The Chuck Colson of His Generation? UPDATE: Big Government Editor Mike Flynn Talks to Reason

Is James O'Keefe, the 25-year-old "pimp" behind the ACORN sting videos, his generation's G. Gordon Liddy? The FBI thinks so. The Times-Picayune has details on a modern-day version of Operation Gemstone:

The FBI, alleging a plot to wiretap Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in downtown New Orleans, arrested four people Monday, including James O'Keefe, a conservative filmmaker whose undercover videos at ACORN field offices severely damaged the advocacy group's credibility.

FBI Special Agent Steven Rayes alleges that O'Keefe aided and abetted two others, Joseph Basel and Robert Flanagan, who dressed up as employees of a telephone company and attempted to interfere with the office's telephone system.

A fourth person, Stan Dai, was accused of aiding and abetting Basel and Flanagan. All four were charged with entering fedral property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony.

A witness from Landrieu's staff said O'Keefe was present in the office and claimed to be "waiting for someone to arrive."

More details here.

UPDATE: The FBI affidavit is here (pdf).

UPDATE: I contacted Big Government editor in chief Mike Flynn, who initially ran the ACORN videos and hosts O'Keefe's blog, and he said this: "I have no idea what he was doing or why he was there. If he broke the law, he should face the consequences. Unlike the left, I don't believe the ends justify the means. In no way do I or anyone affiliated with the site condone his allegedly illegal behavior."

Comments

[Warty]

This is the opportunity of a lifetime for him. With a little shrewdness, he'll get himself a book deal.

[Abdul]

It'll all be worth it if they film Hannah Giles in an all girl penitentiary and broadcast it on Cinemax.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A witness from Landrieu's staff said O'Keefe was present in the office and claimed to be "waiting for someone to arrive."

Too bad he wasn't in combat fatigues, menacingly brandishing a night stick, and a member of the Philadelphia chapter of the Black Panthers. Then the DoJ would have no case against him.

[Xeones]

Frankly, i see nothing wrong with doing stuff like this to government officials.

[ransom147]

absolutely! they spy on us...

[Chrispy]

Me neither, but I also don't see the point. What they do and say right out in the open is bad enough. There's really no need to see what's going on behind closed doors.

[Tulpa]

Yes, because government officials forfeit all their human rights. They would have no grounds to complain if we dragged them out on the street and raped them with toilet brushes, even.

Did I catch the right 'tude, yo?

[hellinahandbasket]

well if you go to all that trouble, do get in on tape for the youtube.

[Warty]

Why so serious, bus driver dude?

[ap]

i for one am shocked to learn that the thugs for the republicans are as corrupt as the thugs for the democrats.

[Johnny Longtorso]

This will, of course, prove ACORN's innocence....

[EJM]

The Chuck Colson of His Generation?

Is Mr. O'Keefe an evangelical? (FDL is kind of wondering the same thing.)

[Who's Sean Hannity]

Is Reason pandering to the type of Republicans who get their ideas from Fox and Free Republic.....You Betcha.

[EJM]

I guess I'm the only one here who associates Mr. Colson a little bit more with, say, Prison Fellowship than with Watergate.

[Jon H]

If he isn't, he'd fake it for some wingnut welfare.

[?]

Is Louisiana a state where using a camera with sound is "wiretapping?" Because there's no wiretapping-as-we-know-it in evidence, and the news stories about this are just "phone! phone! phone!" and lists of the guy's shadowy ties to conservative stuff.

[Jon H]

Um, what do you think they were looking for in the telephone system closet? A glory hole?

[Benny The Man]

O'Keefe had guys wear telephone repairman outfits? With butt cracks showing, or no?
This is so amateurish. This makes the pantybomber look smart.
And some guys want the R-Party back in power? This is an R-Party mastermind at work?
I would vote for Rube Goldberg first.

[highnumber]

According to this guy, one of the other guys is the son of the Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana.

[Gutterballs]

The story is ludicrous . . .sounds like the set up for a porno. "Take a look at this sir." (NSFW). They probably went on to fix the cable.

[Mikey]

Don't be fatuous, Jeffrey.

[P Brooks]

Insufficient data.

[Who's Sean Hannity]

Who would have thought, I'd crack a smile for someone doing time for a noncrime. Karma's a bitch, and soon you'll be too.

[ap]

prison rape, its ok (and funny) when its the other guy suffering!

you are a sad troll of a human being.

[Who's Sean Hannity]

I here they take to exposers and punks real well in prison. OH NO who will protect us from the lower classes now...HAHAHAHAHA

[BakedPenguin]

We can only hope you find out firsthand, cuntsore.

[EJM]

FWIW, the FBI/DOJ press release (which is essentially a shorter version of the PDF affidavit) is here. (I only noticed it because it's now included in the related Google News story cluster.)

[mick travis]

"unlike the left"? That guys got some nerve

[R C Dean]

Exactly what felony were they in the building for the purpose of committing?

Because without that, the feds got nothing.

[Jon H]

They were seeking access under false pretenses. They tried to get into a GSA office, to access the telephone closet, claiming to be telephone company workers.

I expect there's a law against that.

[Who's Sean Hannity]

OH poor baby, how's that hope working out for you.

[juris_imprudent]

Yeah, I'd hate to think what charges the next leftie sit-in at a federal facility is going to bring.

[Kolohe]

It may be worth also pointing out that Flynn is/was with the Reason Foundation.

[Who's Sean Hannity]

Colored me shocked

[Who's Sean Hannity]

TEH RACISM

[Adam W,]

"Unlike the left, I don't believe the ends justify the means."
Douchebag.

Oh, and Abdul's 4:04 comment wins the thread.

[Colin]

What did Flynn know, and when did he know it?

[shecky]

Is big baby Breitbart going to start crying about those evil liberals persecuting his buddies, or is he going to just throw them under the bus? I warned you Reason folks about that asshole and his dramatics. Sure knows how to pick co conspirators journalists, don't he?

What is that story with ACORN, anyhow? Most of the yokel knuckleheads ate that shit up and asked for more. But it always seemed a bit fishy, and has since had a bit of a shadow cast over the expos?. It seems O'Keefe may have been more dumb than shady. After this episode, it looks like that kid deserves to go to jail just for being so fucking stupid.