NBC (the network that rigged crash tests, staged racism stings & faked flood coverage) criticizes ACORN “entrapment”

By Michelle Malkin  •  September 15, 2009 10:49 AM

Oh, this is so rich.

So, so rich.

Norah O’Donnell of NBC News fretted this morning that the ACORN sting videos “might be viewed as entrapment.”

Yes, she actually said it.

Mark Finkelstein has the transcript/video here.

Now, let me remind Ms. O’Donnell of the glorious history of news “entrapment” at NBC News.

Um, there was that little matter of the rigged GM truck crash tests by the fakers at Dateline:

There was the embarrassing stunt involving NBC News reporter Michelle Kosinski, who pretended to paddle through a treacherous
flooded area in a canoe…while passers-by sloshed by her and exposed the fact that she was rowing in a few inches of a water.

Oh, and there was the attempt by Dateline NBC (again!) to conduct Islamophobia stings at NASCAR races to expose how racist racing fans were (a news-gathering method also embraced by ABC News).

So, now that conservative alternative media has used the Professional Media’s time-worn tactics to expose taxpayer-funded ACORN’s illicit practices, NBC News is worried about “entrapment?”

LMAO.

***

Another Dateline NBC sting operation: To Catch a Predator.

Reader John e-mails about another egregious example of NBC staging exposed by William Tonso in Reason magazine:

Last year I called NBC to complain about its latest use of machine-gun footage in a story on semi-automatics. The gentleman who answered that call excused the juxtaposition as a mistake; he hung up when I pointed out that NBC had been making that same mistake for five years. When I called back to get his name, he hung up again. The next day I spoke with David McCormick, NBC’s man in charge of broadcast standards, who acknowledged that the network had received complaints about the “assault weapon” stories before and had tried to correct the problem. But he said it was hard to prevent rushed producers from grabbing whatever footage was handy when the topic of “assault weapons” came up. He was quite pleasant, even after I said that sloppiness seemed a lame excuse for the misleading juxtapositions NBC had aired for five years. After all, heads rolled at NBC over a single assisted explosion of a GM truck, but the network has yet to even acknowledge repeat edly misleading the public about “assault weapons.” Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, reports that NBC even aired one of these juxtapositions shortly after he spent several hours demonstrating the difference between semi-automatics and machine guns to an NBC crew.

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Comments


  1. #1
    On September 15th, 2009 at 10:53 am, bansharia said:

    NBC who?

  2. #2
    On September 15th, 2009 at 10:53 am, JP_Texan said:

    Is anyone surprised by this? Anyone?… Anyone?…

  3. #3
    On September 15th, 2009 at 10:54 am, happyscrapper said:

    Crash and burn, NBC. Crash and burn. These corrupt “news” organizations are unraveling as we speak…how much longer can they continue to cover up before they end up charged with treason? There are a few on these networks that I desperately want to see behind bars!

  4. #4
    On September 15th, 2009 at 10:55 am, prendad said:

    NBC? Who’s that? As a matter of fact I don’t watch network news at all any more.

  5. #5
    On September 15th, 2009 at 10:55 am, chapoutier said:

    Norah O’Donnell of NBC News fretted this morning that the ACORN sting videos “might be viewed as entrapment.”

    Yeesh. News people should not try to use big legal words without knowing their definition. It cannot be “entrapment” for several reasons. First, it is only entrapment if it is an agent of the state that is doing the enticement. The videotapers are private citizens. Second, entrapment only applies with respect to the commission of a crime. While the behavior of the employees in these videos is horrible, I am not sure it is legally criminal.

  6. #6
    On September 15th, 2009 at 10:56 am, tarpon said:

    When was the last time anybody watched the nightly news, on any channel? If you have could you explain what for.

  7. #7
    On September 15th, 2009 at 10:56 am, babiesgrandma said:

    There was the embarrassing stunt involving NBC News reporter Michelle Kosinski, who pretended to paddle through a treacherous
    flooded area in a canoe…while passers-by sloshed by her and exposed the fact that she was rowing in a few inches of a water.

    That was hilarious. A Classic in Deceptive News Reporting!

    Hmmm, maybe we could call them the DNR (Do Not Recucitate) or (Deceptive News Reporting).

  8. #8
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:00 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Didn’t NBC push for Dragon Scale armor for the troops?

