ACORN Sting Filmmaker May Face State Charges

If convicted, O'Keefe faces five years in prison

By ASHA BEH

Updated 10:13 AM EST, Sun, Sep 13, 2009

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James O'Keefe's foray into filmmaking may cost him a few years in the slammer.

O'Keefe and fellow conservative activist/budding investigative journalist Hannah Giles were the ones who dressed up like a pimp and a prostitute, respectively (or not), and went to the offices of the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) in D.C. and Baltimore looking for advice on how to buy a house.

The resulting video caused quite a commotion and resulted in the firing of four ACORN employees, as well as other repercussions for those who support the organization.

In Maryland, it's against the law to tape a person without their prior permission. It's also illegal to "willfully use or willfully disclose the content of said audio," Baltimore City State Attorney Patricia Jessamy said in a statement released late Friday.

She added: "The penalty for the unlawful interception, disclosure or use of it is a felony punishable up to five years."

The Baltimore City State Attorney's Office is investigating the matter.

First Published: Sep 12, 2009 1:38 PM EST

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0 Comments

{"totSize":28,"payload_type":"json","status":"1","results":[{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"331759_59130662","adminTags":null,"views":5887,"createdBy":12437520,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"ACORN Sting Filmmaker May Face State Charges","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":1346989,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"12 Sep 2009 22:35:27 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"asist","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"766203","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"is this a joke? I just made an account because this 'news' source is actually endorsing the prosecution of the people who are trying to expose these filth. Msnbc, you are a disgrace to journalism. I could seriously get better news from the tabloids. Does anyone actually see those tapes and say, "you know, i hope they really nail these kids who did this to these poor acorn workers." You people are sick."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"331759_59130662","adminTags":null,"views":5887,"createdBy":12437520,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"ACORN Sting Filmmaker May Face State Charges","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":1346989,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"12 Sep 2009 22:47:08 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"asist","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"766257","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Is this a joke? Msnbc actually has the nerve to portray the people who are exposing this filth as criminals? I could get better news from the tabloids. Msnbc will go down with the ship, all the way. By the way, whoever is editing this comments page, will you keep deleting my posts? Block me? I have used no vulgarity. You won't stop till everyone in opposition to your social dictator dream scheme is silenced. Apparently they delete posts that don't match their agenda. Go figure. Cowards."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"331759_59130662","adminTags":null,"views":5887,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"ACORN Sting Filmmaker May Face State Charges","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":1346989,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"13 Sep 2009 00:56:35 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"766611","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"WHEN WILL THE ACORN PROSECUTIONS BEGIN?!?! WHEN WILL THE CHARGES OF VOTER INTIMIDATI0ON AGAINST THE BLACK PANTHERS BE RESTORED?!?! Obama and his fellow leftists/fascists will stop at nothing to destroy this country."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"331759_59130662","adminTags":null,"views":5887,"createdBy":9736184,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"ACORN Sting Filmmaker May Face State Charges","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":1346989,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"13 Sep 2009 01:23:28 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"fb_1378073045","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"766685","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Get the **** out out where with this *******!! the Right had one of their own go to jail last year for voter fraud the same thing they calm acorn is doing. Black in Ohio should have jail in 04 for the fraud in that election. Now, Acorn is public enemy#1 on the rights radar because President Obama use to consult with them? where was all this investigation on the banks and mortgage companies a few years ago because they have done more damage to people than Acorn. Dressing up as pimps? entrapment? is this what the Right has come too? "},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"331759_59130662","adminTags":null,"views":5887,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"ACORN Sting Filmmaker May Face State Charges","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":1346989,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"13 Sep 2009 02:50:38 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"766910","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"I think people ought to write to the Baltimore City State Attorneys Office and request that they drop the charges. These people did something good and they should not be punished. I would say that the more people who write in the more the Balitmore City State Attorneys Office will see that there are not many who stand behind them in their efforts to punish people who exposed corruption."}],"error":"","totPages":6}