Here is another BigGovernment.com link, in which Mr. O’Keefe attempts to justify his actions:
[Quote=James O’Keefe]
ACORN has ascended. They elect our politicians and receive billions in tax money. Their world is a revolutionary, socialistic, atheistic world, where all means are justifiable. And they create chaos, again, for it’s own sake. It is time for us to be studying and applying their tactics, many of which are ideologically neutral. It is time, as Hannah said as we walked out of the ACORN facility, for conservative activists to “create chaos for glory.”
[/Quote]
Frankly, he sounds like a bit of a nutter.
I would like to point out that even if the ACORN employees taped were not in on this bit of theater, which remains to be seen, nothing that he has done so far bears any resemblance to responsible journalism:
a) He made audio tapes without the consent of the other party, apparently in clear violation of Maryland law;
b) Posted the tapes to YouTube, apparently without ever contacting the persons taped or their employer, for a prior response;
c) Edited the tapes without giving any idea what has been redacted or why;
d) Apparently has yet to give an accounting of when the tapes where made and the circumstances under which they were made. Indeed, the DC tapes are clearly date-stamped “2005 7 22”, which is most likely wildly incorrect.
Obviously if it does turn out that any of the ACORN employees were willing accomplices, the effect is likely to be rather different than Mr. O’Keefe intended.
What this sorry episode does seem to herald is a new era in which activist right-wingers embrace monkeywrenching tactics to serve their ends. An interesting development, but ethically questionable, in my view.