Well, this is certainly strange! Via the New York Times (if you don’t subscribe, you can also read the story here), an attempt to pull a James O’Keefe-type scam on a Harlem community organization backfired when the organizer’s bullshit meter went off:
He wanted to know how to get higher wages.
And, oh yes, he had another question: If he formed a union, could his fellow workers join with the employer to shake down politicians for more money?
At this point, Rhea Byer-Ettinger, an organizer for Manhattan Together, felt her internal baloney detector go on red alert. “Beep, beep, beep,” she said. “I said to him: ‘Well, that’s not how we work. Tell me, why are you asking me about that?’ ”
This is the anatomy of a political sting.
Nothing this fellow said was true. Public records reveal that his real name is John M. Howting. He is active in the conservative movement and does not want to organize a union. His company — for which he built an elaborate Web site — and its officials do not exist. Ms. Byer-Ettinger suspects that he secretly recorded their conversation.
What’s interesting here is that, via Tommy at First Draft, we discover John M. Howting is no ordinary O’Keefe Junior. He’s apparently a staffer for Republican Congressman Thad McCotter of Michigan. Which begs the question: is this an extra-curricular activity for young Master Howting, or part of his duties for the Congressman? Fair question, seeing as how Rep. McCotter was a Breitbart fan, eulogizing him on the House floor for
“…fighting the good fight with every fiber of his soul…”
Either way, I think the people of Michigan’s 11th district might want to know why their Represenatives’ staffers are spending their time trying to trip up a community organization in Harlem, New York.
No wonder voters hold slime mold in higher esteem than Congress. Maybe Rep. McCotter should be more focused on his own district?
Southern Beale 
well, slime mold can be useful, and acts as if it had a simple brain, so it has clear advantages in the comparison.
John Howting is listed as Thad McCotter’s “Scheduler” on this official web site.
http://www3.capwiz.com/socialworkers/webreturn/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmccotter.house.gov
Thanks. Guess that leaves him lots of free time to engage in Breiibartesque ratfucking.
I would suggest that the matter should be sent for federal investigation (not sure whether that’s the A.G, Justice Department, FBI, House ethics?). I suspect some federal laws and/or Congressional rules have been broken, even if on his own time. It’s one thing when a huckster like Breitbart tried this stuff as a private citizen, but for an employee of a member of Congress? Methinks there could be problems for the guy.
Someone would have to pay attention first. As far as I can tell, just me and one other blog are covering it.
I sent an e-mail with the link to the Harlem paper to Michael Heath; he’s a guy who digs into the manure pile to find the truthy goodness at the bottom AND he lives in MI.
Ed Brayton over here http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches might take an interest; he’s also a Michigander or ganite or whatever they call themselves these days.
Maybe i’ll put something up at my blog. If you come read it then at least you and I will have done so {;>)
He is a former McCotter staffer.