BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 09 Oct 09 - 12:13 AM

The head of the company that was switching voter registrations from Democrat to Republican in last year's election was actually convicted, but not of that offense. He was convicted of voter fraud himself. Several states are investigating his company over the switching of the registrations, and from what I have read so far, it looks like those investigations are still ongoing.

Here's some background on that story...

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/18/local/me-fraud18

If the person waging this campaign against ACORN was in the least bit concerned about the validity of our election processes, they would also be waging a campaign against those who help the Republicans cheat as well. But they are not in the least concerned with the validity of our elections processes. All they care about is making sure the Republicans win at any cost. Even if it means overlooking illegal practices committed by the Republicans themselves.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 11:52 PM

Not sure what the point of the second quote from me was in this context, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 11:50 PM

I believe there actualy was a conviction on that one, but I'll have to double check to make sure.

I notice that Donna Hanks was charged in 2008. Anything come of that one? Any convictions?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 11:45 PM

"And of course, yet once again, those who are pointing fingers at ACORN, are completely ignoring the same thing when done by Republicans, like the California Republican Party, and the company they hired that has been submitting falsified registrations as well as fraudulently switching people's registration from Democrat to Republican."

Any convictions yet or just allegations?

"ACORN is a victim of people like him. He defrauded them, took their money, and created a situation in which it is becoming more difficult for that organization accomplish its mission of registering voters"

Any jail time, fines??????????

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 11:26 PM

Baltimore Slumlord Watch:

Baltimore ACORN "Activist" Louis Beverly is Also a Slumlord, Records Show

Approximately two weeks ago, ACORN "activist" Louis Beverly assisted Donna Hanks in breaking into her former home. Hanks owed $260,000 when the house was placed into foreclosure. Louis Beverly, in an ill-fated publicity stunt, broke the lock on the home, allowing Ms. Hanks entry. As a result, both are facing criminal charges, and Ms. Hanks still doesn't have her house back. After a closer look into Louis Beverly's background, the stunt looks even more ridiculous. Louis Beverly has faced multiple foreclosures, most on his rental property located at 2622 Harford Road. He has also been charged numerous times by the city for failing to maintain his properties, owning a property that was not fit for human habitation, trash dumping, failing to register his property as a rental property, and failure to provide a safe means of egress. All of which are serious health and safety issues for his tenant(s). Along with his property violations, Mr. Beverly was also found guilty of battery and weapons charges.

In addition to his rental property on Harford Road that is currently in foreclosure, Mr. Beverly also owns a rental property at 540 Baker Street, located on a blighted block off North Avenue, and his residence on E. 25th Street. We believe Mr. Beverly's time and energy would be better spent fixing his properties and being a better landlord, than working on cheap publicity stunts.

Donna Hanks, the center of the failed ACORN "takeback" attempt, was found to be illegally renting out the basement of her S. Ellwood Street home, and was also charged with assault and possession of a dangerous weapon with the intent to injure, both in 2008.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 11:16 PM

So will the person who is posting all of the above allegations come back here with the results of all of these investigations when they come in? (Somehow, I tend to doubt it.)

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 10:58 PM

Phoenix Business Journal

Sheriff Joe rolls Acorn under da bus:

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is subpoenaing records from the Acorn community activist group, saying it could be using government funds meant for housing and social services to wage a campaign against his immigration enforcement.

The sheriff's office seeking information regarding the group's involvement with Arpaio critics on Melendres v. Arpaio, a case brought by a Mexican national claiming he was unfairly treated and the victim of racial profiling by deputies.

"I believe the organization used state and federal funds meant to help poor people to conduct a campaign against me and my officers," said Arpaio in a statement. "These records will show, I believe, that Acorn is in bed with the anti-immigration enforcement organizations, which continue to demonstrate in front of my office trying to thwart my officers from enforcing state and federal law."

Acorn has called for Arpaio to resign and opposes his immigration raids. The group could not immediately be reached for comment.

