Mindy: "Once lauded by Bachmann for ACORN sting, O’Keefe arrested by FBI"

[Avidor]

http://minnesotaindependent.com/54540/okeefe-acorn-landrieu-bachmann

In September, Rep. Michele Bachmann hailed as “brilliant” James O’Keefe, who with Hannah Giles orchestrated a sting operation at a Philadelphia ACORN office, posing as a pimp and a prostitute. Today, it appears that may have been an overestimation. Days after the duo was named in a federal lawsuit for the ACORN sting, O’Keefe was arrested by the FBI along with three others, allegedly for trying to wiretap the New Orleans office of Sen. Mary Landrieu.

Back in September, Bachmann praised O’Keefe and Giles at the How To Take Back America conference for their undercover expose of a Philadelphia ACORN office, in which they posed as a pimp and prostitute seeking advice from the anti-poverty group: “Hannah and James used Saul Alinsky’s ‘Rules for Radicals’ — that’s the community organizer’s bible — against ACORN! Brilliant!”

Rep. Kline is co-signer of H. Res. 809 that "honors" James O'Keefe III:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr111-809

Another Minnesota link to the story:

http://minnesotaindependent.com/54574/okeefe-accomplice-a-minnesotan

http://minnesotaindependent.com/54581/basel-twitter-facebook-okeefe

[Avidor]

1. Media Matters Profiles "O'Keefe's three alleged accomplices" - JOSEPH BASEL

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201001260052

College conservative. According to The Centurion, a conservative Rutgers publication founded by O'Keefe, "frustrated conservative student Joe Basel started The Counterweight at the University of Minnesota-Morris. Both papers were started with assistance from the Leadership Institute 'Balance in Media' grant, which is still available for students starting conservative and libertarian campus publications today."

Quote from interview:

http://rutgers-newbrunswick.campusreform.org/group/80/blog/campusreformorg-interview-with-james-okeefe

Basel: I guess I wouldn't call it activist journalism either. I think the only real agenda with what I did at the University of Minnesota was to pursue truth and to hold the administrators and hold the professors' feet to the fire. To hold them accountable for what they were getting away with, what they were doing in the classroom and out of the classroom, in the community.

So, I think if you just make your agenda the truth or a fair chance at the truth on campus, you'd be surprised what falls in your lap if you work hard and keep doing it.

[Avidor]

2. Strib Story - "Minnesotan charged in tampering with U.S. senator's phones"

http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/82784812.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DU

A onetime conservative activist at the University of Minnesota-Morris is one of four men charged with tampering with phones in the office of Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.

Joseph Basel, 24, posed as a telephone worker wearing a hard hat, tool belt and a fluorescent vest when he walked into the senator's office in a federal building in New Orleans on Monday, according to an FBI affidavit.

It's not yet clear whether the plan was a prank intended to be captured on camera or a more serious attempt at political espionage, as claimed by state Democrats who dubbed it "Louisiana Watergate."

Basel was the editor of a conservative magazine published at the Morris campus and one of more than a dozen College Republicans who attended the 2005 presidential inauguration.

Basel also was the campaign manager for Minnesota Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, three years ago. Ingebrigtsen said he's talked to Basel only a few times since then and was "baffled" by his former aide's arrest.

Basel's parents declined to comment, as did a man who answered the telephone at his home.

His Facebook page says he is a fan of the Tea Party Patriots, the conservative group Young America's Foundation and the late William F. Buckley.

On his Twitter page, he wrote late Tuesday night, "Everyone is safe and released. Veritas" -- Latin for truth.