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ACORN 2009 undercover videos controversy

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In a series of videos released between September 10 and 17 of 2009, Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe published hidden-camera recordings in which they posed as a prostitute and a pimp in order to elicit responses from employees of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). The videos were recorded over the summer of 2009 while visiting a number of ACORN offices. According to a New York Times reporter, Giles and O'Keefe "caught [ACORN's] low-level employees in five cities sounding eager to assist with tax evasion, human smuggling and child prostitution."[1]

The actions of ACORN's employees were roundly condemned by both Republicans and Democrats,[2][3][4][5] resulting in Congress voting against funding ACORN[6][7] and further probing by state and local governments.[8]

Video release

Template:Sectionstub The videos were released over a one week period in September, 2009 on the first day of Andrew_Breitbart's Big_Government|BIGGOVERNMENT.COM]] website.[1] BigGovernment.com actually launched itself as a website with the featured release of the first videos.[9][10]

In the first video released, two employees in ACORN's Baltimore office appear to advise the two regarding home loans, tax evasion, and disguising the identities of underaged sex workers trafficked from El Salvador. Similar videos followed, filmed in Washington, D.C., Brooklyn (New York), San Diego, California, San Bernardino, California, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[11][12][13]

Video release summary
Location Video
release
date		 Transcript
release
date		 Date video
taken		 Number of
videos /
total time		 Notes
Baltimore, Maryland[14] 2009-09-10T0610 2009-09-10T0649[15] 2 / 18:07
Washington, D.C.[16] 2009-09-11T0708 2009-09-14T0011[17] 2009-07-25[16] 2 / 12:46
Brooklyn (New York)[18] 2009-09-14T0035 2009-08-04[18] 2 / 15:42
San Bernardino, California[19] 2009-09-15T1349 2009-08-17[19] 4 / 28:31
San Diego, California[20] 2009-09-17T1553 2009-09-19T1715[21] 2009-08-18[20] 2 / 12:48
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[13] 2009-10-21[13] 2009-07-24[13]

In concert with Andrew Breitbart, James O'Keefe and Hanna Giles released more film footage of their visit with the Philadelphia office of ACORN. The video was released during a National Press Club conference on October 21, 2009. [22][23] The October 21 video release is highly edited to remove almost all of the comments of the ACORN personnel. Carol Leoning, the Washington Post staff writer who attended the National Press Club release, stated that video producer James O'Keefe gave a twofold answer for the heavily edited condition of the video[24]. She states that, on the one hand, the pair are concerned about the legal ramifications hinging on their current court case with ACORN[25]. "The other reason he gives," says Loening,"is that the tape battery died."[26] Commenting on O'Keefe's latest release, Loening stated that "...when you go to this office, and you see this tape, I dont think he's got the goods to say that ACORN lied." [27] On the other hand, Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King, who also attended the release, praised the young video producers as couragous and insightful, and called for congressional probes into ACORN[28]. Both Giles and O'Keefe declined to answer questions after the release[29].

Institutional responses

Response by ACORN

An ACORN spokesman accused O'Keefe of dubbing the audio on the videos.[30] Tresa Kaelke, one of the ACORN organizers interviewed, states she believed the actors were joking and made a variety of absurd or joking statements to them;[31][32] another interviewed employee, Juan Carlos Vera, contacted a police officer two days after the San Diego meeting with Giles and O'Keefe.[33] ACORN fired the Baltimore employees, but also called the first video "false", "defamatory", and stated that undercover teams had failed in similar attempts elsewhere.[34][35] On September 16, 2009, ACORN suspended advising new clients and began an internal review process, headed by Scott Harshbarger, due to "the indefensible action of a handful of [ACORN] employees".[36][37]

On September 16, Bertha Lewis, ACORN's chief executive officer, froze admission to all of ACORN's service programs and instituted a review committee to implement organizational reforms.[38][39] Then on September 23, 2009, ACORN filed suit in a Baltimore court against the filmmakers and stated intent to file against Breitbart.com and Fox News who posted and aired them,[40][41] citing "extreme emotional distress" of the ACORN workers and violation of wiretap laws.[42] Responding to the House vote on September 25 to specifically exclude ACORN from receiving any funding under a recently-passed "stopgap measure or any prior legislation," ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis said “To include language in legislation that targets a single organization is unconstitutional and wrong". [43]

Lewis said on Fox News Sunday on September 20 that "In a way, this was good for us, so what it did was show up to us what weaknesses we have, and we have moved swiftly... in order to correct that." She reiterated that she immediately fired all the employees featured in the tapes after seeing them, at that she then began a comprehensive internal investigation.[44]