  9. #9
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:00 am, GraniteMan said:

    I believe it’s NBC (MSNBC) that does the exact same entrapment they accuse O’Keefe and Giles of doing. It’s a program that online they lure men to houses for sex with underage girls and then the police nab them after the host interviews them. Wish I could remember the name of program but I only watched it once–that was enough.

  10. #10
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:02 am, stillontheroad said:

    Hell, NBC,Owned by GE who is playing catch me bugger me with the Obamo clan!
    NBC is just what this group has declared on us – Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare.

  11. #11
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:02 am, d1carter said:

    Pravda Elites….

  12. #12
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:03 am, spaceycakes said:

    Leave Norah alone!

  13. #13
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:05 am, corkie said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:00 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Didn’t NBC push for Dragon Scale armor for the troops?

    Yes, I think Lisa Myers did some fraudulent hit piece about military body armor.

    As I recall, she propped up some competitor’s armor (that had failed testing or something) in order to do a hit job on the military. Does anyone the details of this?

  14. #14
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:05 am, WarEagle82 said:

    NBC = Nothing But Commercials.

    I haven’t watched NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC or any of the rest of them in months. I don’t believe I have missed anything…

  15. #15
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:05 am, chapoutier said:

    I believe it’s NBC (MSNBC) that does the exact same entrapment they accuse O’Keefe and Giles of doing. It’s a program that online they lure men to houses for sex with underage girls and then the police nab them after the host interviews them. Wish I could remember the name of program but I only watched it once–that was enough.

    That is not entrapment either. It is only entrapment when a police officer induces someone to do an illegal activity that they would otherwise not do. If a cop is chatting with an online pedo, pretending to be a 13 year old girl, and says “You should come over. We can have fun!” and the pedo goes “Hell yeah I will!”, that is not entrapment. Entrapment would be a cop is chatting with an online pedo and says “You should come over. We can have fun!” and the pedo going “I don’t think I should. You are underaged and I could get in a lot of trouble.” and then the cop then says “Oh come on…it’ll be fine. I’m not going to tell anyone!” THAT gets into the area of entrapment. It is very specific and very rarely a winning defense.

  16. #16
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:07 am, spaceycakes said:

    She attended the Sidious School of Law!

  17. #17
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:09 am, Laree said:

    The Old Media is circling the drain, they are not going down very gracefully.

    GE won’t bring anything to light :)

  18. #18
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:11 am, b-cat said:

    Adding to what chap said:

    Entrapment means setting someone up to do something they wouldn’t normally do, but the provided temptation is too much for a person to bear.

    Like a huge stack of money in front of your target, saying you will give it to him if he does x. Normally, the victim would never dream of doing x, but he sees a huge pile of money. True, chap?

    Acorn was not entrapped, they willingly offered the help needed with no payoff in sight.

  19. #19
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:11 am, stillontheroad said:

    chapoutier said:

    Chap, I have no legal mind but, doesn’t the act itself betray a negative picture first? Once the negative picture has been framed really no amount of factual information can undo this. Thats how I believe NBC operates anyway – I could be wrong though.

  20. #20
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:12 am, b-cat said:

    Sorry, chap, I see you just covered what I was saying while I was typing.

  21. #21
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:17 am, Savage24 said:

    Typical liberal thinking, if you get caught with your fingers in the till, it’s the camera’s fault.

  22. #22
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:17 am, TigerLady said:

    Nothing

    But

    Crap

  23. #23
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:17 am, J S Ragman said:

    Norah O’Donnell of NBC News fretted this morning that the ACORN sting videos “might be viewed as entrapment.”

    Only by the same people who thought OJ was not guilty.

  24. #24
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:18 am, DBNinKY said:

    Um, there was that little matter of the rigged GM truck crash tests by the fakers at Dateline:

    Back when David Letterman announced he was leaving NBC, he played that video of the GM truck exploding and joked NBC’s going away gift to him was a new GM pickup!

    Hard to believe there was once a time – before he went political – when Letterman was actually funny.

  25. #25
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:19 am, SHoward said:

    Just wanted to fill in the blank from the video. The test truck was rigged with model rocket engines that were fired immediately prior to impact guaranteeing that the rigged fuel tanks would catch fire upon impact.

