I don't think it's possible to encompass a persons entire life in a single post or diary. I don't think it's possible to fully describe and accurately document every aspect of who they are or who they were. Everyone has highs and lows. Some people might consider their high to be what others consider their low.
I had one sustained interaction with Andrew Breitbart before his passing today. It was on Twitter. Months later I documented that interaction before all the tweets scrolled off into the ether. Here I present my previous post on my TweetWar with Brietbart during which we discussed nearly every major controversy he was attached too, or involved in up until that time from Shirley Sherrod to Acorn. This doesn't show everything, but it shows a considerable portion of who he was and how he thought about these subjects. I'm changing nothing, not even the typos, people can judge for themselves whether I was being a jerk and he was a Hero standing up for Conservatives Values and True Journalism, or vice versa, or neither.
This is what happened. This will always be how I remember him. This will be the last time I discuss this man in public.
Originally Posted May 21, 2011
As some of you may or may not know, Andrew Brietbart isn't just a officious prick in real life - he's a dick on twitter too. And seeing as some of his tweet have now become part of the lawsuit against him by Shirley Sherrod I thought it was time to share something that accord last December.
I got into a Tweet War with Breitbart. It covered a variety of subjects from the Pigford Suit, to ACORN to Shirley Sherrod and the NAACP and was a Hoot.
Details over the flip.
I'm posting my tweets for copyright purposes, but many of them quote what he said that I'm responding to so it's possible to follow the conversation.
it started as he tried to attack Media Matters for a alleged "Lack of Response" to a bunch of claims on BigGovt that the Pigford Settlement was bogus or fraudulent or something. Except that Media Matters did respond and I told him so.
We begin with our action already in progress...
Vyan1 Not Silent Dumbass http://mediamatters.org/... @AndrewBreitbart @ericboehlert Taking your silence as tacit endorsement.
Vyan1 Have you ever been right? Not Now http://mediamatters.org/... @AndrewBreitbart Taking your silence as tacit endorsement. .
Vyan1 Just Like Acorn & Sherrod Lies - @biggovt Pigford Report is a SelfServing Sham http://mediamatters.org/... @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Sure, Right after you admit @mmfa DID respond to your Piford Report @AndrewBreitbart Explain to me point by point ACORN or Sherrod 'Lies'.
After I pointed out that Media Matters had indeed responded to his report on the Pigford Settlement which people like Rep Steve King had said
were Reperatations
Breitbart demanded that I explain how and where he had lied about ACORN and Shirley Sherrod.So I started first by pointing out that the California Attorney General and Brooklyn District Attorney had both found "no wrongdoing" by ACORN employees on the O'Keefe tapes.
Vyan1 According to CA AG & Brooklyn DA ACORN Employees on Tape Didn't Break Law, O'Keefe Did w/Illegal Wiretaps @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 California Attorney General Report on ACORN is Here http://ag.ca.gov/... @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 No, being a Liar, try to keep it straight Felon Convict O'Keefe is Wrongdoer @AndrewBreitbart You've accused me of wrongdoing #p2 #tcot
Breitbart Please Argue facts, not personalities - No Laws Broken on Tape @AndrewBreitbart What does Jerry Brown's politicized report have to do w me
As you can see Breitbart tried to shift subjects and claimed that I'd accused
him of breaking the law, which I didn't, I said he was a Liar - which in a way, proved my point right there.
Vyan1 On Sept 21, 2009 - you called ACORN "a corrupt and criminal political racket" - But No Crimes on Tape @AndrewBreitbart #tcot #p2
Breitbart That was (to) keep her "Pimp" from Stealing it, not avoid Law @AndrewBreitbart Brooklyn: 'Bury [illegal prostitution money] in can in backyard'!
Vyan1 On Dec 7, 2009 "BigGovernment.com continues to expose ACORN's illegal activity" What Crimes Exactly? No Charges Pressed @AndrewBreitbart
Breitbart Criminals they were "Aiding" were James and Hannah, but they were really Lairs weren't they? @AndrewBreitbart Prostitution is illegal.