The group has come under fire recently for offering tax advice to people posing as prostitutes and pimps. Acorn also has also been questioned for alleged voter fraud and the U.S. Senate voted earlier this week to cut off federal funding for the group.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 11:37 PM

Any official findings of illegality, or just the gossip in internet fora and popular media outlets that we've seen so far?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Peace
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 11:22 PM

C'mon, Rig.

investigation of wrongdoing = wrongdoing ????? ??

Investigations are just that: investigations.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 11:16 PM

Yes, the activity is illegal. Recent events have renewed the insevtigations.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 10:06 PM

Kingsley's report is more than a year old. Any news on how the investigation is going? Have they found any solid evidence of illegal activity? Or do they only have speculation and innuendo?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 09:40 PM

Hopefully they're toast. Now they need to go after that crooked union Wade Rathke set up.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 07 Oct 09 - 09:27 PM

New York Times:

An internal report by a lawyer for the community organizing group Acorn raises questions about whether the web of relationships among its 174 affiliates may have led to violations of federal laws.

The group, formally known as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, has been in the news over accusations that it is involved in voter registration fraud, charges it says are overblown and politically motivated.

The June 18 report, written by Elizabeth Kingsley, a Washington lawyer, spells out her concerns about potentially improper use of charitable dollars for political purposes; money transfers among the affiliates; and potential conflicts created by employees working for multiple affiliates, among other things.

It also offers a different account of the embezzlement of almost $1 million by the brother of Acorn's founder, Wade Rathke, than the one the organization gave in July, when word of the theft became public.

"A full analysis of potential liability will require consultation with a knowledgeable white-collar criminal attorney," Ms. Kingsley wrote of the embezzlement, which occurred in 2000 but was not disclosed until this summer.

In a telephone interview on Monday, Ms. Kingsley and Bertha Lewis, Acorn's top executive, said the group had begun addressing the concerns raised in the report.

"Has everything been done yet? No," Ms. Lewis said. "We've been at this for three months, and we have taken everything she said in the report very seriously. It's a huge undertaking."

Over the weekend, Ms. Kingsley said, the national board adopted several good-governance policies, like appointing an audit committee for the first time.

Disclosure of her report, which was distributed to Acorn and 10 affiliates, increases pressure on the organization at a particularly troublesome time. Besides the inquiries into its voter registration efforts, Acorn faces demands for back taxes by the Internal Revenue Service and various state tax authorities. At the same time, foundations that have backed Acorn are withholding support.

Ms. Kingsley's concerns about the way Acorn affiliates work together could fuel the controversy over Acorn's voter registration efforts, which are largely underwritten by an affiliated charity, Project Vote. Project Vote hires Acorn to do voter registration work on its behalf, and the two groups say they have registered 1.3 million voters this year.

As a federally tax-exempt charity, Project Vote is subject to prohibitions on partisan political activity. But Acorn, which is a nonprofit membership corporation under Louisiana law, though subject to federal taxation, is not bound by the same restrictions.

"Project Vote and Acorn have a written agreement that specifies that all work is nonpartisan," Michael Slater, Project Vote's new executive director, wrote in answer to e-mailed questions about the relationship.

But Ms. Kingsley found that the tight relationship between Project Vote and Acorn made it impossible to document that Project Vote's money had been used in a strictly nonpartisan manner. Until the embezzlement scandal broke last summer, Project Vote's board was made up entirely of Acorn staff members and Acorn members.

Ms. Kingsley's report raised concerns not only about a lack of documentation to demonstrate that no charitable money was used for political activities but also about which organization controlled strategic decisions.

She wrote that the same people appeared to be deciding which regions to focus on for increased voter engagement for Acorn and Project Vote. Zach Pollett, for instance, was Project Vote's executive director and Acorn's political director, until July, when he relinquished the former title. Mr. Pollett continues to work as a consultant for Project Vote through another Acorn affiliate.

"As a result, we may not be able to prove that 501(c)3 resources are not being directed to specific regions based on impermissible partisan considerations," Ms. Kingsley said, referring to the section of the tax code concerning rules for charities.

