Video: Part 2 of ACORN’s San Bernardino tape; Update: Media Matters spin: How dare Fox show Kaelke accusing herself!
posted at 3:35 pm on September 16, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
The San Bernardino Sun reports that Tresa Kaelke “feared for her safety” when she spoke with James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles, which is why she continued to work with the undercover journalists. That meme comes to an embarrassing end in Part 2 of their video from this encounter. Does this look like a woman in fear of the supposed prostitute, or someone who wanted to help the prospective child-prostitution ringleader evade the long arm of the law? You decide:
Update: I’m really not sure why Media Matters feels the need to interject itself into this story, but they sent out a press release about an hour ago that blames Fox News for accusing Kaelke of murder:
Today, Media Matters for America highlighted the fact that Fox News repeatedly broadcast and promoted a shocking but entirely fictitious claim made by San Bernardino ACORN employee Tresa Kaelke that she murdered her former husband.
Um, Fox News broadcast an “entirely fictitious claim” made by Kaelke about herself. What’s the journalistic lesson here — how dare you smear someone by broadcasting a charge she made against herself? Did Media Matters criticize KCAL-9 for airing California Assemblyman Michael Duvall’s admission on a live microphone about having sex with two lobbyists who had business before his committee? Duvall later claimed that wasn’t true, either.
Perhaps if the charge that Kaelke murdered her former husband is false, then Kaelke should refrain from making it.
So why did she? Media Matters is helping ACORN push their spin on it:
Furthermore, Kaelke has said that when she made the claim, she was seeking to deliberately mislead the undercover videographers, Hannah Giles and James O’Keefe, of whom she was suspicious.
“They were not believable,” Kaelke is quoted as saying in an ACORN press release. “Somewhat entertaining, but they weren’t even good actors. I didn’t know what to make of them. They were clearly playing with me. I decided to shock them as much as they were shocking me.”
Kaelke’s remarks have thus far been largely ignored by Fox News.
Gee, could they be ignoring it because ACORN told the San Bernardino Sun an entirely different story? ACORN tried claiming to the Sun that she feared for her safety, while Media Matters flogs the notion that she was having fun with them. Which is it?
Blowback
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this profit-minded, visitor-baiting gradual rollout is getting incredibly tiresome, breitbart.
sesquipedalian on September 16, 2009 at 4:13 PM
Translation: I’ve been sulking and crying in my corner for a week because you’re dissing my good friends at ACORN.
jwolf on September 16, 2009 at 4:17 PM
Waterboarding isn’t fun. Is that what you are saying?
lorien1973 on September 16, 2009 at 4:17 PM
REAL: Bertha Lewis on CNN NOW
faraway on September 16, 2009 at 4:17 PM
You know what I mean. It makes anything this chick says about as reliable as an Obama speech.
lorien1973 on September 16, 2009 at 4:18 PM
I’d be very happy to look into that face everyday….very happy.
Tim Burton on September 16, 2009 at 4:18 PM
.
This has been the fascinating pattern. Starting at the beginning where they claimed the first one (first two?) were exceptions to the rule and ACORN claimed the ruse had been tried at other offices without success. In fact, yesterday they claimed it again and said San Diego was one of those—well, it was hinted at last night (“near the border”) and Hannity just explicitly stated that tonight’s video that will be revealed on his show takes place in San Diego.
So far it seems whatever ACORN comes up with quickly gets refuted in the next release. It’s pretty impressive how our intrepid stingers are stringing out what they’ve got “in the can”.
KittyLowrey on September 16, 2009 at 4:18 PM
Bertha calls Giles “notorious”
faraway on September 16, 2009 at 4:19 PM
The gradual rollout is BRILLIANT. It disarms the Alinksy method of avoiding responsibility, which is to hurry up and make more news so that people will forget about the current scandal.
By dragging this out, it keeps it in the public eye no matter what ACORN or the Obama administration does. BRILLIANT.
