Conservative journalist says he infiltrated, escalated D.C. museum protest

[jefferson_dem]

Source: WaPo

Posted by Suzy Khimmat 03:02 PM ET, 10/09/2011



A conservative journalist has admitted to infiltrating the group of protesters who clashed with security at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum on Saturday — and he openly claims to have instigated the events that prompted the museum to close.

Patrick Howley, an assistant editor at the American Spectator, says that he joined the group under the pretense that he was a demonstrator. “As far as anyone knew I was part of this cause — a cause that I had infiltrated the day before in order to mock and undermine in the pages of The American Spectator ,” Howley wrote. (The language in the story has since been changed without explanation.)

A group called the October 11 movement had organized the march in order to protest the U.S. government’s use of unmanned drones overseas, joined by a few members of the D.C. branch of the Occupy Wall Street movement, as the Post reported Saturday. Howley writes that a small number of protesters—himself included—had tried to move past the security guards at the main entrance of the museum and got pepper-sprayed before they hit the second set of doors that led to the museum.

But, according to his account, Howley was determined to escalate the protest further. “I wasn’t giving up before I had my story,” he writes, describing how he continued to rush past security into the museum itself. “I strained to glance behind me at the dozens of protesters I was sure were backing me up, and then I got hit again, this time with a cold realization: I was the only one who had made it through the doors....So I was surprised to find myself a fugitive Saturday afternoon, stumbling around aircraft displays with just enough vision to keep tabs on my uniformed pursuers. ‘The museum is now closed!’”


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/conservative-journalist-says-he-infiltrated-escalated-dc-museum-protest/2011/10/09/gIQAIKxCYL_blog.html

[msongs]

1. so when will this person be arrested and charged for leading the suckers? nt

[Ian David]

2. Bad link. This one works:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/conservative-journalist-says-he-infiltrated-escalated-dc-museum-protest/2011/10/09/gIQAIKxCYL_blog.html

[Kennah]

3. In all seriousness, I wonder if the feds could go after him for inciting a riot

[bigworld]

5. Here's his picture

I definitely saw him asking people in Freedom Plaza if they were going to the museum. This was around 2:30. Absolute instigator.

[Kennah]

8. If anyone from the Justice Department is lurking, see 18 U.S.C. § 2101

http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/18/I/102/2101

[formercia]

9. Lookie here:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/08/1024352/-Conservative-Magazine-Brags-of-its-Agent-Provacateurs-Role-in-Provoking-Police-Action-in-DC-?via=siderec

[caseymoz]

10. He's admitting American Spectator has such a low reputation

. . . that his provocation and admission can't hurt it at all. He somehow thinks he hurts the protesters more? Even after admitting it?

Infiltrators will be a problem, though, including the freelancers.

I look forward to cops pepper-spraying one of these bastards.

[SpiralHawk]

14. I'll bet a sack of donuts he's a chickenhawk republicon

he has that typical smarmy chickenhawk look the republicons so fancy

[Ahpook]

26. American Psycho

Wonder what conditioner he uses? I bet his business card is fucking cool :)

[SemperEadem]

36. his face needs to be put on a placard with the words

"traitor and liar" underneath it and carried at the next DC protest. Bet he'll think twice about showing up where he's not wanted.

[lib2DaBone]

25. The Feds are the problem... in any group.. you will find many Federal Provacateurs...

[bigworld]

4. Wait until 4chan gets a hold of him

The reds and anarchists he pissed off yesterday will be the least of his worries.

[onehandle]

21. Yes. He might as well kiss his credit rating and being served un-spit in food forever. nt

[nobodyspecial]

6. I wasn’t giving up before I had my story,

What he means to say is before I CREATED my story. I hope he gets charged and the American Spectator gets billed for the costs this mess caused.

[FreeBillClinton]

7. He should be arrested.

[defendandprotect]

11. ... and he's proud of this -- ? Why? What he fears is the growing power of this group!

[struggle4progress]

12. Yes, Virginia, there is a disruptor

Yes, you do need to watch out for people who deliberately try to lead you into the swamps

[RKP5637]

16. +1000 +++ n/t

[yardwork]

13. K&R

[red dog 1]

15. Agent Provocateur Get's Pepper Sprayed, Then Boasts About It!

[CJCRANE]

17. Is there a screenprint or archive of Howley's original article ?

It appears that he's changing his story: "The language in the story has since been changed without explanation".

[Fire Walk With Me]

22. See post #9...

[bongbong]

18. No surprise

repigs hate America, they hate life, they hate Liberals. There are only two things they love:

*) war & death (as long as they're safe at home)
*) promoting policies to make their billionaire idols richer

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Well, well, he admited to it

where is the warrant?

[guyton]

38. warrant is in the same circular file ...

... that holds the one for Cheney.

[oldbanjo]

20. The people that were pepper sprayed due to this reportor

should sue him and the paper that he writes for.

[jmowreader]

24. The American Spectator is a magazine, not a newspaper

Specifically, it's the magazine that did the "Arkansas Project" hit on President Clinton.

[Taverner]

23. Isn't this yelling "fire!" in a crowded theater?

[90-percent]

27. OWS Protesters beware!

If you are approached by a flamboyantly dressed white pimp and his provocatively dressed female companion, do not play along with them. They are under cover agents from conservative establishment media!

-90% jimmy

[SoapBox]

28. ...just another GOPBagger dirt bag, slime ball.

'nuff said.

[TomCADem]

29. Only Thing Surprising Is That This Sock Puppet Outed Himself

Just more proof that the right wing actively tries to manipulate the message on the left.

[cyberpj]

32. Way too pleased with himself -- wants some D.C. recognition and a job probably. Idiot. nt

[CBHagman]

30. Man, I'd be fine if they fined him.

In fact I'd be fine if the museum took him to court.

[valerief]

31. He's clearly a FOB (friend of billionaires) so NOTHING will happen to him. He'll probably get an

award.

[Odin2005]

33. I bet this fucker has connections to Breitbart.

[tcaudilllg]

34. Sounds like a psychopath.

[Blacksheep214]

35. Patrick Howley, no longer anonymous

Anonymous, meet Patrick Howley.

Y'all play nice now!

[G_j]

37. K&R

[reggie the dog]

39. isn't inciting a riot illegal?

didnt they just admit to inciting a riot????

i imagine that they will be arrested very soon for inciting a riot......

[geardaddy]

40. The American Spectator

isn't that typical chickenhawkedness to name your magazine after yourself. They don't get in the fight, they watch on the sidelines and complain.