Response by the US government

After the videos were made public, ACORN's partnership in the 2010 United States Census was terminated on September 11, 2009.[45] The United States Senate voted to exclude ACORN from federal funding on September 14.[7] The House of Representatives voted to eliminate Federal funding to ACORN on September 17.[6] On September 23, the Internal Revenue Service removed ACORN from its volunteer tax-assistance program.[46][47] On September 24, the US Treasury Department's Inspector General announced it would initiate a broader probe into "the government's oversight of tax-exempt organizations like ACORN when they engage in political activities."[48] In legislation to temporarily extend the current federal budget, the House voted on September 25 to specifically exclude ACORN from receiving any "funding under the stopgap measure or any prior legislation."[43]

President Barack Obama, who once acted as an attorney for ACORN,[49][50] stated the video content was "certainly inappropriate and deserves to be investigated."[51]

Response by state and local government

The New York Attorney General announced an investigation to ensure that state grants given to ACORN were properly spent.[8] The New York City Council suspended all ACORN grants while Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes conducted an investigation.[52] On October 1, California Attorney General Jerry Brown opened an investigation "into the controversy surrounding videos that purportedly show members of community organizing group ACORN giving advice on how to open a brothel." [53]

Response by sponsors

On September 28, the Wall Street Journal reported that Bank of America has suspended financing ACORN Housing in response to the various scandals. [54]

Media controversy

Concerns and complaints about purported media negligence, whether real or imagined, have been a consistent and salient feature in the breaking of ACORN Video Controversy.

The story surfaced amid accusations that the "main-stream media" was purposefully ignoring it, and that in doing so, was acting on an inherent bias to the political left[55], [56]. Additionally, conservative commentators have stated that the videos' producers were in grave danger of being subjected to defamation, or a "hit job"[57], by "the well funded political left... with 25-year-old Mr. O'Keefe and 20-year-old cohort Miss Giles in the[ir] cross hairs."[58]

When the scandal broke on Sept 10, 2009, the Fox News cable channel devoted extensive coverage to the story, including privileged, in-depth interviews with producers Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe. These were conducted on the very day of the videos' first release.[59][60][61][62]. As per the counsel of BigGoverment.com's Andrew Breitbart, Giles and O'Keefe were to "... offer Fox News the full footage of each video before each was released."[63] Breitbart assumed that there would be an immediate left-leaning media-bias against the filmakers, even before the videos were released[64]. He states that he felt he needed to engaged in a strategy to counter such presumed bias by singularly courting the Fox News Coorporation: "We had to devise a plan that would force the [other news-]media to see the evidence before they had enough time to destroy these two idealistic 20-something truth seekers."[65] In keeping with this tactic, video producer Hannah Giles interviewed exclusively with Fox commentator Glenn Beck on the day of the first video's release[66].

CNN began coverage on the story as early as Sept 10th [67]. CBS began to cover the story on September 11, the day after the story first aired on Fox News [68][69][70]. As late as Sept 15, ABC's Charlie Gibson claimed to be unfamiliar with the story[71]. However, ABC's Jake Tapper had been covering the issue since Sept 11[72][73]. Somewhat later, the New York Times reported the controversy on "September 16, nearly a week after the first video was posted." [61]

As the controversy became a media event in the US, it was accompanied by charges that the "main stream media" did not respond promptly nor cover the story in sufficient depth, [74], [75]. Such charges were leveled by Andrew Breitbart, Fox News, numerous conservative bloggers/radio commentators, as well as by video producers Hannah Giles & James O'Keefe ,[76]. For example, on Sept 11, 2009, Fox News's Glenn Beck listed a tally of what he asserted to be the amount of coverage which competing news networks offered the ACORN video scandal[77]. Beck sarcastically remarked, "FOX has had 133 reports on it, CNN, 90, MSNBC, 10. How’s that possible? Hey, ABC, how’s it working out for you with 2?"[78] On a Sept 15 interview with Sean Hannity, Breitbart made the claim that O'Keefe and Giles "...have been impugned in the media. They've been — they trotted out."[79] Sean Hannity agreed that the pair had been "excoriated"[80].

On Sept 17, 2009, Turner.com responded to accusations of "ignoring the story" by posting a list of all CNN transcripts covering the ACORN scandal from the day the story was first released [81]. In contrast to Breitbart's critique of CNN's coverage, the transcripts offer no examples of Giles or O'Keefe being either "impugned" or "excoriated" by news commentators[82],[83],[84],[85],[86]. The listed transcripts also include extensive, non-commital coverage and discussion by CNN reporters Abbie Boudreau, Wolf Blizter, Candy Crowley etc...[87]. Additionally, CNN's Lou Dobbs offered an impassioned statement in support of Giles and O'Keefe on Sept 10, the day on which the videos were first aired [88].

