James O'Keefe Arrested: ACORN Buster O'Keefe

James O'Keefe, one-half of the famous prostitute and pimp duo, who exposed ACORN for fraud and illegal services at numerous ACORN offices around the country last summer, has been arrested for allegedly, "maliciously" interfering with the telephones in Senator Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office.

O'Keefe was arrested along with Robert Flanagan, the son of acting U.S. Attorney Bill Flanagan, Joseph Basel, and Stan Dai, each 24-years-old.

You'll remember that Andrew Breitbart and BigGovernment broke the ACORN story. Breitbart issued the following statement today:

“We have no knowledge about or connection to any alleged acts and events involving James O’Keefe at Senator Mary Landrieu’s office.  We only just learned about the alleged incident this afternoon.  We have no information other than what has been reported publicly by the press.  Accordingly, we simply are not in a position to make any further comment.”

An FBI arrest affidavit says the men, on or about January 25th:

...entered and attempted to gain entrance to the office and telephone system of the United Sates Senator Mary Landrieu, located in the Hale Boggs federal Building, Room 1005, 500 Poydras Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130.

Dai is said to have "aided and abetted" Flanagan and Basel in the execution of the plan." A witness said James O'Keefe was already in the Senator's office when Flanagan and Basel showed up, and told Witness 1 "he was waiting for someone to arrive."

According to Witness 1, Flanagan and Basel said they were there to "fix problems with the telephone system," and she believed O'Keefe was taping the conversation with his cell phone.

Flanagan and Basel allegedly asked for entry to the main phone system. They told a second witness they needed to access the main phone system. Witness 2asked for credentials, which they said they left in their vehicle. The affidavit states that neither of the men are employed by the telephone company.

O'Keefe and Dai have also admitted to federal agents that they worked with Flanagan and Basel in the planning, coordination, and preparation of the operation." O'Keefe admitted to recording some of the conversation.

The affidavit states there is "probable cause" to believe there was "false and fraudulent pretense" to enter the Landrieu's office, and "maliciously interfering with a telephone system operated and controlled by the US of America," a violation of Title 18, US Code, Sections 1036, 1362 and 2." View the arrest affidavit pdf here..

Mary Matalin Out of the Closet: Matalin Calls Republican Friends Attila the Huns

Republican strategist Mary Matalin is a co-host at a fund-raiser in Washington, D.C. for Democrat New Orleans mayoral candidate, Mitch Landrieu. Mary Matalin is officially "out" as a closet Democrat. My husband is laughing himself silly - chanting "I told you so."

Matalin says none of her "Attila the Hun" fellow Republicans will attend. Really Mary!

Matalin says her support for Democrat mayor in her residence city of New Orleans has nothing to do with "party," and everything to do with "common sense" and "leadership." She says Mitch Landrieu has it.

Hmmmmm. Maybe there's more to it than that. And so it goes in Shreveport thinks that is the case. Could it be...that Senate Dems promised Ms. Landrieu more than the $300 million buyoff for her vote on healthcare? Did they promise national support for brother Mitch? Was Matalin's husband, Democrat operative, James Carville, convinced to ask Matalin to "pretty please," do this for me - A Republican cannot win, come on Mary, dear." Or was money promised for a New Orleans project near-and-dear to Matalin's heart? Who knows, but really, something doesn't smell right with this endorsement.

The Greater New Orleans Republicans (GNOR) were endorsing Democrat Ed Murray, but - oops! he dropped out in early January. GNOR is infamous for endorsing current Democrat Mayor Ray Nagin, the failed Mayor who didn't scramble his buses to get New Orleanians out of the inner city during Katrina:

The GNOR also overlooked one of the founders of their own organization, businessman John Georges. Back in 1986, Georges, along with fellow Republican Allen Churchill, launched the Greater New Orleans Republicans. For many years, Georges was a staunch Republican, who financially supported a variety of GOP candidates. However, he switched his party affiliation to Independent to run for Governor in 2007 and is now a Democrat in this race.

