April 21 court date set for 4 conservative activists in phone caper at La. senator’s office

Arraignment set in phone caper at senator’s office

NEW ORLEANS — A court date has been set for four conservative activists facing reduced charges after federal authorities initially accused them of trying to tamper with the phones in Sen. Mary Landrieu’s New Orleans office.

James O’Keefe, Stan Dai, Joseph Basel and Robert Flanagan are scheduled to be arraigned April 21 on misdemeanor charges of entering a federal building under false pretenses. They had been arrested on felony charges on Jan. 25.

The new charges are contained in a bill of information, which typically signals a plea deal. Basel’s lawyer has said his client has agreed to plead guilty to the new charge, while Flanagan’s lawyer has said his client worked out an agreement with prosecutors to resolve the case.