Despite their coverage on the issue, CNN and other news groups were harshly reprimanded by conservative commentators for ignoring it [89]. While appearing on Fox News with anchor Sean Hannity, Andrew Breitbart went as far as to state: "We're in day five here of the mainstream media ignoring the story" [90]. However, despite Breitbart's assertions, CNN and other networks had covered the story from its first release[91].

Although Andrew Breitbart claimed that the ACORN Video Scandal had been ignored or dismissed by almost all major news-groups[92], both Breitbart and James O'Keefe had stated unapologetically that O'Keefe would not be interviewed by CNN staff[93], [94]. Breitbart and O'Keefe accuse CNN of favoring ACORN in its coverage[95], despite the fact that CNN already had a substantial record for pursuing ACORN over allegations of voter-registration fraud, [96], [97],[98]. Furthermore, Breitbart assumed that "the main-stream media" would intentionally discredit Giles and O'Keefe on behalf of ACORN, and that the two film-makers required "protection" from that [99].

On Sept 11, the day after the first video release, James O'Keefe posted a strongly worded polemic regarding this matter on BigGovernment.com. The statement, entitled "Why I Dont Return Phone Calls From an Intrepid CNN Producer", was originally read on Rush Limbaugh's radio talk-show [100]. In this statement, O'Keefe claims that CNN's early coverage of the issue (at least from Sept 10) had been slanted in favor of ACORN, since CNN had interviewed with both ACORN staff members and defenders [101]. O'Keefe refused to contribute to CNN's coverage, and claimed that "...CNN pushed the false ACORN line that '[t]his film crew tried to pull this sham at other offices and failed.'[102]" Additionally, O'Keefe asserted his belief that appearing on CNN would subject himself to what he called a "CNN hit job" [103].