    Yeeeeaaaahhh, ethics in journalism.

  26. #26
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:22 am, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    Don’t forget the fake memo about Bush’s National Guard Service.

  27. #27
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:22 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    Main Stream Enablers! The might as well drive the getaway car!

  28. #28
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:22 am, DBNinKY said:

    Didn’t NBC push for Dragon Scale armor for the troops?

    Hey, Soap! Where’ve you been so long? I’ve not read your posts in quite a while.

    To your point, this is the first I’ve read about the Myers-armor story.

  29. #29
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:23 am, TigerLady said:

    Only by the same people who thought OJ was not guilty.

    And by the likes of the Maryland AG who is looking to charge Hannah and James for illegal wiretapping.

    Who cares of the more than 8 counts of felony that the Acorn workers committed.

  30. #30
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:23 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    The = They (invokes Chris Farley self flagellation) Stupid stupid idiot!

  31. #31
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:23 am, Teddy Kennedy said:

    Errah
    N = no
    B = body
    C = cares

  32. #32
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:24 am, carole said:

    this is running around

    PAST TENSE MEDIA

  33. #33
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:25 am, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    And don’t forget people that all of these examples are only the ones where they got caught at it. Nobody in their right mind should trust anything from the mouths of these lying scumbags.

  34. #34
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:26 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:23 am, Teddy Kennedy said

    Hi Teddy. Geez you don’t look so good. (sniff sniff) Could you move downwind? Come on man, do me a solid!

  35. #35
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:27 am, CO2 Producer said:

    Hey, there’s a sinking ship! Let’s get on board!

  36. #36
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:29 am, chapoutier said:

    And by the likes of the Maryland AG who is looking to charge Hannah and James for illegal wiretapping.

    That actually may have some validity. Maryland does not allow the taping of a conversation, where there would be a reasonable expectation of privacy, unless all parties consent. Linda Tripp was indicted under the same law for taping Lewinsky’s calls about Clinton.

  37. #37
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:30 am, gunslingerpatriot said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:23 am,

    TigerLady said:
    Only by the same people who thought OJ was not guilty.
    And by the likes of the Maryland AG who is looking to charge Hannah and James for illegal wiretapping.

    Who cares of the more than 8 counts of felony that the Acorn workers committed.

    If this is entrapment, then the cops who were taped defending themselves from Rodney King should go after the camera person.-For those that forgot, CNN only played 15-20 seconds of King getting beat, but stopped showing the earlier part of the tape where King was attacking the officers and this is why the police were cleared.

    GSP

  38. #38
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:31 am, chapoutier said:

    Who cares of the more than 8 counts of felony that the Acorn workers committed.

    What do you think these are exactly?

  39. #39
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:32 am, Tipper said:

    Was it NBC or CNN who disguised the race of a man carrying a gun at a townhall meeting?

  40. #40
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:35 am, cicerokid said:

    Why would ACORN have a reasonable expectation of privacy? They are 501c3 and receive tax dollars.

  41. #41
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:36 am, tre said:

    Their new acronyms are: All Barack Channel, Nothing but Barack Channel, Channel for Baracks Soundbites.

  42. #42
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:37 am, Laree said:
  43. #43
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:39 am, chapoutier said:

    Why would ACORN have a reasonable expectation of privacy? They are 501c3 and receive tax dollars.

    That does not have anything to do with anything. A person talking in a normal tone of voice in an office building would have a reasonable expectation of privacy about that conversation. A person shouting in public would not.

  44. #44
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:39 am, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    Tipper said:

    Was it NBC or CNN who disguised the race of a man carrying a gun at a townhall meeting?

    Yeah – the even more diseased offshoot of NBC .. MSNBC!

    They zoomed in tight to be certain no skin was shown – only the weapon. Then they used it to charge racism.

    Their rating are among the lowest for reason!

  45. #45
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:40 am, redbug70 said:

    MSNBC’s Chuck Todd was also fretting this morning about how the Republicans have had a vendetta against Acorn for years. So much for objective journalism!

    And I’m sorry I was watching MSNBC! I seldom do it and I promise never to do it again! It was a momentary lapse to see what Mika was wearing today!

  46. #46
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:42 am, b-cat said:

    I was hoping for a Patrick Swayze thread this am too, Laree.