Daggett on September 16, 2009 at 4:19 PM
This video is terrible… they should have captioned it…
ninjapirate on September 16, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Another thing that scares me is the woman looks and sounds like she’s either drunk or stoned out of her gourd! If I went to work in a state even half way as impaired as she sounds I’d be looking for a new job that day!
Vntnrse on September 16, 2009 at 4:20 PM
Bertha is still going to sue OKeefe, but he “did them a favor by exposing” the crooks.
faraway on September 16, 2009 at 4:21 PM
If nothing happens, then it’s likely too late and we’re doomed.
But I think, I’m hoping anyway, that heads, no, the entire agency gets axed, with investigations also into SEIU all other 300 or so related organizations. It’s snowballing on them…voter fraud & intimidation, now these brilliant videos from the ACORN housing dept, they’ve been dumped by the Census (supposedly), some funding already cut, Cuomo(!) investigating them in NY, illegally operating in Maryland, thuggish actions paid for by the SEIU exposed, thugish actions against banks and private companies (AIG) and heir employees exposed, and I’m sure there’s more.
Now we need someone to connect the dots to the housing crash, a la the Community Reinvestment Act, ACORN’s housing arm, Barney Fwank, Dodd, et al and make a case for them being a player in the mortgage & forclosure “crisis”.
ornery_independent on September 16, 2009 at 4:22 PM
Apparently this is what ACORN finds desirable in its employees. Whatever she is our tax dollars don’t need to be going to her or the likes of those who hire her and the others.
KittyLowrey on September 16, 2009 at 4:23 PM
We’ve already proven she meets with elected officials.
joshlbetts on September 16, 2009 at 4:23 PM
http://moderateinthemiddle.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/update-2-ny-ag-cuomo-opens-investigation-into-acorn-acorn-tape-up-san-bernadino-twofer-tuesday-stevie-nicks-plus-more-acorn-now-with-alleged-felonies/#comment-4171
joshlbetts on September 16, 2009 at 4:24 PM
There is no requirement that you be personally irate about this. Get a clue: This is not about you and your needs. LOL
Blake on September 16, 2009 at 4:24 PM
Sidenote, when Hannity revealed tonight’s installment does indeed take place in San Diego (where ACORN claimed the duo had gone and been unsuccessful) he was speaking to Michelle Bachman who told him she had just gotten some more information on ACORN she would share with him off the air (not fully vetted, perhaps).
Bachmann said she wanted listeners to know that this story is indeed rocking the halls of Congress and to keep up the pressure with calls to defund ACORN.
KittyLowrey on September 16, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Bertha on CNN…
scroller: “ACORN orders probe of tapes”
Huh, WTF?
Hmmm, why is she on with Wolfy, since CNN didn’t even think this was big news?
ornery_independent on September 16, 2009 at 4:26 PM
It’d be important for RICO violations. Unless this is simply about throwing tomatoes at ACORN, of course.
Get them with RICO (money would have to change hands), you could go after all their subsidiaries (SEIU, etc).
lorien1973 on September 16, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Drip, drip, drip. Here you go, fellow Hot Arians:
Weight of Glory on September 16, 2009 at 4:28 PM
lorien1973 on September 16, 2009 at 4:26 PM
I’m hoping that there is someone behind the scenes, perhaps working for Bill O’Reilly or Beck, or even better…Dept. Of Justice….working already on bringing these frauds down.
Obama has brought HOPE and I’m clinging to it.
bridgetown on September 16, 2009 at 4:28 PM
If Breitbart had released every tape at once, it would have been a one day story and quickly shoved down the memory hole.
By taking the slow-burn approach, they’ve forced ACORN to react stupidly, released another tape to show how stupid ACORN is, and repeated three times so far.
They’ve also generated interest in DC, the public and various DA offices.
I’d say all in all a pretty damn good strategy.
Now, when will the MSM finally give in and cover it? Or, does it even matter any more?
BacaDog on September 16, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Yup, and she’s a crackpot employed by ACORN, courtesy of the American taxpayer. In her position as an employee of ACORN, she’s happily giving advice to this nice young couple on how to defraud the IRS, and cover up illegal activities such as prostitution, and CHILD SEX-SLAVERY.