She also found problems with governance of Acorn affiliates. "Board meetings are not held, or if they are, minutes are not kept, or if minutes are kept, they never make it into the files," she wrote.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 09:16 PM

Yawn...
Where is the unexpurgated video?
Still waiting.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 07:20 PM

We shall see.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 07:12 PM

No, they can rescind the contracts. All they have to do is say they don't need the services...

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 06:48 PM

Maybe if ACORN is found guilty at some point. That hasn't happened yet.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 06:38 PM

So they need to sever any ACORN contracts so the can defund them.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 03:00 PM

Someone, I think it was a congresswoman, has introduced a bill that would require a contractor to be actually found guilty of a felony before its funding could be barred by the Congress.

Another one is working to get the same standards applied to defense and other contractors as are being applied to ACORN by the Congress.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: DougR
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 02:56 PM

Stringsinger: I doubt, if presented with indisputable facts about ACORN's transgressions, you would change your opinion.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Stringsinger
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 02:45 PM

The only ones telling lies about ACORN are Republicans, and so-called Blue Dog Dems.
(I call them yellow dog Dems).

Most thinking people know that ACORN has been targeted politically and unjustly.

Republicans think they can control the debate through mud-slinging. It's their MO.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 12:43 PM

Recently our defense contractors like McDonel Douglas have racked up 3 billion dollars in fines regarding the 70 billion dollars in contracts in which they have been caught cheating.

Bear in mind that these fines were levied by the Bush administation which was not looking very hard for wrong doing.



If we use ACORN as an example:
do we deny all funds instead of penalizing with fines as we do with Government contractors?

nope

Even Blackwater is still on the US payroll.

ergo we should not treat ACORN more harshly for a crime of speech without action, than we do all the rest of US contractors.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 09:22 AM

Barney Frank rolls ACORN under da bus:

WSJ:

"I think they have forfeited their right to get [federal] funds"

Mr. Frank also appeared unsympathetic to Acorn's latest attempt to change the subject, a lawsuit filed yesterday against two filmmakers who had videotaped Acorn employees in several cities offering tax evasion advice to a supposed prostitution ring. The suit alleges the filmmakers and news site Breitbart.com violated a local law banning unauthorized taping of individuals. Legal analysts largely panned the case, noting that Acorn had filed the lawsuit jointly with two former Maryland Acorn employees who had previously been fired for the behavior caught on the videotape

Mr. Frank had no comment on the merits of the suit, but did offer this pithy summary: "People have said, 'Well, the sting [against Acorn] is terrible.' I will tell people there is a great defense against being stung. Don't do the kind of things that put you on television."

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 01:00 AM

WSJ:

Last August two of Acorn's eight dissident board members, Marcel Reed and Karen Inman, filed suit demanding access to financial records of Citizens Consulting Inc., the umbrella group through which most of Acorn's money flows. Ms. Inman told a news conference this month Mr. Rathke still exercises power over CCI and Acorn against the board's wishes. Bertha Lewis, the interim head of Acorn, told me Mr. Rathke has no ties to Acorn and that the dissident board members were "obsessed" and "confused."

According to public records, the IRS filed three tax liens totaling almost $1 million against Acorn this spring. Also this spring, CCI was paid $832,000 by the Obama campaign for get-out-the-vote efforts in key primary states. In filings with the Federal Election Commission, the Obama campaign listed the payments as "staging, sound, lighting," only correcting the filings after the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review revealed their true nature.

"Acorn needs a full forensic audit," Ms. MonCrief says, though she doesn't think that's likely. "Everyone wants to paper things over until later," she says. "But it may be too late to reform Acorn then." She strongly supports Barack Obama and hopes his allies can be helpful in cleaning up the group "after the heat of the election is gone."

Acorn's Mr. Kettering says the GOP lawsuit "is designed to suppress legitimate voters," and he says Ms. MonCrief isn't credible, given that she was fired for cause. Ms. MonCrief admits that she left after she began paying back some $3,000 in personal expenses she charged on an Acorn credit card. "I was very sorry, and I was paying it back," she says, but "suddenly Acorn decided that . . . I had to go. Since then I have gotten warnings to 'back off' from people at Acorn."

