May 26, 2010 4:47 PM

James O'Keefe Avoids Jail Time

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
In The News
James O'Keefe (Credit: AP)

James O'Keefe, who is best known for bringing down the community-organizing group ACORN by posing as a pimp, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully entering federal property, but he avoided jail time, according to reports.

O'Keefe and three others were arrested earlier this year when they entered the office of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) disguised as telephone workers, in an alleged attempt to tamper with the senator's phones and determine whether she was ignoring constituents' calls. They were initially arrested on felony charges, but the charges were reduced today to entering a federal building under false pretenses -- a misdemeanor.

O'Keefe pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years of probation, a fine of $1,500 and 100 hours of community service, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

"I take full responsibility for our decision to visit Sen. Landrieu's office," O'Keefe reportedly said in court. "I should have used other means" to investigate Landrieu, he added.

O'Keefe's accomplices, Stan Dai, Joseph Basel and Robert Flanagan, also pleaded guilty and were reportedly sentenced to two years of probation, a fine of $1,500 and 75 hours of community service during their first year of probation.

Magistrate Judge Daniel Knowles III repeatedly told the young men that they need to learn "where to draw a line" as aspiring investigative journalists, the Times-Picayune reports. O'Keefe said he will soon release the results of another investigation, according to the Associated Press.

The 25-year-old O'Keefe gained notoriety in the conservative community last year when he released a series of videos showing ACORN employees offering advice to O'Keefe and a friend that seemed to endorse trafficking in children, among other illegal activities.


Add a Comment
by PoliticolNews September 30, 2010 1:41 PM EDT
This Irish potato head needs a couple of years in jail, impersonations seems to be his game, Fox Boy will continue along his demented path until he gets psychological help. Either than or put him on the Jersey Shores and let the Situation pound some sense into him. Ever heard of "Menace to Society?". He definitely has a problem with women too.
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by MIABATTERY June 4, 2010 7:06 PM EDT
.. seems to me that MANY need the REAL facts: that he did not commit the crime/s that so many wanted to paint him with. The Gov't says:

In this case, further investigation did not uncover evidence that the defendants intended to commit any felony after the entry by false pretenses despite their initial statements to the staff of Senatorial office and GSA requesting access to the central phone system. Instead, the Government?s evidence would show that the defendants misrepresented themselves and their purpose for gaining access to the central phone system to orchestrate a conversation about phone calls to the Senator?s staff and capture the conversation on video, not to actually tamper with the phone system, or to commit any other felony.

.. and there ya go! statement GIVEN in court by the judge and Atty General - read it yourself in the transcripts from the court hearing.
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by Winchester-Wine-Spirits May 27, 2010 11:01 AM EDT
While I do feel some punishment is deserved...I applaud the fact O'Keefe is uncovering the true intent of ACORN and how they have manipulated the system for their own financial gain...Well done to you and your team James! Million's of American's can't wait for your next undercover story release!
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by timdgrim May 27, 2010 6:44 AM EDT
His 75 hours of community service should be cleaning up the criminal oil company BP's mess on the Louisiana shore. You can investigate there for a while. Get to it FOXboy!
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by pasmalltown May 26, 2010 10:59 PM EDT
The prosecutor probably realized that with a felony conviction that O'Keefe "would have to go to jail and be some bad man's boyfriend"...

OR even more likely, "Brietfart" and Hannity's money could "buy" him out of the conviction. In the field of "investigative journalism", it's not WHAT you know, rather WHO know that counts...........
Who ever suggested that FOX News isn't always "right"?

Slap him on wrist and send him out again to do their dirtywork. This whole "felony to misdemeanor" thing makes "ambulance chaser" seem like a "honorable" term and meaningful profession............
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