[ad_1]
Stuart Karaffa
A new video of James O'Keefe III – the undercover journalist who first became known when he kidnapped Acorn – shows a federal employee boasting about his hours of work for the Democratic Socialists of America. The employee, Stuart Karaffa, spoke at length with members of O'Keefe's "Project Veritas" with a pint of beer. You can watch the full video here.
Karaffa has boasted that the State Department is turning a blind eye to its activities and that it will never be able to be fired because it works for the federal government. And, by slightly flouting his words, Karaffa said he spent the whole day – from 8:30 to 17:30 – working to advance the socialist democratic cause.
Here is what you need to know about Stuart Karaffa:
1. Karaffa is a management and program analyst for the State Department
Karaffa holds his current position – Management and Program Analyst at the State Department – since August 2016. He describes himself on his LinkedIn page as a "government professional with experience in online communications, federal contract administration , strategic advice, project analysis. data management and governance. "
On the video of the Veritas project, Karaffa seemed disappointed with the turn of his work. He said he was working on a big project – "shine in the sun in all good places" – but the funding was cut off suddenly, leaving him with nothing to do all day. It was then that he started using his working hours to focus on Socialist Democratic projects.
Before coming to the State Department, Karaffa worked for more than five years for the Department of Defense as a Systems Integration Analyst. Karaffa holds a master's degree in public administration from George Washington University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champlain, where he was a member of the Brotherhood Acacia.
2. Last year, the Socialist Democrats included Karaffa among their interlocutors in their voting efforts
James O'Keefe noted that even before his video of Karaffa appeared, the Socialist Democrats knew what he was planning. They responded – says O'Keefe – by doubling the protection of all their websites and servers.
But some older DSA documents are still available. In 2017, DC's Socialist Democratic Chapter energized the campaign of Lee Carter, a young former sailor who won a seat at the Virginia House of Delegates. You can read more information about it here.
The DSA documents mention Stuart Karaffa as a key resource person as part of the exit vote effort for Lee Carter's campaign. In DC Socialist's November 2, 2017 issue, we read: "Our current priority is to vote for Lee. Do not hesitate to contact Stuart Karaffa ([email protected]) or Brandon Hinke ([email protected]) for any questions. You can see the full number here.
3. Karaffa helped organize meetings to campaign for DSA candidates
Karaffa was listed as a contact person for the Democratic Socialists of America from Metro DC last year. (The group may have tightened its privacy settings since the release of O'Keefe's video.)
The Meet-Up organized an event on September 30, 2017; the description of the event reads: "Help elect the ruling Socialists!" Come door-to-door with the DSA Nova affiliate and members throughout the chapter as we struggle to make Virginia friendly with the workers. Everyone is welcome! After finishing our packages, we will meet for dinner and have a drink in Arlington.
Karaffa, along with another man, is listed as the group's contact person.
4. Karaffa is the Neighborhood Advisory Commissioner in Mount Pleasant, one of the most prosperous neighborhoods in the country.
Karaffa is from a suburb of Chicago. He moved to Washington DC eight years ago and lived in Washington DC, Capitol Hill, Eastern Market and Bloomingdale. He lived in Mount Pleasant, a neighborhood in the north of the city, for a little over three years.
Curbed DC says the values of Mount Pleasant homes soared by 146% between 2000 and 2016. During the same period, household income rose 48% and education levels rose 84%. These figures indicate a level of gentrification that, says Curbed, makes the neighborhood one of the most changing in the country.
Karaffa was recently elected Neighborhood Advisory Commissioner for Mount Pleasant. He says he believes "to ensure that Mount Pleasant remains an inclusive, vibrant community accessible to all residents."
5. James O'Keefe says Karaffa may violate trap law
The Hatch Act was promulgated by Congress in 1939 to control government corruption and prevent public servants from having too much power. The act was sponsored by Senator Carl Hatch, from New Mexico, who was angry because, according to him, the officials of Works Progress Administration used their time to lobby for votes.
The Hatch Act imposes strict limits on political activities in which public servants can participate. It also limits the size of their contributions to the campaign. The Hatch Act states, inter alia, that a government employee:
"Do not engage in political activities in the performance of one's duties, at the workplace, in uniform or in official insignia, or in a government vehicle. For example:
o Can not wear, post, or distribute any partisan
materials or objects.
o May not perform campaign related tasks.
o May not make political contributions.
o Do not use email or social media to engage in
political activity "
You can read the list of government activities authorized and prohibited by the Hatch Act here.
Source link
