One More Time on James O’Keefe
Patterico brings to my attention this argument from blogger Brad Friedman:
“„[I]n mid-February of this year, after we’d called out O’Keefe as a liar for misrepresenting himself, Giles admitted to Washington Independent reporter Dave Weigel that the “pimp” concept was added-on with footage that was shot later and edited in. The “gaudy” costume seen in the videos was meant to convey “the whoring out of the American people,” she told him Weigel [sic].
“„“We never claimed that he went in with a pimp costume,” Giles admitted, “that was b-roll. It was purely b-roll. He was a pimp, I was a prostitute, and we were walking in front of government buildings to show how the government was whoring out the American people.”
“„In other words, as Giles admitted, and as O’Keefe’s own unauthenticated text-transcripts show, the entire “pimp” concept was added on as an afterthought, and edited in later.
In two words: Uh, no. The pimp costume was added as an afterthought, and O’Keefe screwed up in the media blitz after the tapes were released by not correcting the impression that he wore the crazy costume inside ACORN offices. But the videos and transcripts clearly show O’Keefe and Giles seeking extra-legal advice on how to hide prostitution profits from the IRS.