Vyan1 "Burying the can" was about preventing crime of theft, not aiding prostitution - Liar @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 And I'm still waiting for you to admit @mmfa DID respond to your bogus Pigford Report - You First @AndrewBreitbart Waiting
Vyan1 An Independent Investigator also found no Crimes by ACORN http://www.startribune.com/... @AndrewBreitbart #liar #p2 #tcot
By this time I've presented links to the AG Report, which Breitbart has dismissed as "politicized" and an independent investigator - yet he hasn't produced
anything<<em>i to back up his claim that anyone at ACORN broke the law other than to say "Prostitution is Illegal". Was anybody at working for ACORN a prostitutue? No! Hannah Giles was pretending to be a prostitute and ultimately at least two ACORN Offices called the police on them.
In this video ACORN Employe Kaherine Russell explains how she (politiely) kicked O'Keefe and Giles out of there offices and called the police on them. She even displays her copy of the police report on camera.
Vyan1 You On Fox "There's no place, as ACORN tried to state, that kicked them out"=Lie http://www.youtube.com/... @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 In San Diego & Philadelphia ACORN Called COPS on O'Keefe Here's Report http://tinyurl.com/... @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Wrong, Katherine Russell did http://www.youtube.com/... just politely @AndrewBreitbart Not one office kicked H&J out!!!
Breitbart That's actually Funny coming from you @AndrewBreitbart It'd be like Karl Rove & Dick Cheney hiring investigator to look into Plame case
I have to admit that was funny. Except that in many ways it actually was Rove and Cheney's
own investigator looking into the Plame Case, it was Republican Appointed U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.
Vyan1 Were there to answer questions not to Judge people, does a Bank judge your money? @AndrewBreitbart A house to be used for prostitution ring
Vyan1 And you're NOT Politicized? By that measure, why should anyone listen to you? @AndrewBreitbart POLITICIZED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS cleared them (ACORN)
And here he proclaims that every District Attorney and every AG who looked into the ACORN tapes were
politically motivated not to find any wrong-doing by ACORN.
Really? Seriously? Every one of them?
Sorry but that simply isn't true this is what Jerry Brown said about ACORN.
- Failure to "recruit, train and monitor its employees to ensure compliance" with state law.
- Likely violation of state civil laws designed to protect personal information when employees of the San Diego office disposed of 20,000 pages of records in a dumpster. These violations could result in private litigation if any of the victims were injured by disclosure.
- Four instances of "possible voter registration fraud in San Diego in connection with the 2008 election."
- Failure to file a 2007 state tax return, an omission the Franchise Tax Board is pursuing.
- Sloppiness in its handling of charitable assets, although no misuse of those assets was found. The California Attorney General will monitor investigations into ACORN's overall finances by the IRS and Louisiana Attorney General.
Not exactly a "Politicized" report IMO but still nothing to indicate they were involved in prostitution.
Vyan1 That is Spin & BS, you claimed their "non-response=endorsement", but they did respond @AndrewBreitbart There is nothing in @mmfa's response.
Vyan1 2 Q's What actual "Crime" did anyone at ACORN commit on tapes? Explain Police Report on O'keefe filed by ACORN? @AndrewBreitbart #p2 #tcot
Vyan1 And on what planet would anyone believe you're completely Neutral and unbiased? Facts Count @AndrewBreitbart you call that 'independent'?
Vyan1 No, you're conflating separate incidents. Katherine Russell kicked them out @AndrewBreitbart You said KICKED OUT! So you are backtracking.
Vyan1 I'm actually revewing the Philly ACORN rebuttal tape right now - and there's too many lies to list @AndrewBreitbart.
Vyan1 Voice-Over says they mentioned "Underage Prosttuion" - Audio says "Young Girls in House", not that they were prostitutes @AndrewBreitbart
O'Keefe and Giles attempted to create a tape to rebut Katherine Russell, but it was all
Fail. On the voice over for they claimed that they told the ACORN employees that they would be doing underage prostitution through the residence, but on the actual tape what they said was that there would be "Very young girls" in the house, not necessarily that each of those girls would be a working underage prostitute.
Vyan1 Yes, she did - so? a Loan isn't Illegal, no matter WHO you are. @AndrewBreitbart Katherine Russell helped them. She did not kick them out.
Vyan1 Seen her tape, still reviewing James rebuttal right now - since his battery ran out. @AndrewBreitbart She did not kick them out.
