Activist to pay $100K in secret ACORN taping
WATCHDOG
Activist to pay $100K in secret ACORN taping
Activist James O'Keefe has agreed to pay $100,000 and express regrets to a former National City ACORN worker who was secretly videotaped in a conservative sting operation in 2009.
The worker, Juan Carlos Vera, sued O'Keefe and cohort Hannah Giles for their visit to the ACORN office pretending to be a pimp and prostitute. The liberal nonprofit group, now defunct, aimed to help low-income workers but also got into occasional trouble with issues such as voter registration.
The video became a national sensation, purporting to show the ACORN worker discussing with the couple the use of federal housing money to set up a prostitution ring.
The video was posted on the Internet and used as an example of government waste. ACORN later disbanded as a result of negative publicity, and Vera lost his job.
An attorney general's report found that the video was selectively edited. For instance, video showing O'Keefe and Giles dressed as a pimp and hooker was later edited into the video, when they were not dressed that way when speaking to Vera.
The lawsuit centered on a prohibition against videotaping without the consent of those shown.
An eight-page settlement agreement was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court. San Diego attorney Eugene Iredale, who represented Vera, declined to discuss the settlement Thursday, saying he was planning a news conference for this morning.
According to the agreement, O'Keefe has agreed to pay $100,000 to Vera and issue a statement indicating he "regrets any pain suffered by Mr. Vera or his family."
O'Keefe also acknowledges that at the time the video was publicized, he was unaware of Vera's claims that he contacted the authorities after the unusual visit by the couple.
Giles settled the claim filed against her last summer.
JEFF MCDONALD • U-T
ACORN sting activist to pay $100K