There is a Republican in the race. Rob Couhig isn't getting the endorsement of anyone, apparently. He is a longtime Republican, twice candidate for the U.S. House, and he ran for Mayor in the 2006 elections as well, which he lost to Nagin. Couhig is a lawyer and radio talk show host.

Update: 3:30 p.m. CST: A reader left some important information about Rob Couhig and the support he has received in the heavily Democrat city. This from a New Orleanian, and he/she makes a excellent point about Murray no longer being a contender:

I know you would want your post to be as factual as possible.  In that vein I want to correct a point you make.  You mention that "Rob Couhig isn't getting the endorsement of anyone, apparently" .  That is simply not true.  Rob Couhig has been endorsed by the official Republican party of New Orleans (see http://lagop.com/2009/12/la-gop-congratulates-republican-candidates-endorsed-by-orleans-parish-republican-executive-committee/) and the chairman of the state party is actively working to elect Rob Couhig. As well as by the Louisiana chapter of CRIMEFIGHTERS, a group of 11,500 retired police officers and victims who band together to improve the criminal justice system. The group you reference is a small group originally formed some years ago by John Georges as you point out that has their own political ambitions in mind and endorsed Murray as they said because they felt he had the best chance of beating Mitch Landrieu.  Well since Murray is no longer in the race I suppose they were wrong.  Rob Couhig is the only Conservative voice in this election. 

The Washington, D.C. fundraiser isn't Matalin's only outing. She is hosting a "Women for Landrieu" coffee this Tuesday - and she says she "doesn't see this as such a big deal."

I'm the first to admit I do not understand Louisiana politics, and least of all those of the city of New Orleans. The consensus is, a Republican simply cannot win - but we know they sure cannot win without the support of the local conservatives (assuming there are some). If Republican candidates are always given-up on, how does the message ever get out? When the GOP has no message except the support of Democrats...well, how does the message ever get out, and when can we expect a Republican to have a fighting chance? Who knows, a few good conservative ads might begin to breed conservatism within the city. So it takes years...I think it is worth doing.

Matalin, a former assistant to President G.W. Bush, and counselor to Veep Cheney, should keep quiet and just pull the lever for Landrieu in the privacy of the voting booth. Yes, it is her right to stump for whomever she wants, but her endorsement is not a smart move. Let hubby, leftist extraordinaire, James Carville, get down in the gutter and do the co-hosting.

Olympia Snowe Mary Landrieu: Obama schools Snowe: Landrieus $300 million bribe

Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), is still receiving schooling at the knees of Barack Obama. As recently as this past week, Snowe was chatting-it-up with Obama while he was in Asia.

Olympia Snowe

He restated his intention of working with me on this issue," Snowe told a group of reporters. She said that there "there are still fundamental issues that still need to be confronted" before she would considering voting for the bill during later votes.

 RINO Snow supposedly opposes the public option in the Reid proposed legislation, but says she would support a trigger-induced-public option,' should a state cave, and refuse to provide what Obama demands.

Needless to say, Snowe is okay with the penalty tax that will be levied against such a state, and obviously okay with the penalty an individual or business will be assessed if they choose not to have health care.

The centrist Republican said that attracting bipartisan support for the bill would be critical for a "historic endeavor" such as healthcare reform, saying it would be the "first time in half a century" that a piece of major legislation passed without bipartisan support. 

Snowe did not define how many Republican senators would be needed to call the bill bipartisan, but said "I hope it is more than just me." She also called on the president to attract more Republicans to vote for the bill.

 Who gets the next $300 million bribe?

Mary Landrieu

And so it came to pass that Landrieu walked onto the Senate floor midafternoon Saturday to announce her aye vote -- and to trumpet the financial "fix" she had arranged for Louisiana. "I am not going to be defensive," she declared. "And it's not a $100 million fix. It's a $300 million fix." 

Via The Hill via Michelle Malkin.