Vyan1 Ok, to be honest - several of the "proof" links on @biggovt led to 404 Pages and Part II of Philly Rebut is missing @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Taping People without their Consent (leads to) Federal Wiretap Lawsuits @AndrewBreitbart Undercover journalism like that requires 'acting'
Vyan1 They've already sued Giles and Federal Felon Convict O'Keefe @AndrewBreitbart I stand by it. Tell ACORN to sue me
Vyan1 Lack of Crimes makes it a Lie @AndrewBreitbart Calling ACORN "a corrupt and criminal political racket" is a FACTUAL understatement.
Vyan1 You did more, claimed they were "Evidence Of Crimes" - Not. @AndrewBreitbart R U arguing tapes weren't NEWSWORTHY? I simply aired them
Vyan1 The Only Crime on those tapes was the Illegal Taping Itself @AndrewBreitbart R U arguing tapes weren't NEWSWORTHY? I simply aired them
Vyan1 Weeks Later? The Philly report is dated July 24,2009 - tapes weren't on Fox until September @AndrewBreitbart One called police weeks LATER
Vyan1 You claimed Shirley Sherrod was "Racist USDA" Official - That was a Lie http://www.youtube.com/... @AndrewBreitbart
Anderson Cooper on how Sherrod was Smeared by Brietbart.
Brietbart has tried to shift the issue from being about Sherrod to the discrimination by the NAACP responding positively and "applauding" to the her statements admitting discrimination - but that didn't happen.
Vyan1 You claimed NAACP cheered and Applauded Racists Statments by Sherrod - That was a Lie @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 You Claim ACORN commited "Crimes" on O'Keefe tapes - That is a Lie @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 CYA? ACORN emp Juan Vera reported H&J to his cousin in Police Long Before Videos Posted http://tinyurl.com/... @AndrewBreitbart
Here's the California Attorney General's Summary of Juan Vera's interaction with Giles and O'Keefe
Our investigation revealed that Vera speaks limited English. The language barrier, combined with the couple’s peculiar story, left him confused over whether the couple was serious about running a prostitution business and smuggling young girls into San Diego. He felt the couple’s story was constantly changing and made little sense. At first Vera understood there was another pimp running the business and Giles needed help. Then the story evolved in such a way that Vera understood O’Keefe was actually the pimp. Vera felt something strange was going on and was not sure if the situation was legitimate. (Vera Interview.) Vera went along with the conversation in hopes of getting information from the couple that he could provide to lawenforcement in the event they were telling the truth. (Vera Interview.) He asked when and where the girls would be smuggled into the country. (San Diego Tr. 19, 25.) O’Keefe asked for advice about the best place to smuggle the girls in and Vera said Tijuana and that Vera had contacts in Tijuana. Vera stated that he believed O’Keefe was asking whether it
was better to bring the girls in through the port in Tijuana or San Diego. He answered just to go along with the conversation and obtain more information from them. He did not give the answer any thought and does not have smuggling contacts. (Vera Interview.)
Vera had Giles write her telephone number and email on a piece of paper. (San Diego Tr. 21, 23.) He also gave them his cell phone number when O’Keefe asked for a contact number. (San Diego Tr. 29.) He told them he would contact them the following day in hopes of getting rid of the couple. (San Diego Tr. 24, 26; Vera Interview.) He took their information in order to provide it to police. (Vera Interview.)
Giles forgot her sunglasses in Vera’s office and Vera brought the glasses to the couple in the front stairwell of the office building. (Unedited San Diego ACORN Video.) Vera continued to speak with Giles and O’Keefe and O’Keefe also recorded this portion of the conversation. Vera asked Giles about her business. (Second San Diego Tr. 1-4; Vera Interview.) He told the couple that ACORN was hosting an immigration event that Friday. (Second San Diego Tr. 6-7.) Vera again told them that he would contact them the next day. He reassured them that they could trust him and that he would not tell anyone about the substance of the conversation. Giles and O’Keefe left a second time. (Second San Diego Tr. 4-7.)
Immediately after the couple left, Vera telephoned his cousin, Detective Alejandro Hernandez, at the National City Police Department. He left a voicemail message for Detective Hernandez stating that some “crazy people” were in his office providing information. Vera did not explain the substance of the conversation and did not make reference to prostitution or human smuggling on the message. He asked his cousin to call him back. (Interview with Vera; Vera Phone Records, at p. 4 [reflecting a 2-minute call to Detective Hernandez’s cell phone at 6:40 p.m.]; Detective Hernandez Phone Records, at p. 132 [reflecting a call to voicemail at 6:45 p.m.].) Later that day, Vera also reported the incident to fellow ACORN employee Cruz Acosta. Acosta had been away from the office while the couple was present. Vera explained to him what happened. Vera also reported the incident, either the same day or shortly thereafter, to Mary Murrillon, an ACORN board member. Vera told Murrillon that he had reported the incident to the police. (Vera Interview.)
