ACORN files suit against filmmakers

politico.com ^ | Sept. 23, 2009 | JAKE SHERMAN

[Free ThinkerNY]

ACORN filed suit today in Maryland against conservative filmmakers James O’Keefe, Hannah Giles and conservative Web site Breitbart.com for secretly taping the organization’s employees at its Baltimore office.

In the complaint, ACORN alleges that the filmmakers entered into the organization’s offices in July with a “hidden camera and microphone” and taped employees Tonja Thompson and Shera Williams. Both employees are listed as plaintiffs on the complaint, filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.

ACORN is seeking $500,000 for each employee and $1 million for the organization in damages.

[airborne]

Too late! It’s already on YouTube! 8^)

Bunch of liberal hypocrite jaskasses!

[Candor7]

Sure they can claim it, but we must understand that the Dems have been loading the benches with lefties for years.

An you can bet that AG Holder will be interested in the DOJ joining the case. They want ACORN to get that 8.6 billion.

Watch the bullies pile on.This will get very interesting.

[jmcenanly]

If Michael Moore and Sacha Baron Cohen are allowed to do this sort of thing, why can’t these people? Or is it their choice of targets?

[Defiant]

Remove it to Federal court, quick, then move to send it to a jurisdiction where the Defendants are from, then file 1st Amendment and RICO charges.

[OldDeckHand]

"If Michael Moore and Sacha Baron Cohen are allowed to do this sort of thing, why can’t these people?"

Two reasons: Maryland is one of the only states in the union that has such a law against the interception and recording of in-person conversations, without two-party consent. Second, although I'm not sure about Moore's "documentaries", Cohen secures release statements from everyone he films. Which is why all the suits that were filed against him for Borat (I believe there were dozens and dozens), were all dismissed with prejudice. In other words, Borat was deceptive about why he was recording his targets, but he wasn't deceptive that he was recording his targets.

[jerri]

How predictable. Instead of fixing the problem they sue the people that uncovered the problem

[444Flyer]

ACORN needs to be 'squashed' under RICO.

[Glenn]

typically corporations that are not in good standing can't use the courts until they get up to date with their filings

Really?

I never knew that.

[steve0]

HEADLINE SHOULD be:
ACORN’S Lawyer sues Persecutors, NO not that one, The non-Obama one filed.

[DvdMom]

Where can I donate to the defense fund !

[Man50D]

Whose money are they spending for this lawsuit?

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

I wonder if this is just a move to get a court order to cease and desist (not sure if that is right term) releasing new tapes.

[CaptRon]

Nothing will be learned in discovery that will damage ACORN. What you’re hoping for has nothing to do with the issue of the filmakers violating the Marylyand statute on recording without the permission of those being recorded.

[Vince Ferrer]

for secretly taping the organization’s employees at its Baltimore office.

But not for slander.

[CaptRon]

You cannot go on a fishing trip. The questions must be relevant to the issue at hand. So, you may, in fact, refuse to answer questions. You are not obliged to answer irrelevant questions.

[trooprally]

bookmark

[maggief]

The ACORN legal team will include Andy Freeman of the Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein and Levy ; A. Dwight Pettit; Arthur Schwartz, from Schwartz, Lichten & Bright, PC in New York; and C. Justin Brown from Baltimore.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/09/23/acorn_sues_okeefe_giles_and_br.html

[Glenn]

It’s a shame Barry isn’t still their lawyer.

[GonzoGOP]

Time to release more tapes. That may be what this is all about. They can get an always friendly liberal judge to place an injunction on them releasing any more tapes. In any other state I would say that was a stretch. But around MD there may be an issue.

[Uncle Miltie]

We need a major funding organization to concentrate the resources of the right, and burn discovery right back through George Soros to The White House.