In this endeavor she’s shown herself to be no different than the ACORN employees in the other three offices who happily gave this nice young couple the same d*mn advice.
So, she’s more garrulous, egotistical, and, as others have said, tweaked looking – the end result is that the San Bernadino office is just as corrupt as the other three offices.
ACORN should be subjected to a RICO investigation.
wadikitty on September 16, 2009 at 4:29 PM
It is brilliant and you can’t stop it.
tessa on September 16, 2009 at 4:30 PM
it’s brilliant promo for his new site™.
sesquipedalian on September 16, 2009 at 4:30 PM
Yes, THAT and showing the world what ACORN is all about. Congress caught on. You should too.
bridgetown on September 16, 2009 at 4:31 PM
“Hot Arians“? Is that like…Heidi “Boom-Boom” Klum & Claudia Schiffer?!
So…deliciously…racist!
ornery_independent on September 16, 2009 at 4:31 PM
Ah how cute. You’re resorting to simply changing the subject.
lorien1973 on September 16, 2009 at 4:31 PM
Oh yeah, and I forgot the best part…to link ALL this ACORN corruption into a big gold necklace and hang it on The Won’s shoulders.
ornery_independent on September 16, 2009 at 4:34 PM
You mean the DoJ, that dropped the case against the Black Panthers?
LOL.
lorien1973 on September 16, 2009 at 4:34 PM
I can’t wait til the books get opened.
bloggless on September 16, 2009 at 4:36 PM
lol, yes, I know. I’ve Hope there are some rogue investigators out there.
bridgetown on September 16, 2009 at 4:36 PM
You being irate is not important to anything let alone RICO charges. And please shut up about RICO. You have absolutely no knowledge of what is necessary to file criminal charges against anyone let alone under the RICO statutes.
Blake on September 16, 2009 at 4:36 PM
What happened to that greasy Richard Dawson (Hogans Heroes & Family Feud)looking guy that was ACORNS mouthpiece just yesterday
Jeff from WI on September 16, 2009 at 4:37 PM
…and the CIA agents that have worked to keep Americans safe for the last 8 years?
ornery_independent on September 16, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Well, she is kind of hiding behind the corner, but she does seem rather relaxed…
Count to 10 on September 16, 2009 at 4:38 PM
it’s brilliant promo for his new site™.
sesquipedalian on September 16, 2009 at 4:30 PM
Of course it is. Did you expect him to launch his new site with boring, dull columns containing no news or information? Your obvious partisanship is eating away at your mind.
jwolf on September 16, 2009 at 4:39 PM
But money did change hands. Lots of money, not the least of which is the money (courtesy of the American taxpayer) that went to pay these employees to dispense advice on how to engage in various criminal activities. And, of course, we’re seeing a pattern emerge here, leading us to believe that much of the money the gov’t has seen fit to throw at this organization has been used in a manner more reminiscent of the Mafia than anything else.
Oh, money has changed hands lorien. Promise.
wadikitty on September 16, 2009 at 4:41 PM
He is channeling Sergeant Schultz today.
Geochelone on September 16, 2009 at 4:43 PM
I thought that criticizing Fox News was Media Matters Corporate Mission Statement.
Cindy Munford on September 16, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Oh come on, she did not have to keep flapping her gums.
Terrye on September 16, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Regardless of the comments of our local trolls, the strategy was brilliant. Present a tape, let ACORN’s spokesperson deny it, and then release another, utterly refuting their denial.
I love it.
hachiban on September 16, 2009 at 4:48 PM
I saw someone involve give a list and I am almost sure that Miami and Chicago are in the mix. I am a scatterbrain so don’t put money on this memory.
Cindy Munford on September 16, 2009 at 4:48 PM
After their own “investigation” you can bet anything in writing, or documented will be missing or altered.
These are professional organized crime members with millions of dollars in the rake. The throw away fools in the tapes are just that..throw away fools. The structure of the organization is probably very sophisticated and protected.
