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James O'Keefe Arrested?

By Joseph Lawler on 1.26.10 @ 3:33PM

Here's some crazy news: apparently James O'Keefe, one of the masterminds of the ACORN undercover videos, has been arrested for trying to bug the New Orleans offices of Senator Mary Landrieu:

Four people have been arrested and accused by the FBI of trying to interfere with the telphone system in the New Orleans office of U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, federal authorities said.

An FBI affidavit says the incident happened Monday. At least two of the suspects were dressed in work clothes and construction hats and claimed they were technicians for a telphone company.

One of the four is James O'Keefe, 25.

View all comments (24) | Leave a comment

Hank| 1.26.10 @ 4:03PM

Shouldn't you confirm it is the same O'Keefe before starting this rumor?

William R| 1.26.10 @ 9:23PM

What a fool!

Hank| 1.26.10 @ 4:06PM

Never mind. Fox is now reporting it's the same guy.

Oldefarte| 1.26.10 @ 4:09PM

I hope that this isn't true, but if so, he/they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!!!!!

Tim| 1.26.10 @ 4:10PM

WTF?

Pete| 1.26.10 @ 4:15PM

No doubt a setup of some kind...Chicago style.

Deborah D| 1.26.10 @ 5:11PM

Uh-oh...this really doesn't make any sense. Does it?

Anyone would know this is illegal, right?

mrk| 1.26.10 @ 5:27PM

Doesn't say they actually had wiretapping gear.
They did ask for access to their phone closet though.

Likely a poorly thought out prank. If not, it's hard to believe those boys were that stupid..

Hank Archer| 1.26.10 @ 5:29PM

My first thought is has he done this in other places before getting caught here? Did Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi's offices get bugged? We know he hit many ACORN offices before releasing any info.

victor| 1.26.10 @ 9:01PM

More to this than meets the eye.
O'keefe was there in the office and alleged two accomplices asked to use the little phone room.
No harm, no foul.
I smell a rat on the bayou or
something is rotten in the State of Louisiana.
Deposition and discovery awaits.
The game is afoot, my dear Lawler.

PS of all the gin joints and bribery dens, why did he pick hers, eh?

Scott | 1.26.10 @ 10:30PM

If this is true, throw the book at these pinheads, and when they march them into prison, set up a paddle line of conservatives armed with bamboo canes.

MacAoidh| 1.26.10 @ 11:07PM

There are all kinds of interesting twists and turns to this story. Clearly there is a great deal more to the story than just the arrest.

Two links, for the curious:

http://thehayride.com/2010/01/.....ter-okeefe

http://thehayride.com/2010/01/.....eefe-caper

Spicy Joker| 1.27.10 @ 12:45AM

Does this mean Hannah Giles is now single?

Yosemeti Sam| 1.27.10 @ 1:47AM

Don't understand this.

FBI fumbles interrogation of dunce terrorist -
50 minutes worth of intelligence - yet captures
rank amateurs in an alleged illegal scheme to
bug phones.

Hail - in general - to the FBI.

Yet where were the local police on this one?

Curiouser and curiouser.

David Jack Smith| 1.27.10 @ 12:34PM

That's a funny observation about the FBI.

But you also raise a serious point that may have been addressed, but I don't know.

The FBI were called, and not the local police? Really? Sounds a bit odd.

Mmmm, or where they already on site, waiting.

On the general front, I'm not going to excuse what he may have done, at minimum, trespassing. That would be a misdemeanor I guess.

And If the kid was dumb enough to take part in a felonious act, then he has to take the lumps he's going to get. Sorry, but that's the time for the crime.

But it sounds more like a scene from Borat to me.

Just a wild guess, (because I suppose I want to think the best of a fellow conservative), maybe we are going to find there was some sort of set-up -- arranged as payback for ACORN.

martin j smith| 1.27.10 @ 7:55AM

My tentative hypothesis: These guys have something BIG on Landrieu. They had to nail her. Their youthful cockyness got the better of them--and were fools. Perhaps one of their team was an not who they thought they were. . Finally the FBI -a political organization if i have ever seen one is on the case when our national security is Not at stake. Was a crime committed ? I do not know. If there is something on Landrieu perhaps someone one else will follow up on it.. My bet there is.

name| 1.27.10 @ 5:45PM

totally agree. that was my first thought. they took the risk because they have something big on her. or at least thought they did. set up?

Tim| 1.27.10 @ 8:42AM

Where's G. Gordon Liddy when you need him?

DeborahD| 1.27.10 @ 11:12AM

Selling gold!

Tim| 1.27.10 @ 11:24AM

Insolence!

David Jack Smith| 1.27.10 @ 12:36PM

Ahhh. So that's what the G. stands for!

name| 1.27.10 @ 5:43PM

seems like the stupid kid was set up.

Dee| 1.27.10 @ 10:05PM

Why do Republicans defend 25 year old felons by calling them "kids" or "boys" ?? My son called himself a man since his teens. O'Keefe is 25 years old. His cohorts in crime were all 24 and 25 years old. These are MEN.. FELONS!

It’s a felony to even ATTEMPT to INTERFERE with any Federal telephone line. You don’t need to wiretap.

Additionally, it’s a felony to enter a Federal Building under false pretenses with the intention of tampering with any Federal telephone, fax, internet or communication line.

Milton| 1.28.10 @ 2:10PM

Let’s face it, all charges will be dropped, because he is poor white trash. This Tuesday, James O’Keefe was arrested by the FBI, for entering a federal property under false pretenses with the intent to commit a felony and maliciously interfering with a telephone system operated and controlled by the United States of America. They were dressed up as telephone company employees with tool belts and fluorescent jackets. It appears to be a bungled attempt to wiretap the office of Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu, in Louisiana and paid by Andrew Breitbart.