    I liked Roadhouse. That’s where I first saw Jeff Healey.

  47. #47
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:46 am, flmom said:

    Just read a lengthy but awesome take down of Tom Brokaw and the MSM, I highly recommend it.

    http://spectator.org/archives/2009/09/15/media-malpractice-tom-brokaws/

  48. #48
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:49 am, happyscrapper said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:35 am, cicerokid said:
    Why would ACORN have a reasonable expectation of privacy? They are 501c3 and receive tax dollars.

    BINGO!!

  49. #49
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:50 am, WarEagle82 said:

    NBC = Nonsense By Communists
    Nothing But Communists

    Enticement is not quite the same as entrapment but I don’t expect the empty headed, vacuous morons at any left wing media to get that…

  50. #50
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:51 am, sbw999 said:

    LOL!!! Becoming awfully predictable isn’t it? As some posters have already said, NBC and the rest of our North Korean style media will just keep digging their hole deeper and deeper. They are well on their way to total irrelevance.

  51. #51
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:51 am, happyscrapper said:

    Chap…I know you are trying to be objective, and that is a good thing. But just remember, if ACORN sues these two, they will be required to release records that they may not want released. I pray that any unusual use of shredders in the ACORN offices is caught in time!! They have MUCH to hide! And even a leftie like you should want corruption stopped…right??

  52. #52
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:53 am, cicerokid said:

    Expecting a resaonable expectation of privacy while counseling your client on illegal activity? I would find it hard to think that the DA would pursue charges against biggovernment.com

    Anyway, this material cannot be made to disappear, just because the judge says, “jurors, forget you heard that”.

    America heard it alright. ACORN is the new evil empire that is about to be brought down.

  53. #53
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:55 am, rocketman said:

    ***
    NBC (National Barack Channel) ignores real news–1 million patriotic Americans marching and protesting the conversion of the U.S.A. into the United Socialistic States of America– is a non story. They don’t mention it or say a few thousand showed up. No need for videos or photos of the events.
    ***
    Cut to the latest Michelle Obama dress–or arms. Or on President Obama’s (PBUH) Portugese Water Retriever–an hour or so yet on the Messiah’s speech.
    ***
    If a tree falls in the forest and the Left Wing Media (not “MSM”) doesn’t report it–it never happened for a lot of the people. And when the “Fairness Doctrine” or its ilk replaces Fox News, conservative Internet sites, and talk radio we will only have the American Pravda (“truth”) for news. It’s on The One’s “bucket list”.
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  54. #54
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:55 am, chapoutier said:

    But just remember, if ACORN sues these two, they will be required to release records that they may not want released.

    I am not talking about civil suits. I am talking about Maryland criminal statute, which is pretty clear cut and one of the stronger laws in the country on this sort of thing.

    Sure the AG has some discretion about whether or not to go after the filmmakers. But if ACORN presses the issue, I don’t think he would have much discretion.

  55. #55
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:57 am, vickisoup said:

    Linda Tripp was indicted under the same law for taping Lewinsky’s calls about Clinton.

    Yes, after the liberal mob demanded it. Same ol’, same ol’ by the libs. It’s never their fault for behaving badly. It’s our fault for calling them on it.
    Today, Linda Tripp would be a multi-millionaire for whistleblowing and exposing Clinton’s sexual harassment.

  56. #56
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:58 am, vickisoup said:

    And thank you, Chap, for making my point that the AG is a coward if he goes after these two.

  57. #57
    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:59 am, sbw999 said:

    For what its worth, I am writing my State Senators (in NC) and demanding a congressional investigation into the corruption of the….erm…free press, as I believe that it represents a threat to our Republic. I’m not expecting a result (especially with a Dim congress); I just want to see the response I get.

  58. #58
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:02 pm, RedDog said:

    There was the embarrassing stunt involving NBC News reporter Michelle Kosinski, who pretended to paddle through a treacherous
    flooded area in a canoe…while passers-by sloshed by her and exposed the fact that she was rowing in a few inches of a water.

    CBS, Dan Rather and yes, Walter Cronkite, were past masters at this kind of crap during the Vietnam War. Doing post-battle reportage, then heavily editing the pieces complete with dubbed-in gunfire and explosions.

    Frauds and collaborators. WWII French and Italian partisans would summarily execute such as these.

