Pot/Kettle Alert: James O’Keefe Operative Was Accused Of Plying Source With Booze
Tommy Christopher
to “James E. O’Keefe III”
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 2:40 PM
subject Re: Interview
Thanks again for the interview. After we spoke, someone emailed me this piece, and I don’t think it would be fair not to give you a chance to respond. You criticized Sam for going drinking with sources, but your operative actually bought drinks for this teacher, and taped what she thought was a private conversation. Are you sorry that happened?
from James E. O’Keefe III
to Tommy Christopher
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 2:51 PM
Click on the video in the article, watch the video at 2:08 – 2:13 the teacher says she “had a glass of wine – my OWN purchase.”
I’ve asked Star-Ledger to print a correction when they said I bought her drinks, and they never did.
I actually use Bob Braun’s refusal to print a correction when the teacher is on tape, as evidence of media bias during my speeches.
from Tommy Christopher
to “James E. O’Keefe III”
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 2:54 PM
So, you were the one she spoke to? And you’re saying you didn’t buy her any drinks?
from James E. O’Keefe III
to Tommy Christopher
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 2:55 PM
She said she bought her own drink at 2:08-2:13. (in the video-TC)
She spoke to one of our citizen journalists.
from Tommy Christopher
to “James E. O’Keefe III”
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:01 PM
I watched the video, what she says doesn’t contradict her statement in the article at all. She says she bought herself a glass of wine before your operative ever approached her, then that she spent three hours with him. Are you denying that your operative bought her drinks? Does your citizen journalist deny this?
from James E. O’Keefe III
to Tommy Christopher
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Yes I’m denying we bought her any drinks. Bob Braun just made it up. I asked Bob Braun of the Star-Ledger to print a correction. He needed the anonymous citizen journalist to come forward in order for that to happen. But the citizen journalist wanted to remain anonymous.
Apparently you’ve just discovered yet another tactic journalists use: Just make stuff up about O’Keefe and the burden falls on O’Keefe to prove them wrong.
That’s not the standard you hold me to. I’m required to catch them on tape. Bob Braun had NO evidence that we bought anyone any drinks. He thought he could get away with it by slipping it in there.
from Tommy Christopher
to “James E. O’Keefe III”
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:15 PM
I’m happy to print your responses, but from his article, it doesn’t appear that he “made it up,” but that Ploshnik told him that. You can’t expect any journalist to remove something that a named source said based on the word of an unnamed source’s second-hand denial. That’s not a reasonable request to make. I’ll print your statement, but also with this context.
from James E. O’Keefe III
to Tommy Christopher
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:20 PM
If you dig a little deeper you’ll see that Ploshnick had said earlier in the story that she was taken out of context and was not talking about tenture. THEN she admitted in this video interview she was not taken out of context with Bob Braun, and was in fact bragging about tenure. She completely changed everything about her story.
from Tommy Christopher
to “James E. O’Keefe III”
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:25 PM
Not sure what that has to do with the drinking. Braun has a named source claiming he bought her drinks. You have anonymous hearsay to refute that, and you expect a correction on that basis? That’s an unreasonable expectation, and a false basis on which to claim Braun “made it up.”
from James E. O’Keefe III
to Tommy Christopher
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:29 PM
It has to do with the drinking because it impeaches her credibility. (If it’s true, that she told Braun someone bought her a drink (which we don’t know).
I’m inclined to think Braun just made it up. A lot of people make assumptions in their reporting, particularly an editorial like this.
from Tommy Christopher
to “James E. O’Keefe III”
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:37 PM
I didn’t mean to get this deep into this question, but this is why people have a problem with you, James. You began this email chain by telling me that the video in that story proves your guy didn’t buy her drinks, when it clearly did not prove that. I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt by asking you about it, and you lie right to my face. Now, you’re saying Braun probably made it up, or Ploshnick was probably lying? Whether I believe them or not, I know you just tried to lie to me.
from James E. O’Keefe III
to Tommy Christopher
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:51 PM
Why don’t you ask Bob Braun where he got his source from, then?
I know for a fact nobody on my team bought her any drinks.
I have not lied to you once. I acted in good faith here, forwarding a Star-Ledger email to you and explaining what I believe happened, knowing we didn’t purchase anyone drinks.
from Tommy Christopher
to “James E. O’Keefe III”
date Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 4:12 PM
It’s self-evident that she told him that, but I emailed him anyway. Look, I don’t wanna argue with you. You responded to the drinking accusation with this:
Click on the video in the article, watch the video at 2:08 – 2:13 the teacher says she “had a glass of wine – my OWN purchase.”
I’ve asked Star-Ledger to print a correction when they said I bought her drinks, and they never did.
I actually use Bob Braun’s refusal to print a correction when the teacher is on tape, as evidence of media bias during my speeches.
The video does not contradict her at all. That’s lying, James. If you had opened with, “My guy says he didn’t, and I believe him, and here’s why…” that would’ve been the truth.
NEXT: The Newark Star Ledger Responds To James O’Keefe, And To Mediaite
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
