James O’Keefe: ‘I could have used a different approach’
Investigative journalist James O’Keefe, who was arrested by the FBI this week in the New Orleans office of Sen. Mary Landrieu, says he had no plans to tap the phones of the Louisiana senator, but instead was trying to shine a light on her refusal to answer constituent calls.
In a statement posted on Big Government, O’Keefe denies — and blasts the media for reporting — that those arrested were there to wiretap her phone lines, but admits they were investigating the senator’s phone system “to determine whether or not Senator Landrieu was purposely trying to avoid constituents” voicing complaints on health care.
In addition to O’Keefe, 25, Robert Flanagan, Stan Dai and Joseph Basel, all 24, were also arrested.
O’Keefe, out of jail on $10,000 bond but ordered by a judge to live with his parents until his Feb. 13 preliminary hearing, does not elaborate on their actions at Landrieu’s office except to say the group went there “to ask the staff if their phones were working.”
“On reflection, I could have used a different approach to this investigation, particularly given the sensitivities that people understandably have about security in a federal building,” he wrote.
O’Keefe said the investigation was launched because “many of Senator Landrieu’s constituents were having trouble getting through to her office to tell her that they didn’t want her taking millions of federal dollars in exchange for her vote on the health-care bill.”
Asked about this, O’Keefe wrote, Landrieu claimed their phone lines have been jammed for weeks.
“I decided to investigate why a representative of the people would be out of touch with her constituents for ‘weeks’ because her phones were broken. In investigating this matter, we decided to visit Senator Landrieu’s district office – the people’s office – to ask the staff if their phones were working,” he wrote.
O’Keefe made a name for himself after publishing videos of his going undercover as a pimp to tape ACORN workers providing advice on how to set up a brothel.
He also blasted the mainstream media for the “journalistic malpractice committed by many of the organizations covering this story,” including MSNBC, the Associated Press and the Washington Post.
“We video taped the entire visit, the government has those tapes, and I’m eager for them to be released because they refute the false claims being repeated by much of the mainstream media,” he said.
Landrieu’s press secretary, Rob Sawicki, wrote in an email to The Daily Caller that “It is obvious to anyone following this case that James O’Keefe crossed the line and Sen. Landrieu expects a thorough federal investigation into the matter. She believes that he should save his feeble explanation for the FBI and the judge.”
Updated at 1:57 p.m.
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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O’Keefe, the “populist” conservative caring whether or not Landrieu cares about her constituents. A “populist” conservative. What a misnomer. He would of had better luck if he disguised himself as a lobbyist.
Glad O’Keefe went in to investigate. Maybe he went about it the wrong way but I will wait for more of the facts to come out. After Landrieu made that disgusting, unfair back-door health care deal, I’ve been trying to call Senator Landrieu for months to express my disgust with her about that deal and all of her phone numbers listed on her website just rang and rang and rang. NO ONE ever picked up…. Hmmmmmmmm, I wonder why? At least when I called Ben Nelson, his staff did pick up the phone and listened to my rant!
Let us review, James O’Keefe is gaining coverage. He is telling his story in a factual way. He is exposing that Sen. Landrieu apparently has a phone log system of a no call list.
Note Sen. Landrieu’s spokesperson never mentioned the O’Keefe comment about there being an automated no call list by this Democrat.
If this goes to trial and Mr. O’Keefe proves what he is stating, this is going to rock Sen. Landrieu and Democrat’s standing as they are putting their own constituents on a no call lists.
There is a thing called an elected representative in this which is Constitutional and if Sen. Landrieu violated this she can be removed from office.
Andrew Breitbart allowing James O’Keefe this venue seems to indicate this story has legs.
Don Imus said that the only thing on her phone were calls to Domino’s!
‘I could have used a different approach’
This guy missed his calling he’s not a journalist he’s a comedia.
You guys didn’t like that comment. OK I’m sorry I was wrong. He’s not a comedia he’s the joke.
Yeah, O’Keefe was kind of stupid. He should have bribed some FBI or NSA employee to give him copies of the transcripts of their bugs on Landrieu’s lines.
Don’t get me wrong, I think O’Keefe’s ACORN stunt was revealing, but calling him an “Investigative journalist” may be a bit generous. As John Hood, publisher of the Carolina Journal, writes: “It does the growing ranks of investigative journalists at conservative organizations a great disservice to invite a comparison of such publicity stunts with the hard, meticulous, and often boring work of exposing government waste and corruption.”
John Hood may have a point. Or he may be incredibly jealous and threatened by an innovative up and comer.
I think the Daily Caller is ‘Okeefe-ing’ me. I offer civilized critical commentary and they have blocked my comments from appearing.
Don’t feel pregnant, Chip. My posts usually ‘disappear’ also. Apparently the ‘Tip’ feature is a dead end also.
So, let me get this straight.
O’Keefe is pissed off at the media because they incorrectly reported which felony he was committing? Priceless.
Ya’ think? You poor young BOOB!
I KNOW! Can you believe that BOOB Shuster, who misreported the whole story and all the while insisting he had it right? talk about a rush to judgment!
I can’t believe MSNBC actually flew Shuster to New Orleans to report on this. How freaking embarrassing is that? Plus think about how much they’ve accelerated Global warming?
Kind of a dumb stunt, since even if it was successful it was kind of a non-issue (who didn’t already believe politicians don’t answer their phones when it gets tough?), but only complete wingnuts believed he was trying to tamper with her phones.