So exactly where is the crime here?
Vyan1 And what did they Find after they had full tape? Nothing No Applause @AndrewBreitbart 'We will be looking into the behavior of NAACP reps'
Vyan1 It was the same day, dude 6:45pm according to phone records. LIar. @AndrewBreitbart Juan Vera called cousin LONG after videos were filmed
Vyan1 Vera Called Cousin & Left Message on August 18th, his cousin called back on the 27th.then he Emailed Giles for more info @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 True, but didn't review it & undestand context til later-Failed by Trusting your edited Version @AndrewBreitbart NAACP ALWAYS had full tape
Vyan1 I already did, I linked directy to JPG of Philly Rpt & Summary of SD from AG Report. @AndrewBreitbart Show me SD & Philly police reports
Vyan1 Copy of Philly ACORN Report http://tinyurl.com/... filed 7/24/09 before videos released.in September @AndrewBreitbart
We've got a couple different things going on at this point. The primary issue I'm stressing is this... the Police Report filed in Philadelphia by Katherine
on the same day of the video taping by O'Keefe and Giles.
Similarly phone records from the California Attorney Generals report show that ACORN employee Juan Vera called his cousin, a detective with the San Diego PD the same day that he spoke with and was taped by O'keefe and Giles.
Vyan1 Listen again, She explained that she first didn't like Farmer because he acted "Superior" to her - they understood that @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 For Sherrod It wasn't just that Farmer was "White" it was also that he was being a PRiCK! Nobodies obligated to help a Prick @AndrewBreitbart
Here I think is an important point, Shirley didn't just decided to limit her aid to the Farmer because he was "white" - it was because "he spent so much time describing how he was
Superior to me". Her point being - that the
Farmer was the Bigot and was openly admitting it to her by his arrogant behavior. He was being a dick, and she was deciding how much she was going to help him -
because he was being a dick. Being white was secondary.
Vyan1 Fact: Both SD & Philly Police Reports were filed the same day as Taping - it's a Lie to call them "CYA" @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Contrary to being "Polliticized" Brown's AG report Harshly Criticized ACORN for dumping doco with Personal information.@AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Tea Party Racism - Problem isn't few with Bigoted Signs, Problem is Vast Majority of TP willing to IGNORE and EXCUSE them @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 (1/2) O'Keefe's already been prosecuted & convicted @AndrewBreitbart If there's no prosecution of the taping then YOU CANT CALL IT ILLEGAL
Vyan1 (2/2) @Biggovt says there are 2 Federal Wiretap Lawsuits Pending Against O'Keefe @AndrewBreitbart Ino prosecution CANT CALL IT ILLEGAL
Vyan1 Some Form? He's a Police Detective-Called SDPD @AndrewBreitbart Calling a cousin (ally) in some form of law enforcement, not police report
Vyan1 From that point forward Juan was Stinging Giles & O'Keefe as a Police Informant @AndrewBreitbart @AndrewBreitbart not police report
Vyan1 Juan Was Pumping them for Info to Give Cops Genius @AndrewBreitbart he was so believable he asked her how much she cost,
Ok, so we're back on ACORN again and here Brietbart is claiming that Juan was very helpful and even asked Giles how much she cost. Ok, but according to the Attorney General's report Juan had already contacted his cousin, and was eventually contacted by the human trafficking expert in the San Diego Police Dept who
asked him to gather more information. He was gathering info for the cops, the stingers had become the
stingees.
Vyan1 Seeing is Believing - the Unedited ACORN Tapes c/o Maddow http://www.youtube.com/... @AndrewBreitbart
In this report Rachel Maddow explains how the ACORN Tapes were deceptively edited.