  59. #59
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:03 pm, chapoutier said:

    Expecting a resaonable expectation of privacy while counseling your client on illegal activity?

    Look at the law and tell me if there is any exception based upon the content of the conversation. There is not, unless the person intercepting is a law officer in an investigation.

    Do I want to see the filmmakers prosecuted? No. Certainly not. But they probably did break the law.

  60. #60
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:04 pm, chapoutier said:

    And thank you, Chap, for making my point that the AG is a coward if he goes after these two.

    So the fact that they very probably broke a real criminal statute is irrelevant to you? Ends justify the means?

  61. #61
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:06 pm, happyscrapper said:

    Glenn Beck just said that Charlie Gibson was question as to why his network wasn’t reporting on the ACORN story and Charlie said, “I wasn’t aware of that story.” Seriously! These people only investigate and report on what Obama wants them to. They don’t have ANY journalistic curiosity whatsoever! He DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE STORY? Where has he been for the last few weeks?? Geez, this is disgusting.

  62. #62
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:09 pm, James Felix said:

    That is not entrapment either. It is only entrapment when a police officer induces someone to do an illegal activity that they would otherwise not do.

    It’s also worth mentioning that on the “To Catch a Predator” program the police are only called in after the fact. It’s civilian volunteers who pose as teenagers, they don’t initiate the contact and they don’t suggest the sex. What they do isn’t entrapment.

    Say what you will about NBC as a whole, but that particular show performs a valuable service.

  63. #63
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:09 pm, happyscrapper said:

    Ends justify the means?

    Chap, I would say that, in this case, yes!! Whatever it takes to bring this horrible corruption to an end before we see the end of our freedom. Yes! Whatever it takes. And I will contribute to their defense fund, if it comes to that.

  64. #64
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:14 pm, happyscrapper said:

    Sorry about that Charlie Gibson post…I hadn’t read MM’s article about that very thing! That will teach me to open ALL her threads! She generally has it all covered so well. My bad.

  65. #65
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:14 pm, sbw999 said:

    Just got off the phone with the Press Secretary for Senator Burr in NC. I rang her rear for about ten minutes. I hope that all conservatives start demanding of their Repub senators and Repub congressmen/women that there be an investigation into corruption of the media. One thing that she said to me was that, given their minority status in the Senate and the House, that it would be voted down right away. I told her while that may be true, it has to be put on the Congressional radar some time, and we want it done now.

  66. #66
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:17 pm, chapoutier said:

    Say what you will about NBC as a whole, but that particular show performs a valuable service.

    Damn straight. I guarantee that at least one pedophile has thought twice about going over to some 13 year old’s house because he is wondering if he is going to be met by Chris Hansen.

    I am not necessarily supporting Maryland’s law. I think it does effectively kill any sort of investigative reporting possibility. And I think investigative reporting is important. However, I also can see how, in the normal course of things, someone should have a right to expect a private conversation not to be recorded without consent. It’s a tough call.

  67. #67
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:18 pm, b-cat said:

    I hope that all conservatives start demanding of their Repub senators and Repub congressmen/women that there be an investigation into corruption of the media.

    We don’t all have that luxury.

  68. #68
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:22 pm, dan708 said:

    The only “network” news I’ve seen for a long time is PBS’ “Newshour with Jim Lehrer”, about as civil and balanced as a you can expect on public TV. NBC? I haven’t seen that network since the last Olympiade.

  69. #69
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:22 pm, happyscrapper said:

    We don’t all have that luxury

    Being in Minnesota, I totally understand your point. No one is representing ME here in MN. No.One.

  70. #70
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:23 pm, sbw999 said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:18 pm, b-cat said:

    We don’t all have that luxury.

    I feel your pain. I moved from NY to NC 4 years ago. It was great to get out of liberal-ville. Maybe write your Dem representatives. At least you’ll annoy the hell out of them.

  71. #71
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:24 pm, cicerokid said:

    If i pay for tax counseling, am i not entitled to “keep” that advice on a recorded file?

  72. #72
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:26 pm, b-cat said:

    I feel your pain. I moved from NY to NC 4 years ago. It was great to get out of liberal-ville. Maybe write your Dem representatives. At least you’ll annoy the hell out of them.