Itchee Dryback on September 16, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Aw, is the drip,drip,drip, torturing you. LMAO
ICBM on September 16, 2009 at 4:53 PM
In fear for her life? Let’s look at three facts:
(1) She voluntarily left her office with these people at her own suggestion, and took them off of ACORN premises putting herself alone with them.
(2) She talked at length with them, never trying to wrap it up or get away from them or get them away from her.
(3) She complemented them, flirted with them, and hugged both of them goodbye.
Conclusion: the “I was in fear for my life” excuse is complete BS.
Dollayo on September 16, 2009 at 4:53 PM
That’s also true! And that’s a problem, why?
In addition to disarming Alinsky-like attempts to dismiss the scandal, it builds an audiences. That’s smart.
Daggett on September 16, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Can you imagine the carbon credits that were used to burn all those lights in the offices of ACORN throughout the land, as they tried to figure out a game plan? Not to mention the shredders gong full speed…
This is how guerilla warfare is planned–the revolution has begun, and we have already taken prisioners!
lovingmyUSA on September 16, 2009 at 4:58 PM
I can’t bring myself to watch this woman while she is tweaking…it was bad enough yesterday…
lovingmyUSA on September 16, 2009 at 5:01 PM
It isn’t the lights that are burning the carbon credits my friends. You could probably jump off the roof of any ACORN office in the land into the dumpster in back and land on a fluffy bed of freshly shredded documents. This assumes you don’t land on the inconvenient corpse.
Immolate on September 16, 2009 at 5:03 PM
That video was hard to follow. I think this will damage ACORN beyond repair. There are 15 investigations of ACORN in 15 states, this will only make it that much more difficult for them to stay open.
I heard they suspended operations, exactly what does that mean?
Terrye on September 16, 2009 at 5:04 PM
Heh.
With how they are playing this media blitz, I bet they have enough tape in enough widely dispersed ACORN offices, which are all doing the exact same thing, to demonstrate that what is going on is institutionalized; and that ACORN is simply a huge money laundering scheme that includes banks, politicians, community activists, and unions.
Weight of Glory on September 16, 2009 at 5:04 PM
They have just suspended taking on new clients. Which means they are trying to stop other journalists from doing follow-ups. Step one: stop the bleeding.
Weight of Glory on September 16, 2009 at 5:06 PM
alinsky references are getting tiresome too.
no tears for acorn here, and kudos for these guys for uncovering the disturbing stuff (even if these latest vids are yawners). breitbart, though, is just exploiting your paranoia.
sesquipedalian on September 16, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Panic. Smells good.
Jim Treacher on September 16, 2009 at 5:09 PM
So why is she there?
Jim Treacher on September 16, 2009 at 5:10 PM
If paranoia = “glee”, then I heartily endorse your statement.
Immolate on September 16, 2009 at 5:12 PM
John Podesta of CAP, Andy Stern of the SEIU, and Henry Cisneros, disgraced secretary of HUD, are the ones who will “name an independent auditor and investigator” for ACORN…
ninjapirate on September 16, 2009 at 5:13 PM
What’s “Media Matters”?
Del Dolemonte on September 16, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Thanks for sharing that.
Del Dolemonte on September 16, 2009 at 5:26 PM
The Ronin Edge on September 16, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Hey, don’t hold back, man, tell us what you REALLY think.
(But that was pretty good.) :)
jwolf on September 16, 2009 at 5:26 PM
Great. Now if you can just get Breitbart on tape conniving to set up a child-prostitution ring, you can have your usual tit-for-tat tu quoque cheapness. Good luck with that.
ddrintn on September 16, 2009 at 5:27 PM
George Soros’ stenographers?
Spiny Norman on September 16, 2009 at 5:29 PM
LOL! Sucks to have Alinsky swung back at your side like a wrecking ball, doesn’t it?
