Rachel Maddow: ACORN Lawsuit Accuses O'Keefe Et Al Over Edited Video BS

[Hissyspit]

Run time: 07:19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl4PI1rZm1E   Posted on YouTube: July 13, 2010 By YouTube Member: FixedNewsChannel Views on YouTube: 235   Posted on DU: July 13, 2010 By DU Member: Hissyspit Views on DU: 1912

 
MSNBC The Rachel Maddow - July 12, 2010: Rachel covers Juan Carlos Vera's lawsuit in California against those who may have actually have been revealed by James O'Keefe and Hanna Giles to have committed a crime in the ACORN videotape "scandal:" James O'Keefe and Hanna Giles.

Rachel reviews the falsehoods in the case revealed by the highly doctored tapes and excoriates Fox News and Sean Hannity for pushing the false story.

MADDOW (PREVIOUS REPORT VIDEO): "So why is he asking for stuff like phone numbers, dates of arrival, specific locations, all these details? What's this ACORN guy gonna do with all that information? What does he do with all that information?

Oh, he CALLS THE POLICE and reports what they've told him is going to be a crime. Quoting from the Attorney General's report: 'Immediately after the couple left, Vera telephoned his cousin, Detective Alejandro Hernandez, at the National City Police Department ... (and said) that a self-admitted prostitute had been to the office and was discussing human smuggling... Detective Hernandez ... contacted Detective Mark Haas at the San Diego Police Department. Detective Haas works with cases involving human smuggling.'"

- snip -

MADDOW: "That never did make it into the Fox News report, but what did make it in shows James O'Keefe and Hanna Giles tape recording that man, Juan Carlos Vera, without his knowledge or approval, which is illegal in California. For the first time since this ginned-up, manipulated scandal broke, there is concrete, seemingly well-founded evidence of illegality.

So of course Fox News will play this story on a loop, right?"

MORE

[sabrina 1]

1. I think Gerry Brown made a deal with O'Keefe not to prosecute

him for breaking the law in California if he gave them the unedited tapes. Coward that he is, rather than face prosecution which shows he knew he could lose, he handed over the tapes. After viewing the tapes, it was clear that they were heavily edited to create a false impression and ACORN was cleared of wrong-doing in that investigation. So, I don't think they can be prosecuted for the illegal taping now. Unless other laws were broken.

But O'Keefe and Giles also broke Maryland's law when they illegally taped ACORN workers there. I have not heard of any deal being made in that state, and the Baltimore State Attorney at the time had spoken about a possible prosecution. However, she, the State Attorney, was viciously attacked by the right at the time and so far, they have not been prosecuted there.

The right has not stopped or lost interest in ACORN. If you google the story on a possible MD prosecution, the first two pages are filled with villification of ACORN, the MD States Attorney and Obama. I saw only one link supporting a prosecution. This is why they win, they don't quit and they won't quit until the left gets serious about fighting back.

[daleanime]

4. That depends on which left you ask....

if you ask the rank and file(us 'lesser people') we've been ready. But our leaders do not like 'to look back wards'.:banghead:

[sabrina 1]

6. True. Our leaders went right along with the rightwing

criminals and Fox on this injustice. I wish I could find a party that represented truth and justice, but it gets more and more disheartening every day ...

[daleanime]

13. All we can do is ....

kept on keeping on. I have some hope that a second term Obama will drift a little more to the left. (Hey! Both Hope and Change!) Although yes it is getting more disheartening every day-because we can see the stakes (our lives, our children future, and our planet itself) becoming more damaged every day. :grr: But if we're going down, I for one intend to be fighting every step of the way!O8)

[burnsei sensei]

10. Mr. Vera made no such deal.

And I'm glad he's filed suit.

[sabrina 1]

14. Yes, I know he didn't . But he cannot criminally prosecute

the rightwing thugs. I'm not sure whether or not it was a good for Gerry Brown to do so, rather than prosecuting them and then subpoena'ing the unedited tapes. However, workers and ACORN itself are free to sue them civilly.

But in MD they can still be prosecuted as MD has similar laws about recording people without their knowledge.

[burnsei sensei]

16. I think a few hefty civil suits

are definitely in order.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. K&R. Off to The Greatest Page...

Another good call out by Rachel... :thumbsup:

[WhoIsNumberNone]

3. Oh, Fox will play it on a loop all right...

Talking all about this frivolous lawsuit being brought by the evil liberals to disparage another Patriotic American Gop- and with a footnote that there is a website being set up where good Americans can donate their Social Security checks to the James O'Keefe Legal Defense Fund (of which 100% of what's left over after Hannity flies all over the country in Leer jets and staying in 5 star hotels promoting it)

[Enthusiast]

5. K&R. Outright criminality.

And Faux News should also be liable for damages in some manner.

[ScottLand]

7. Why didn't these assholes visit the Blackwater offices?

[spicegal]

8. These little conservative brats lied and Fox was an accomplice

in spreading their lies, which cost this man his job and defamed his character.

[activa8tr]

12. I wonder if he can sue Fox News, too!, Hannity and the whole bunch

should lose a few of their millions over this, IMO!

[sabrina 1]

15. Looking at the video clip of Hannity, and remembering their

awful, obviously deceptive coverage of this story, I would that Juan Carlos Vera could sue Fox.

But then I remember how a judge once ruled, on an appeal of a case won by the plaintiffs against Fox, that Fox had no obligation to tell the truth.

Otoh, this involves an individual who was harmed, and some cases have been won against the media when they participated in smearing innocent people.

I'd go for it if I were Juan Carlos. At least it would cost them money defending themselves

[JTFrog]

9. K&R!

[activa8tr]

11. RACHEL ROCKS! once again! k+r

[applegrove]

17. Rachel is great. I wonder how many other shows will air this part of the story?

I haven't seen it on CNN.

[activa8tr]

18. CNN is too busy telling us all that Obama's time is over and that

the people now want Sarah Palin and the Tea Baggers to take over from the Democrats.

All lies, but CNN is no longer an "objective" and rational source of news. IMO

[ProgressOnTheMove]

19. Rachel is a powerhouse in journalism, bringing truth back to democracy.