Pimps, Lies, and Videotapes

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You wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t. It’s never been more obvious that American democracy is fragile. And while the corporate media goes all in on horse-race journalism, we're digging for what matters: the ties between right-wing extremism and the GOP, dirty deeds done by billionaire-funded super-PACs, the how-this-affects-you implications of the candidates’ positions. One thing that can reliably stop liars, grifters, and extremists? Truth-telling independent media. And right now, we need your support.

We know you give a damn about this country’s future. So while the corporate media goes all in on horse-race journalism, we've spent this election season digging for the stories that matter. One thing that can reliably stop liars, grifters, and extremists is truth-telling independent media. And right now, we need your support.

Courtesy Fox News, CNN

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Ever since ACORN was taken down by a bad pimp costume and a hidden camera, right-wing media mogul Andrew Breitbart and provocateur James O’Keefe have discovered that by the time their work is exposed as disingenuously edited hit jobs, the damage is done, and their brand has been boosted. As Breitbart told the AP, “I’m committed to the destruction of the old media guard. And it’s a very good business model.” Read the editors’ note, “Why Do We Keep Falling for O’Keefe’s Smear Jobs?” here. Below, their stings to date.

targets	exposed!	cutting-room floor	breitbart factor	o’keefe involved?	scary black people meme?	scalps
ACORN	Community organizers helping an outrageously dressed pimp with “child prostitution, human trafficking and tax evasion.”	O’Keefe didn’t wear a pimp costume in ACORN offices; ACORN later cleared of criminal wrongdoing.	Posted videos and gave them to Fox News; took credit: “I’m the guy that brought down ACORN.”	Yes	Yes	ACORN lost federal funds, went bankrupt.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.)	Attempted “probe” of the senator’s phones to see if she was ignoring calls about Obamacare.	Video seized when FBI arrested O’Keefe (PDF) for impersonating a phone- company worker.	Disavowed any connection, but admitted O’Keefe was on his payroll at the time.	Yes	No	O’Keefe sentenced to 3 years probation.
US Census	Falsified timesheets “costing taxpayers an estimated $10,000,000.”	Full video exposed sloppiness, not massive corruption.	Posted videos.	Yes	No	None
Shirley Sherrod/ NAACP	Black USDA official boasting of racism at an NAACP event.	True, pro-racial- harmony message of Sherrod’s speech.	Posted video one week after NAACP criticized tea party’s racial politics.	No	Yes	Sherrod fired and now suing Breitbart.
CNN reporter Abbie Boudreau	O’Keefe tries to lure Boudreau on a yacht for a “counter-seduction satire.”	Plan failed when female colleague of O’Keefe warned Boudreau.	Called O’Keefe’s plan “patently gross and offensive.”	Yes	No	None
Planned Parenthood	PP staffers helping pimp with child sex trafficking.	PP staffers alerted the Feds to impostor.	Promoted videos by Lila Rose, an O’Keefe protégé.	No	No	One PP staffer fired; no charges against PP.
National Public Radio	NPR fundraisers caught wooing Muslim donors, slagging tea partiers.	NPR exec says he’s a disaffected GOPer and quotes others like him.	Didn’t post video, but praised O’Keefe’s tactics.	Yes	No	Two NPR executives axed, NPR federal funding in jeopardy.
2012 New Hampshire primary	O’Keefe cronies get ballots by posing as recently deceased voters, showing “the integrity of the elections process is severely comprised.”	Oops—asking for a ballot using a false name is a crime, even if you don’t cast a vote.	Not involved, but defended O’Keefe on Twitter.	Yes	No	Prosecutors could pursue state and federal voter fraud charges.