Posted on 09/23/2009 2:35:47 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
ACORN filed suit today in Maryland against conservative filmmakers James OKeefe, Hannah Giles and conservative Web site Breitbart.com for secretly taping the organizations employees at its Baltimore office.
In the complaint, ACORN alleges that the filmmakers entered into the organizations 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.
But it’s the employees who are named as the plaintiffs - not ACORN. I hope O’Keefe and Giles know what they’re doing.
They're democrats, so they are stupid. Besides, they expect the courts to be in their pocket (probably correct on that one), and they expect winning to be enough to save their reputation (definitely wrong after their support for child molestation). I'm willing to bet that the filmmakers and their backers have thought this through far more than the ACORN thugs have, and this will be quite a show. Thank you, ACORN, for your contribution to undermining confidence in government and thus for slowing down the spread of socialism into our economy.
It depends if they can get an O.J. jury.
I had a feeling that's what you meant. But, it's surprising how many people actually think that they can be forced (or force someone else) to criminally incriminate themselves, in a civil suit deposition.
This suit may just revolve around a MD law prohibiting secret recordings. If that’s all that’s involved, there may not be a way to get discovery about ACORN operations b/c it would be irrelevant. The suits could probably be defended though on the basis that there was no reasonable expectation of privacy.
Makes one realize just how important it is to have the right person picking judges. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if ACORN wins. And I blame republicans for being cowards and not shutting them down years ago. Of course we KNOW what the dems did!
They are more dumb that I thought, now the filmmakers will have a field day with discovery.
Sue and be damned (not that they aren’t already).
One of the first questions posed in their answer should be to disclose all records that were destroyed in the last ninety days.
Then ask in all depositions about destroying records.
Chance...snowball...Hell...yada, yada, yada
The story said that ACORN filed the suit on behalf of their employees. As an unlicensed entity ACORN cannot file a suit on their own behalf or on behalf of their employees. The employees can't be "named" as plaintiffs in a derivative lawsuit filed by ACORN, these people would need to file their own independent lawsuit.
If they do, then we will need to start up a defense fund for Giles and O'Keefe.
That's what worries me about it.
BTW, are you a lawyer or are you just speculating?
ROFLMAO!
Maryland has not allowed or dismissed the suit. The article says it was filed.
Im thinking discovery will be interesting....
Any material that's relevant to their case, which can actually be quite encompassing given the competency (or incompetency) of plaintiff and defense counsel, respectively.
But (there's always a butt), I don't believe that discovery for the defense would be the treasure trove of information I'm sure many would hope for. For defense counsel, most of their case would probably center on refuting any attempt by plaintiffs to demonstrate defendant's cognizance of the relevant Maryland Wiretapping statute. For that reason, I would guess that the defense would be very limited in scope - by design of defense counsel alone.
Having said that, I would like to read the actual complaint to see exactly what they (ACORN) are pleading. Depending what they're arguing, could expose themselves to more intrusive discovery motions by the defense.
lol, yeah, but we need to egg them on somehow. :-) Obama and the other roaches are running for cover on this. It gives some HOPE that the socialist can be delayed.... I prefer crushed, but like roaches, you get rid of one and there are millions more.
OK is ACORN suing or just the two fired employees suing?
Second, any news on how James & Hannah are set for legal representation? Is there a defense fund set up or needed?
I agree, if ACORN is suing, then Discovery should be very interesting, but in an attempt to play devil’s advocate, in discovery can the lawyers go right after their ledger books or will the judge limit Discovery?
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