    VA is not NY, so I believe in my personal case the pendulum will swing back the other way very soon. 8)

  73. #73
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:30 pm, Lindsay said:

    Hilarious to watch them squirm.

  74. #74
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:31 pm, ex-expat said:

    Sooooo glad we are reminded of the NBC Dateline stunt with the bogus ‘exploding’ fuel tanks. I was working overseas in the auto industry at the time (not for GM) and satisfaction of NBC having to publicy eat crow was immense and long-lasting.

  75. #75
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:31 pm, Flyoverman said:

    I posted something similar on the Charlie Gibson thread.*****

    NBC and the rest of the media HAVE NO CHOICE but to do what they are doing. The old saying says, “You have to pick the hill you want to die on.”

    The media will bitterly contest this story in order to kill it or “die on the hill” trying. They have no choice, because they know where this story leads……….to the front door of the White House.

    The Democrats in Congress, the RNC, the NEA, the AFL-CIO, SEIU, and Organizing for America all have strong links to ACORN. David Axelrod sent e-mails from the White House to people who NEVER had emailed they White House. Just where do you think he got them? Of course they are exchanging data and information, as well as cooperating fully.

    Obama was a lawyer and community organizer for ACORN. You know intuitively, he still have links to them. They helped him gain the White House. Logically things will be coordinated through the White House.

    If properly investigated, this will make Watergate look like a parking violation. NBC is FULLY AWARE of that. They can’t let this story be taken to its logical conclusion.

  76. #76
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:34 pm, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    chapoutier said: So the fact that they very probably broke a real criminal statute is irrelevant to you?

    As pointed out by cicerokid – they do NOT have a reasonable expectation of privacy while working within their capacity as an organization receiving PUBLIC funds.

  77. #77
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:37 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:31 pm, Flyoverman said

    A warm glow just flowed through me and I actually got a “leg tingle” reading your post. I am finally starting to believe we can defeat this monster!! YES.WE.CAN!

  78. #78
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:40 pm, happyscrapper said:

    Hey Chap…I hope that, when the smoke clears and your guy in the WH is brought down, we can still be “friends”. I am serious. You are one leftie who shows promise and might even end up on the side of truth and liberty. Miracles still happen and we are living in that kind of time.

  79. #79
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:42 pm, cheapseat said:

    i believe it was the peacock network which did exactly this same thing in cambodia to show child prostitution and the men who participate in it. the network followed a dr. around, and saw him and interviewed him about his activities in cambodia, then confronted him later.

  80. #80
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:53 pm, Teddy Kennedy said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:39 am, chapoutier said: A person talking in a normal tone of voice in an office building would have a reasonable expectation of privacy about that conversation. A person shouting in public would not.

    Errah what about a person reading Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book in the vacuum of space?

  81. #81
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:56 pm, nuss said:

    One of O’Reilly’s guests last night argued that the term MSM, or Main Stream Media, is no longer appropriate, because they are “mainstream” no more. NYT, NBC, ABC, MSNBC, CNN, CBS, etc. have become irrelevant. That should be called “SOW” (state owned media).

  82. #82
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:57 pm, nuss said:

    Sorry….should be SOM, or some similar name.

  83. #83
    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 11:42 am, b-cat said:
    I was hoping for a Patrick Swayze thread this am too, Laree.

    I liked Roadhouse. That’s where I first saw Jeff Healey.

    Healey and Swayze are now reunited in the great Roadhouse in the sky. (sniffle)

  84. #84
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:12 pm, rightisright said:

    No need for me to explain why I don’t watch the “major news broadcasts”, the soup channels. Fox is the only one I watch and I’m leery about a lot what they say, depending on who is reporting.

    Hint to you kool aid drinkers, Fox is not conservative, they appear to be conservative because they don’t drink the kool aid.

  85. #85
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:15 pm, Flyoverman said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:37 pm, happyscrapper said

    Happy,

    I believe political historians will look at the ACORN “prostitution story” revelation coinciding with th 9/12 march and say this was when the tide turned. This was when the initiative was seized by the Tea Party Movemment and they went from defense to offense.

    83-7 in the Senate manifests this is true.

  86. #86
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:18 pm, RedDog said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:04 pm, chapoutier said:
    And thank you, Chap, for making my point that the AG is a coward if he goes after these two.
    So the fact that they very probably broke a real criminal statute is irrelevant to you? Ends justify the means?

