STATEMENT OF STATE’S ATTORNEYS OFFICE FOR BALTIMORE CITY RELATIVE TO THE ALLEGED BALTIMORE ACORN INCIDENT
Baltimore, MD – September 11, 2009 – We have received inquiries from citizens and the media asking whether the Baltimore City State’s Attorneys Office would initiate a criminal investigation for acts allegedly committed at ACORN offices located in Baltimore. The only information received in reference to this alleged criminal behavior was a YouTube video. Upon review by this office, the video appears to be incomplete. In addition, the audio portion could possibly have been obtained in violation of Maryland Law, Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article §10-402, which requires two party consent.
If it is determined that the audio portion now being heard on YouTube was illegally obtained, it is also illegal under Maryland Law to willfully use or willfully disclose the content of said audio. The penalty for the unlawful interception, disclosure or use of it is a felony punishable up to 5 years.
Okay, looks like they have some legal trouble.
CNN's Tucker: "ACORN gave CNN a copy of the police complaint." On the September 11 edition of CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight, CNN news correspondent Bill Tucker reported: "ACORN gave CNN a copy of the police complaint filed against the filmmakers In Philadelphia. The filmmakers, James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles are not commenting and Giles was a no-show for an agreed-to interview with CNN."
And it looks like they've been lying about no ACORN offices turning them away and now they are ducking interviews with legitimate news organizations.
And more distortions from the heavily edited videos are emerging.
In a press conference Thursday at ACORN's National City headquarters, Vera said statements he made in the video were taken out of context.
The now-former ACORN worker said he was merely trying to help the pair because he thought they were in danger.
"I never done anything wrong in my life," Vera said. "They destroyed my family."
In the footage filmed in July, filmmaker James O'Keefe and his partner, Hannah Giles, posed as a pimp and prostitute, and asked Vera for housing help.
O'Keefe is heard in the video saying, "I want to buy a house and this is my girlfriend, and she's a prostitute."
Vera said he was told the woman needed to escape her controlling pimp, who wouldn't let her start a new life.
Immediately, Vera said he offered to call the police but the filmmaker quickly stopped him.
"Don't call the police because I'm gonna be a lawyer," O'Keefe said in the video.
After the pair left the building, Vera said he called the National City Police Department.
National City police confirmed that Vera contacted them, but said there was not enough information about the couple to file a formal report.
Vera was also seen in the video asking the woman posing as a prostitute how much she charges.
So what are these "journalists" hiding? Where are the unedited tapes? Why aren't they talking to legitimate press? Why all the discrepancies between what they claim and ACORN workers say?
They thought they were being cute and clever by punking poor people trying to help other poor people. It looks like sooner or later they will have to testify under oath about exactly what happened. That is where the rubber meets the road.
Baltimore, MD – September 11, 2009 – We have received inquiries from citizens and the media asking whether the Baltimore City State’s Attorneys Office would initiate a criminal investigation for acts allegedly committed at ACORN offices located in Baltimore. The only information received in reference to this alleged criminal behavior was a YouTube video. Upon review by this office, the video appears to be incomplete. In addition, the audio portion could possibly have been obtained in violation of Maryland Law, Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article §10-402, which requires two party consent.
If it is determined that the audio portion now being heard on YouTube was illegally obtained, it is also illegal under Maryland Law to willfully use or willfully disclose the content of said audio. The penalty for the unlawful interception, disclosure or use of it is a felony punishable up to 5 years.
Okay, looks like they have some legal trouble.
CNN's Tucker: "ACORN gave CNN a copy of the police complaint." On the September 11 edition of CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight, CNN news correspondent Bill Tucker reported: "ACORN gave CNN a copy of the police complaint filed against the filmmakers In Philadelphia. The filmmakers, James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles are not commenting and Giles was a no-show for an agreed-to interview with CNN."
And it looks like they've been lying about no ACORN offices turning them away and now they are ducking interviews with legitimate news organizations.
And more distortions from the heavily edited videos are emerging.
In a press conference Thursday at ACORN's National City headquarters, Vera said statements he made in the video were taken out of context.
The now-former ACORN worker said he was merely trying to help the pair because he thought they were in danger.
"I never done anything wrong in my life," Vera said. "They destroyed my family."
In the footage filmed in July, filmmaker James O'Keefe and his partner, Hannah Giles, posed as a pimp and prostitute, and asked Vera for housing help.
O'Keefe is heard in the video saying, "I want to buy a house and this is my girlfriend, and she's a prostitute."
Vera said he was told the woman needed to escape her controlling pimp, who wouldn't let her start a new life.
Immediately, Vera said he offered to call the police but the filmmaker quickly stopped him.
"Don't call the police because I'm gonna be a lawyer," O'Keefe said in the video.
After the pair left the building, Vera said he called the National City Police Department.
National City police confirmed that Vera contacted them, but said there was not enough information about the couple to file a formal report.
Vera was also seen in the video asking the woman posing as a prostitute how much she charges.
So what are these "journalists" hiding? Where are the unedited tapes? Why aren't they talking to legitimate press? Why all the discrepancies between what they claim and ACORN workers say?
They thought they were being cute and clever by punking poor people trying to help other poor people. It looks like sooner or later they will have to testify under oath about exactly what happened. That is where the rubber meets the road.