References

  1. ^ a b Shane, Scott (2009-09-19). "A Political Gadfly Lampoons the Left via YouTube". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-09-26. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/25/AR2009092501130.html
  3. ^ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?blogid=14&entry_id=48215 "In fact, I would have voted for the motion at that time. I am very disappointed in the actions that were taken by members of ACORN, and I do not believe that ACORN's response has been adequate for an organization that has received public funding."
  4. ^ http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/25/beck-probe-of-acorn-bogus/
  5. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/09/18/congress-targets-acorn-bipartisan-way
  6. ^ a b "House Votes to Strip Funding for ACORN". Fox News. 2009-09-17. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  7. ^ a b Taylor, Andrew (2009-09-14). "Senate votes to deny funds to ACORN". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-09-15. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ a b "Probe into ACORN's 'brothel' affair". New York Post. 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  9. ^ http://www.mediaite.com/online/could-andrew-breitbart-become-the-rights-arianna-huffington/
  10. ^ http://www.npr.org/ombudsman/2009/09/the_acorn_videos_did_npr_ignor.html
  11. ^ "Second Video Shows ACORN Officials Helping 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' in Washington Office". Fox News. 2009-09-11. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  12. ^ CNN Politics (2009-09-11). "ACORN workers caught on tape". CNN. Retrieved 2009-09-11. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ a b c d Filmmakers Show Video of ACORN 'Sting' in Philadelphia, Fox News, October 21, 2009
  14. ^ Chaos for Glory: My Time With ACORN
  15. ^ Complete ACORN Baltimore Child Prostitution Investigation Transcript
  16. ^ a b Washington, DC ACORN Video: Child Prostitution Investigation
  17. ^ ACORN Video: Prostitution Scandal in Washington, DC
  18. ^ a b ACORN Video: Prostitution Scandal in New York, NY
  19. ^ a b ACORN Prostitution Scandal: California Here We Come!
  20. ^ a b ACORN Video: Prostitution Scandal in San Diego, CA
  21. ^ Full Transcript: ACORN Prostitution Scandal, San Diego, Part I
  22. ^ Kinzie, Susan. Duo release another video of their meeting with ACORN worker, Latest footage has audio of two conservatives but not of the staff member, Washington Post, October 22, 2009.
  23. ^ Yost, Pete. Video makers release tape of Philly ACORN visit, Associated Press, October 22, 2009.
  24. ^ http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200910210046
  25. ^ ibid
  26. ^ ibid
  27. ^ ibid
  28. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,568830,00.html
  29. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/21/AR2009102103284_pf.html
  30. ^ "ACORN staff taped with woman posing as prostitute". Associated Press. 2009-09-15. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
  31. ^ "Blowback in the ACORN Wars". ABC News. 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  32. ^ "Police: ACORN Employee's Murder Confession Not 'Factual'". Politics Daily. 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  33. ^ "ACORN Worker in Video Reported Duo to Police". Fox News. 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  34. ^ Associated Press (2009-09-10). "ACORN Fires 2 After Hidden-Camera Footage Aired". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-09-10. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  35. ^ Justin Fenton (2009-09-11). "Video prompts ACORN firings". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2009-09-11. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  36. ^ Sharon Theimer. "Embattled ACORN orders independent investigation". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  37. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/us/politics/23brfs-ACORNHIRESFO_BRF.html
  38. ^ "ACORN Suspends Key Services Amid Probe". WRC-TV. nbcwashington.com. September 16, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  39. ^ "ACORN Announces Reforms After 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' Videos". Fox News. foxnews.com. September 16, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  40. ^ "GOP seizes on ACORN funding". Yahoo News. 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  41. ^ Falcone, Michael (2009-09-14). "ACORN mulls suit against Fox News". Politico. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
  42. ^ Ben Nuckols (Sep 23, 2009). "APNewsBreak: ACORN Sues Filmmakers". The Associated Press.
  43. ^ a b Rhee, Foon (2009-09-25). "Congress slaps ACORN again". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  44. ^ "Bertha Lewis and Rep. Issa on 'FNS'". Fox News Sunday. September 20, 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  45. ^ Sherman, Jake (September 12, 2009). "Census Bureau Cuts Its Ties With Acorn". The Wall Street Journal. online.wsj.com. pp. A4. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  46. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/us/politics/24acorn.html
  47. ^ "I.R.S. Severs Acorn Ties; Group Sues Over Video". Associated Press. nytimes.com. September 23, 2009. pp. A23. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
  48. ^ Oversight of Tax-Exempt Groups Like ACORN Examined, WBOC News, 2009-09-24
  49. ^ Pritchard, Justin (September 23, 2009). "How the ACORN 'pimp and hooker' videos came to be". Associated Press. washingtonpost.com. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  50. ^ McGreal, Chris (September 21, 2009). "Congress cuts funding to embattled anti-poverty group Acorn". The Guardian. guardian.co.uk. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
  51. ^ "Obama favors investigation into ACORN's activities". Associated Press. news.yahoo.com. September 20, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  52. ^ Jay Dow (2009-09-14). "ACORN Under Investigation After Undercover Video". WCBS-TV.
  53. ^ AG opens probe into ACORN video flap, Sacramento Bee
  54. ^ Hagerty, James R. (2009-09-28). "Bank Pulls Back From Acorn Work". Wall Street Journal. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  55. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,550602,00.html
  56. ^ http://news.aol.com/article/the-point-acorn-scandal-federal-funds/673000
  57. ^ http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#
  58. ^ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/21/breitbart-the-politicized-art-behind-the-acorn-pla/
  59. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53tK4a7tekw&feature=related
  60. ^ ACORN Officials Videotaped Telling 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' How to Lie to IRS
  61. ^ a b Hoyt, Clark. (2009-09-26). "Tuning In Too Late". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  62. ^ Media Matters: Fox News' incomplete, misleading ACORN coverage is just nuts
  63. ^ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/21/breitbart-the-politicized-art-behind-the-acorn-pla/
  64. ^ ibid
  65. ^ ibid
  66. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGDd_iXMNYo&feature=related
  67. ^ http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4657#
  68. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR5hHN9lsqg&feature=PlayList&p=A8DC40B0B1215A6B&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2
  69. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/10/acorn.prostitution/index.html
  70. ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/11/politics/main5303578.shtml?source=related_story&tag=related
  71. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,550605,00.html
  72. ^ http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/09/census-severs-relationship-with-acorn.html
  73. ^ http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8595775
  74. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,550602,00.html
  75. ^ http://news.aol.com/article/the-point-acorn-scandal-federal-funds/673000
  76. ^ ibid
  77. ^ http://www.breitbart.tv/beck-tallies-non-fox-non-coverage-of-acorn-scandal/
  78. ^ http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2009/09/18/01
  79. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,550386,00.html
  80. ^ ibid
  81. ^ http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4657#
  82. ^ http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0909/11/ldt.01.html
  83. ^ http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0909/11/ec.01.html
  84. ^ http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0909/10/ec.01.html
  85. ^ http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/29/bank-of-america-pulls-acorn-funding/
  86. ^ http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0909/11/sitroom.03.html
  87. ^ http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0909/11/sitroom.03.html
  88. ^ http://www.loudobbs.com/blog?action=viewBlog&blogID=479265585913818511
  89. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,550386,00.html
  90. ^ ibid
  91. ^ http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4657#
  92. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,550386,00.html
  93. ^ http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#
  94. ^ http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200909180011
  95. ^ ibid
  96. ^ http://siu.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/14/acorn-board-fires-members/
  97. ^ http://siu.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/12/catholic-church-drops-acorn-funding/
  98. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkUKOSnv2zY
  99. ^ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/21/breitbart-the-politicized-art-behind-the-acorn-pla/
  100. ^ http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#
  101. ^ ibid
  102. ^ ibid
  103. ^ ibid
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