The new ACORN video released today clearly disputes most of the claims made by Ms. Katherine Conway Russell in her September video that eerily resembles a hostage message. Russell is the ACORN employee featured in O’Keefe’s video. The footage clearly disputes claims that they were not dressed in any strange way, that they never mentioned prostitution, etc. In the latest attack/defence from ACORN apologist and George Soros-funded Media Matters, none of these points are addressed in any way whatsoever. They seem to simply fall back on the fact that the Philadelphia ACORN office had filed a police report and that the mere existence of that report proves all of their other claims:
“O’Keefe did not dispute the authenticity of the police report ACORN filed with Philadelphia police following their visit. The filing of the police report by ACORN — Russell can be seen holding a copy of it in O’Keefe’s video — indicates the Philadelphia ACORN office had no intention of helping O’Keefe and Giles conduct any illegal activities, and ACORN said the police report “proves our clear understanding of this scam that was being portrayed.
So, about that police report…
1. The video clearly shows Giles mentioning prostitution, wouldn’t this have been something to mention to the police if you go to the trouble of filing a report?
2. The copy of the police report also makes no mention of the under-age girls from El Salvador that Ms. Russell herself admits were a subject of discussion with Giles and O’Keefe. Again, wouldn’t it make logical sense to mention this point to the police as well?
3. The name of the “Complainant” on the police report is “Keith Crosby” not Katherine Conway Russell. If Ms. Russell was the person who witnessed the “Verbal Disturbance” then why didn’t she file the complaint? Russell was so busy that day at ACORN that she delegated the duty of relaying this “Verbal Disturbance” to Mr. Crosby?
4. In the police report, under the heading of “Offender Information” only O’Keefe’s name is listed, not even mention of a second party whose name was unavailable. Only O’Keefe. But, in Russell’s video message, she continues to refer to “them” and details Giles’ contributions to the conversation.
5. According to the Media Matters web site’s description of the police report:
Fox News cites Philadelphia police report posted by Media Matters. In his October 21 report on the press conference and video released by O’Keefe and Breitbart, Shawn stated that Media Matters for America, “a group that has been very critical of coverage of ACORN, released this police report. It’s from the Philadelphia Police Department. It shows, they say … basically James O’Keefe was in that office causing a ‘verbal disturbance.’ “
Look again… that is not what the report says… it can’t possibly say that because this is not a first hand account from the police. This is merely a recording of the claims made by Mr. Keith Crosby who, himself was not a witness to the encounter, Ms. Russell was.
All the incident report can claim is: “Mr. Crosby says that Ms. Russell says that Mr. O’Keefe caused a verbal disturbance.” That is a far cry from Media Matters’ position.
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