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.

[jedi150]

Future episode of the Jerry Springer Show in the works?????

[mockingbyrd]

Oh no they didn’t!

[OldDeckHand]

"What about interstate commerces. Does this trump state laws? "

In what respect?

[poinq]

I got to believe that this is either freedom of speech (a la Michael Moore or sixty minutes) or freedom of the press. Where Youtube is a common mans source for news.

[Red in Blue PA]

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Bring on Discovery!

[Rodney Dangerfield]

Where do I donate to the defense fund for these two kids?

[polymuser]

DISCOVERY DISCOVERY DISCOVERY

SHRED SHRED SHRED

[Jedidah]

It’s apparently not a state action but a civil lawsuit filed by ACORN, not any law enforcement authority.

The suit may be frivolous and without merit, but Maryland can’t keep its citizens from civil action. The courts will decide. Place the blame where it belongs, and, in this case, it’s not the state.

The question is whether these kids have somebody to pay their legal bills. If not, time for patriots to step up . . .

[VOA]

DISCOVERY DISCOVERY DISCOVERY

Please allow me to amplify...although I suspect that ACORN is at
this very moment running some of those LARGE truck mounted shredder
units at hyper-speed at all the ACORN facilities around the USA...
to make the shredding operations at a number of corrupt operations
glow green with envy...

DISCOVERY!!! DISCOVERY!!!! DISCOVERY!!!!!

If there is anything faintly approximating "discovery" in the
ACORN case...it's gonna' review ACORN practices so corrupt and
repulsive even to "pragmatists"...ACORN will FIGURATIVELY
burned to the ground. In the eyes of the general American public.

[MamaDearest]

I am a cynic: Wonder if the courts are too stacked for justice to be done?

ACORN = Obama. He (and Soros) will make this a legal battle deluxe. They protect their own. Noted no AUDIT of ACORN, just an "investigation" by individuals who also connect to Obama via ACORN roots.

[Dan(9698)]

I should have said, the attorney asking the question may argue and state what the answer would be, and the opposing attorney may not refute it.

The Jury can then draw what inferences and conclusions they want. They may also give it what weight they want.

[TribalPrincess2U]

EXACTLY!

O will take care of his own.

[Candor7]

Acorn will now demonstrate how they dislike 1st amendment speech rights.

But the MSM will not cover it, IMHO.

[Guenevere]

Pray for these young people....we live in dangerous times.

[Candor7]

Damages claimed by Acorn?

8.6 billion dollars.

Buahahahahahahaha!

[P-Marlowe]

If they were illegally operating in Maryland, then they would have no standing in Maryland (as a fictitious entity) to bring a lawsuit.

They may know that and they may know that their lawsuit is going to get tossed out on a demur, but they are filing it in order to get the publicity that they are "mad as hell" and they're not going to take it any more.

If the suit gets tossed because ACORN has no standing to sue, then Giles and O'Keefe would not be able to engage in discovery. ACORN could claim that their lawsuit had merit, but that it was thrown out on a "technicality" thus saving face.

[CrosscutSaw]

I’ve asked this in other threads but never got a good answer so I’ll ask again:

I thought in discovery the defense is only allowed to subpeona materials that could lead to evidence in their defense.

They are being sued for illegally audio recording the plaintiffs without their knowledge or consent. That’s all they are being charged with—not slander, false accusation, etc. So what would be allowed to be subpeonaed in discovery? How would ACORN’s records of misdeeds lead to evidence that they did not record them without their consent?

I hope I’m wrong, but it seems to me that none of ACORN’s crimes will ever be revealed in the discovery phase of this trial. And I don’t see how the reporters can prove that they didn’t record audio without the employees’ knowledge.

Any lawyers out there, or anyoneone who truly has knowledge and/or experience with the law please answer.

[Lazamataz]

Discovery's gonna be a bitch.

[txroadkill]

I will volunteer to help write Interrogatories!
What an incredible development. I keep thinking “these people aren't stupid” and they seem to be going out of their way to prove me wrong. We maybe looking at the beginning of the end for this administration.

[SiVisPacemParaBellum]

Not only is discovery going to be a real hoot, the fact that they included the crooked taped workers in the complaint is an indication of their tacit approval of their illegal acts.