    If it is good enough for Obama et al then…….

  87. #87
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:19 pm, John Deaux said:

    I never did hear an “official” tally for the 9/12 march. Has the Park Service made a statement?

    Come to think about it, I haven’t heard much about it at all.

  88. #88
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:20 pm, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    So how is that Norah O’Donnell knows about ACORN going down but Charlie Gibson is claiming ignorance? I suppose that it is because it is not an important enough news story for a big prime time news anchor.

  89. #89
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:20 pm, fred5676 said:

    Note the rank of the msNBC anchors on this list:

    CABLE NEWS RACE
    FRI., SEPT 11, 2009

    FOXNEWS O’REILLY 3,212,000
    FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,644,000
    FOXNEWS BECK 2,544,000
    FOXNEWS BAIER 1,968,000
    FOXNEWS SHEP 1,705,000
    MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,067,000
    MSNBC MADDOW 948,000
    CNN BLITZER 889,000
    CNN KING 875,000

    Chrissy? Chrissy? Hiding out with Norah??

  90. #90
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:23 pm, Tuesday said:

    On September 15th, 2009 at 12:14 pm, sbw999 said:
    Just got off the phone with the Press Secretary for Senator Burr in NC. I rang her rear for about ten minutes. I hope that all conservatives start demanding of their Repub senators and Repub congressmen/women that there be an investigation into corruption of the media. . . I told her while that may be true, it has to be put on the Congressional radar some time, and we want it done now.

    Yes, yes, yes! I had a conversation with my representative and he said he is going to include a push for investigation of media corruption on his next turn at the podium!

    IF more of us make the same request, I am sure they will hear us.

  91. #91
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:24 pm, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    I mean, a news correspondent at NBC is already claiming entrapment but the news anchor at ABC never heard anything about the sorry at all? Rush is covering this..

  92. #92
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:40 pm, vsatt said:

    Jay Leno’s new show premiered last night and one of his guests just happened to be Kanye West — the biggest topic of the day after his tirade at the VMA’s Sunday night. West got the chance to apologize and appear contrite before a national audience. Leno then asked him what his (recently deceased) mother would have thought about his behavior which gave West a golden PR moment where he got all choked up and couldn’t even speak. Awwwwwww.

    My husband, who is not normally the cynical type, commented that the whole incident at the VMA’s was probably staged by Leno, West and NBC to boost ratings.

  93. #93
    On September 15th, 2009 at 1:52 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Look at the law and tell me if there is any exception based upon the content of the conversation.

    I got as far as Bastardy and Fornication…

  94. #94
    On September 15th, 2009 at 2:04 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    OK, stand by for the law:

    § 3-903. Camera surveillance.
    (a) “Camera” defined.- In this section, “camera” includes any electronic device that can be used surreptitiously to observe an individual.
    (b) Scope of section.- This section does not apply to:
    (1) an adult resident of the private residence where a camera is placed;
    (2) a person who places or procures another to place a camera on real property without the intent to conduct deliberate surreptitious observation of an individual inside the private residence;
    (3) a person who has obtained the consent of an adult resident, or the adult resident’s legal guardian, to place a camera on real property to conduct deliberate surreptitious observation of an individual inside the private residence;

    (4) any otherwise lawful observation with a camera conducted by a law enforcement officer while performing official duties;
    (5) filming conducted by a person by or for the print or broadcast media through use of a camera that is not secreted from view;
    (6) any part of a private residence used for business purposes, including any part of a private residence used as a day care home for the care and custody of a child;
    (7) filming of a private residence by a person through use of a camera that is not located on the real property where the private residence is located; or
    (8) any otherwise lawful observation with a camera of the common area of multiunit family dwellings by a person that holds a license under Title 13 or Title 19 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, acting within the scope of the person’s occupation.
    (c) Prohibited.- A person may not place or procure another to place a camera on real property where a private residence is located to conduct deliberate surreptitious observation of an individual inside the private residence.
    (d) Penalty.- A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both.
    (e) Prohibited defense.- Subject to subsection (b)(1) of this section, it is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that the defendant owns the private residence.
    (f) Available defense.- A good faith reliance on a court order is a complete defense to a civil or criminal action brought under this section.
    (g) Civil action.-
    (1) An individual who was observed through the use of a camera in violation of this section has a civil cause of action against any person who placed or procured another to place the camera on the real property.
    (2) In an action under this subsection, the court may award damages and reasonable attorney’s fees.
    (h) Other remedies.- This section does not affect any legal or equitable right or remedy otherwise provided by law.
    [An. Code 1957, art. 27, § 579A; 2002, ch. 26, § 2; 2004, ch. 361.]