Vyan1 ACORN employees did their job to help them get housing - what they did in house was up to them, but informed cops twice @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 The idea that they should have refused service or had them arrested on the spot, is ludicious. Who does that, Ever? @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 When CBS released Killian Tapes about Bush without checking their veracity, RIght Wing Screamed Partisan "SET UP" @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Yet, when you release tape after tape after tape without EVER checking them for accuracy, you think you're a "Journalist"? @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 You're a Partisan Hack. Wrong on ACORN, Wrong on Sherrod, Wrong on Pigford all to support Right-Wing Attacks @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 So Myopic. You couldn't find a Right-winger doing something wrong with a GPS, Map, Guide Dog and Magnifying Glass @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Didn't say that, I said your claims are wrong. Pay Attention @AndrewBreitbart And you're right. ACORN is pristine. Pigford is FRAUD-free.
Vyan1 First question is whether those who Did discrmination can be trusted w accurate count when they have every reason to lie @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 2nd Question is it better to Take No Chances & Compensate all Unfairly Denied Claimants w/Individual Blocked or Systematic? @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 USDA made it's settlement and it's a generous one. Congress Ratified. End of Issue. Except for Race Bait Whiners like you. @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 They were Family & still claimants, I thought Right-Wingers believed in "Inheritance" Benefits? @AndrewBreitbart But 99% WEREN'T FARMERS!
By that rule Shirley Sherrod wouldn't have been a Legimate Claimant, since she Lost her Family Farm because of Loan Denial @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Yeah, I'm so certain you actually care. @AndrewBreitbart Black farmers w land loss issues again screwed.
Vyan1 All that requires is giving you rope, and let the self inflicted wounds seep in! @AndrewBreitbart left sent out their order to destroy me
Vyan1 True, for once. @AndrewBreitbart USDA didn't have to pay ANYTHING. Treasury Did.
Vyan1 OH you think? @AndrewBreitbart Sherrod may well be deserving claimant as she went Track A.
Vyan1 You think Bigots at Reagan USDA wouldn't discrminate against them too? @AndrewBreitbart Hispanic & women farmers set to exploit same scam
Vyan1 And as a result the more you defend & excuse Racists @AndrewBreitbart leftist cohorts use 'race card' to intimidate, more I'll fight back.
Vyan1 I haven't call you a "Racist" so don't whine about that canard with me. @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Reagan USDA did Discrminate - hence they were Racist and certainly Sexist, yet you defend and diffuse the issue @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 Not Half Genius, Only 4 Years before Ending Other 10 Years were Repubs @AndrewBreitbart It's 83-97 - half of those years are Clinton ones
Vyan1 Can't stop yourself from Blaming Democrats for what Republicans started ten years earlier? @AndrewBreitbart Mike Espy was USDA chief 93-94
Vyan1 Have you ever Champion a Non-Partisan Issue? Betting Odds Say NO.@AndrewBreitbart youre making it into a partisan mockery.
Vyan1 Also the only person I've seen on your side of Argument was Rep Steve King Whining about "Reparations" @AndrewBreitbart
Vyan1 And THAT"S who you are. Seeing Bigots in Empty Space @AndrewBreitbart I'll take the NAACP over the Tea PArty on pound for pound Bigotry
The quick summary here is that Brietbart believes that ACORN committed crimes, even though no law enforcement agency has charged them with anything, and there were essentially cleared by the California AG and an independent investigator - however when I bring up the fact that James O'Keefe and Hanna Giles perpetrated illegal wiretaps he claims "No Prosecution - NO CRIME".
Oh really?
He claims that H&J weren't "kicked out" by ACORN personel when there is clear video testimony by an ACORN employee that they were. He claim "No one called the COPs" on them, and/or that if they did they only did it as "CYA" - yet I found copies of the police reports from San Diego and Baltimore that were file the same day as the videos were taped, long before anyone knew that these were so-called "investigative stings".
He was actually kind in his assessment of Shirley Sherrod's involvement in the Pigford suit claiming that she had one of "more legitimate" claims, but he in the end continued to blast the NAACP for Racism because of the crowd reaction to what Sherrod said to them about the annoying white farmer she didn't particularly feel like helping, rather than pay attention to the dozens of pictures and video evidence of bigoted statements by members of the Tea Party and the Complete LACK OF OUTRAGE by those around them.
He's a real piece of work.
And eventually after discussing just how well or not well a guy like Brietbart might do in South Central LA (being pale and chubby I said they'd peg him as likely "Five-Oh" and leave him alone), I finally got banned after he said this.
TheFreshBrew RT @andrewbreitbart @Vyan1 fuck off. [] #AndrewBreitbartEpicFail
Prince of a fellow, that guy (was).
Vyan