Xavier Becerra laughs about saying Pledge of Allegiance at RI4A/CHIRLA/SEIU meeting

The attached video shows Rep. Xavier Becerra and others laughing after it was suggested at a meeting that they say the Pledge of Allegiance. And, this was at a meeting in support of comprehensive immigration reform [1].

The congressman has released a statement; I'll let you determine whether his explanation washes:

"On the morning of February 20th, I was invited to address some 500 people gathered to discuss the human tragedy of a broken immigration system and the need to fix it. At some point during that meeting, a political operative for a congressional campaign asked if we could recite the pledge of allegiance. The meeting was already under way and the question was unexpected. It took us all by surprise. When the speaker explained that he was serious and asked me specifically if we could say the pledge, I said yes and gestured to the moderator, who then led the entire gathering in reciting the pledge."

Does that match up with what's on the video? What about the reactions of all the others on the video?

What I need you to do is to send this video around, either as peekURL.com/vod7tha or as youtube.com/watch?v=XBbsEnTf7C4

And, when a pundit, reporter, or blogger promotes amnesty, post the video in their comments and press them for a reaction. Or, use the video to discredit them to their readers. That can lead to deleted comments, but if you do it the right way it can be very effective.

Becerra himself means little and he and others on the fringe like Luis Gutierrez can't do much damage without assistance from others. Your goal should be to cut people like them off from mainstream support.

[1] Those behind the camera were from the campaign of Republican Ari David; he's running against Henry Waxman and was at the meeting in hopes of speaking to him. This took place at a Service Employees International Union hall and apparently involved CHIRLA. The banners are from the Reform Immigration for America group. American Patrol says the lady behind the lectern looks to be Angelica Salas, but she's at this moment unidentified (it's Salas; see the update).

UPDATE: From twitter dot com/AriDavid2010/status/9581344159:

Huffpo proof that cong becerra lied on fox SIEU mtg start time and pledge tape not out of context

That links to this, and presumably the "started" bolded below is what he means by proof as to Becerra's presumed claim about the request for the Pledge occurring after the meeting had started. That same post also says that another group involved with the meeting is the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium and confirms that the person behind the podium is Salas:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America," boomed the man's voice inside the standing-room only third floor hall at the Los Angeles SCEI-ULTCW local. He continued, "and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." That's how this lesson in civic participation started. The more than 500 participants at this immigration reform townhall, one that included many students and their parents, union members, faith leaders, and a few Republicans. They joined the man as they anxiously waited to hear from the man of the hour, Congressman Xavier Becerra, the Vice-Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.