felony intent? What if the only intent was to appear suspicious and measure how much bigger a story "negative O'Keefe" is than "negative ACORN" when O'Keefe's only claim to fame is a sting on ACORN?
MIght not be the case, might just be hoping here, but if that hunch is right, we'll have prominence/reaction time/duration numbers, outlet by outlet, on how much bigger tiny "left spinning" stories are than mammoth "right spinning" stories, as far as the MSM is concerned.
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