Del Dolemonte on September 16, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Paranoia as in “I’ll bet ACORN is a scummy organization”. Without the videos, you’d be saying they are squeaky clean. Breitbart on the two kids are providing vivid proof.
ddrintn on September 16, 2009 at 5:30 PM
*and, not on.
ddrintn on September 16, 2009 at 5:31 PM
love is in the air
sesquipedalian on September 16, 2009 at 5:40 PM
This woman does act odd, and different than the women in NY, DC, and MD… But I don’t think it’s because she’s screwing with O’Keefe and Giles. I think (honestly) that she’s on drugs. Don’t know if she’s a crackhead or what, but there’s clearly something wrong with her. That was clear from the first video.
RightWinged on September 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM
This offensive-minded, corps-chasing running battle is getting incredibly tiresome, Robert E. Lee.
George B. McClellan* on June 29, 1862 at 5:40 PM
*overheard while engaged in the Seven Days Battles in Virginia
ya2daup on September 16, 2009 at 5:44 PM
BigGovernment.com has post on police investigation opened yesterday. Report says they have made contact with her known former husbands and they are alive and well. Se here she is a big liar instructing a young girl how to kill off her abusive pimp.
These are some weird weird people working for Acorn.
FerfeLaBat on September 16, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Tired of Alinsky? *reading up* Tired, you say? Not until the left has eaten every last page of Rules for Radicals. Hopefully it burns as it exits the other end.
FerfeLaBat on September 16, 2009 at 5:57 PM
++100
lovingmyUSA on September 16, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Nice Point! Each hit builds on itself. Each maneuver by ACORN is smashed by the next tape. People recall watching ACORN break into houses and they tie it all together.
The Trolls will not be pleased.
GunRunner on September 16, 2009 at 6:05 PM
It’s been an impressive campaign.
Cindy Munford on September 16, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Which is it?
“Whichever one gets you to leave us alone!” – ACORN
catmman on September 16, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Expose wind-fall profits! unfair and unjust! Time to tax the ever loving s@#* out of big-biggovernment! OR is that big-breitbart? Man this gets confusing. No wonder leftists need talking points, incoherent demagoguing is really hard to make palatable and sell.
daesleeper on September 16, 2009 at 6:12 PM
Media Matters…hmmm
Media Matters’ founder and CEO is David Brock,Standing behind Brock was John Podesta
and this from your link…
I mean I could be totally wrong here.
canditaylor68 on September 16, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Thought I was the only one who noticed that. I’m guessing meth. Maybe these folks need to expand their investigation into seeing how ACORN feels about drug dealing. I suspect it would be a goldmine of information.
An organization that should be investigated by the IRS for violating the tax code.
xblade on September 16, 2009 at 6:28 PM
OK, I gotta ask: what does ‘tweaking’ mean in this context?
Dirty Creature on September 16, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Never mind; I got it now. Who can keep up with all these drug references?
Dirty Creature on September 16, 2009 at 6:47 PM
This tallent is genuine journalism. Covering what Michell obama is wearing and never mentioning her back side is all MMSM can deal with. If Charles Gibson reads the NYT and the NYT watches gibson, how do we expect stories to break into that closed loop???
seven on September 16, 2009 at 8:13 PM
At 4:25 she talks about “OVERHEAD.” I think she does not know exactly what she is talking about but she definitely knows more than Obama
Joe Caps on September 16, 2009 at 8:13 PM
Obama to Acorn: We’re Goin’ to be Callin’ on You to Help Shape the Agenda
http://foxyurl.com/uYa
jjrakman on September 16, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Is that today’s “official” excuse?
That Acorn, with access to $8 billion dollars and has already been paid $53 million, hires crackpot’s to disseminate that money?
And you think this should lower the publics believe that Acorn is a huge waste of money?
DSchoen on September 17, 2009 at 4:15 AM
And where are the police reports that show Acorn had kicked these 2 to the curb and called the cops?
Where are the police reports for ALL the Acorn offices that Bertha claims called the cops on these 2?
DSchoen on September 17, 2009 at 4:23 AM
Come on! Be open minded she could
be doing the “pee pee dance”
DSchoen on September 17, 2009 at 4:34 AM
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