Correction Request: Politico

Update: Politico corrected this piece and issued the following statement:

CORRECTION: This story was altered to reflect that O’Keefe and Basel are on pre-trial release, not probation or parole, as was stated in an earlier version.

We thank them for their diligence.

**

In Kenneth P. Vogel’s piece “James O’Keefe says next video ‘ready to go,’” published by Politico on February 18th, there are a number of factual errors that ought to be corrected. The problematic sentences are identified in block quotes with explanations of the errors beneath each quote:

O’Keefe – who had to get permission from his parole office to attend CPAC – told POLITICO he wasn’t sure if the terms of his probation would allow him to remain in Washington to accept the award or would require him to return to his parents’ home in New Jersey.

There are multiple problems in this sentence. First, Mr. O’Keefe did not need “permission from his parole office to attend CPAC,” as he has never been paroled. We’re not sure Mr. Vogel meant “parole office” or “parole officer” (the latter makes more sense since O’Keefe does not own or operate a New Jersey parole office), but the claim is factually inaccurate either way. The lead entry for the word “parole” at dictionary.com is, “the conditional release of a person from prison prior to the end of the maximum sentence imposed.” In other words, in order to be paroled, one must first be convicted and sentenced. Mr. O’Keefe, of course, is still pending trial. In a statement to BigJournalism.com, Mr. O’Keefe said he was granted permission to attend CPAC from a “pretrial services officer” from the New Jersey Pre-Trial Services Agency. The role of the officer assigned to him is to “investigate defendants who are charged with federal crimes and awaiting a court hearing.” The operative word being “charged.” Politico’s characterization of Mr. O’Keefe implies a conviction.

Second, Mr. O’Keefe is not on probation. According to the New Jersey Pre-Trial Services Agency, probation denotes “offenders who are convicted of crimes and awaiting sentencing.” Again, the Politico article contains language to imply Mr. O’Keefe has been convicted before he has even stood trial.

O’Keefe flashed his parole papers from the federal district court hearing his case – as did Joe Basel, 24, one of the three other activists arrested with him in New Orleans – as conference-goers walked by gawking and offering encouragement.

Neither Mr. O’Keefe nor Mr. Basel flashed parole papers, since, again, neither have been convicted, let alone paroled. In a statement released to BigJournalism.com, O’Keefe explained the papers he carries with him represent a Pre-Trial Services “signature bond.”

Whether intentional or unintentional, Mr. Vogel uses vocabulary throughout this article that implies that James O’Keefe and Joe Basel have been convicted of crimes relating to the January incident at Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu’s office. We consider these errors published by Politico particularly irresponsible considering the two men may be brought to trial for the legal matter discussed in this article.

We kindly request the issuance of formal corrections to all.