    I’m not a lawyer and I don’t play one on TV, but this looks like (b,2) it doesn’t apply if you are not trying to film someone inside a private residence.

  95. #95
    On September 15th, 2009 at 2:27 pm, chapoutier said:

    As pointed out by cicerokid – they do NOT have a reasonable expectation of privacy while working within their capacity as an organization receiving PUBLIC funds.

    Never mind the fact that the expectation of privacy would attach to an actual person, not an organization. You do not understand the concept of reasonable expectation of privacy. Just because something should or should not be able to be kept SECRET does not mean a person is expecting a conversation to be PRIVATE. Private simply means not talking place in public or at a volume sufficient to allow others outside of the conversation to hear.

    Nor do you in any way explain or provide any legal justification for your statement that a 501(c)(3) entity is automatically excluded from any concept of privacy. I mean I kind of see what you are getting at, there should be a certain amount of transparency involved with organizations that get public funds. But you are comparing apples to oranges. Privacy of conversation is NOT the same as transparency of organization.

  96. #96
    On September 15th, 2009 at 2:31 pm, chapoutier said:

    I’m not a lawyer and I don’t play one on TV, but this looks like (b,2) it doesn’t apply if you are not trying to film someone inside a private residence.

    Aloha,

    1) we are not dealing with a private residence;

    2) we ARE dealing with someone who is surreptitiously filming.

  97. #97
    On September 15th, 2009 at 2:35 pm, nail49 said:

    So the fact that they very probably broke a real criminal statute is irrelevant to you?

    chap: I recall a taped conversation that was made public and the person responsible for doing so got off scott free.

    To refresh your memory, think Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich and Washington Democrat Jim McDermott, a member of the House Ethics Committee, which was about to rule on Gingrich’s ethics violations.

    The tape was of a cell-phone conversation of Rep. John Boehner, as he spoke from his car in a conference call with several other key Republicans, including Gingrich.

    McDermott released a transcript of the tape to the New York Times and other newspapers. The New York Times then printed a transcript of the call’s participants discussing how Gingrich should respond to the Ethics Committee.

    Since it is illegal to eavesdrop on cellular phone calls and disseminate the contents, the citizens who made the tape eventually pleaded guilty and were fined a “whopping” $500 each. However, the court ruled that McDermott’s leaking of the call’s contents to the press is protected by freedom of speech. Because the recordings were a matter of “important public interest,” the First Amendment trumped the privacy rights of the call’s participants.

    http://www.rightgrrl.com/carolyn/gingrichtripp.html

    So, is it relevant that a CongressCritter broke the law, or is it not?

  98. #98
    On September 15th, 2009 at 2:38 pm, nail49 said:

    Because the recordings were a matter of “important public interest,” the First Amendment trumped the privacy rights of the call’s participants.

    chap: That should settle whether or not this taping of the ACORN criminals is ‘protected,’ shouldn’t it?

    Or, are we going to move the goalposts once again?

  99. #99
    On September 15th, 2009 at 2:41 pm, chapoutier said:

    So, is it relevant that a CongressCritter broke the law, or is it not?

    Making the tape and leaking the tape are two separate issues.

    The makers of the tape, according to you, were punished according to that state’s law.

    Boehner then sued McDermott for the leak and lost. Note that was not a criminal case. It was a civil suit. You cannot compare that situation to this.

  100. #100
    On September 15th, 2009 at 2:44 pm, chapoutier said:

    Or, are we going to move the goalposts once again?

    I haven’t moved a thing. It’s just you don’t understand the relevant law. Nor, apparently, the difference between a civil suit and a criminal violation. Nor, apparently, the difference between making a recording and releasing a recording.

    It is okay to admit that the filmmakers probably broke the law, but that you are okay with that. The people that engaged in sit-ins in the 50′s civil rights movement were breaking the law too. That doesn’t make their actions any less righteous.

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