Acorn insists it operates with strict quality controls, turning in, as required by law, all registration forms "even if the name on them was Donald Duck," as Wade Rathke told me two years ago. Acorn whistleblowers tell a different story.

"There's no quality control on purpose, no checks and balances," says Nate Toler, who worked until 2006 as the head organizer of an Acorn campaign against Wal-Mart in California. And Ms. MonCrief says it is longstanding practice to blame bogus registrations on lower-level employees who then often face criminal charges, a practice she says Acorn internally calls "throwing folks under the bus."

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 12:33 AM

WSJ:

Acorn's former Las Vegas, Nev., field director, Christopher Edwards, agreed to testify against the group in a case in which Las Vegas election officials say 48% of the voter registration forms the group turned in were "clearly fraudulent." Acorn itself is charged with 13 counts of illegally using a quota system to compensate workers in an effort to boost the number of registrations.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 12:23 AM

WSJ:

Under the Community Reinvestment Act (itself a causal factor in the subprime mortgage debacle that has cost us all so dearly), there is a procedure for protesting, and significantly delaying, bank merger and branching applications if the parties involved have not "adequately" served the needs of the local community.

Particularly after the passage of interstate banking laws in the mid-80s, Acorn and other activist groups seized on this process as a way to extract money from banks. Acorn would protest applications, thereby significantly delaying regulatory action, unless the banks committed to fund targeted loan pools, "education" efforts conducted by Acorn, "consulting" contracts and grants to Acorn, etc. The banks had compelling business reasons to close the deals quickly. Bank regulators, especially the Fed, for political reasons shamelessly pressed the banks hard to settle with Acorn, et al., and the banks ponied up millions.

I did mergers and acquisitions for a regional bank and experienced Acorn's thuggish "negotiating" tactics and bad faith firsthand.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 06 Oct 09 - 12:11 AM

AP:

An internal review by the board of directors of the community organization ACORN determined that the amount allegedly embezzled from the community organization was $5 million, well more than the previously reported amount of nearly $1 million, according to a new subpoena in an investigation by Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell.

The subpoena says, "It is still unclear if some of the monies embezzled are from state, federal or private funds," according to The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 10:10 PM

In a way it's too bad about that Rathke character. He had a lot of talent and he just couldn't keep things going in a positive direction.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 12:40 PM

NPR:

    The Ford Foundation gave almost $2 million to ACORN in recent years, but says it has suspended ACORN funding because of concerns about inadequate financial controls.

    The Marguerite Casey Foundation gave ACORN over $4 million dollars. But spokeswoman Kathleen Baca says the grants are not being renewed.

    The Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Bank of America and JP Morgan also say they've ceased making grants to ACORN and its affiliates.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 12:36 PM

Washington Post:

Project Vote, one of the most recognized organizations in the ACORN family, took in $8.6 million in 2006 but paid more than 60 percent of that -- $5.4 million -- to two groups then controlled by Rathke. About $4.6 million went to ACORN for "contractual and campaign services" and $779,000 went to Citizens Consulting Inc., which charged ACORN affiliates on a percentage basis for bookkeeping services.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 12:47 AM

Baltimore City Paper:

Sandra Stewart wanted to be paid for the work she'd done. After graduating from Goucher College in May, Stewart followed a professor's advice in obtaining a position, starting on May 22 as a $250-per-week intern at the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), a national social-justice group with a Maryland chapter based in Baltimore. On July 15 she wrote to City Paper, stating that she had left the job because "up until this morning it had been eight weeks exactly that I had not received any payment for my work." That day she had received a $500 check from ACORN, she explained, but was still awaiting payment for the remaining six weeks of service.

It turns out that Stewart wasn't the only one looking for overdue payments from ACORN. At the time a City Paper inquiry began, the organization faced a Baltimore City tax-sale lien on its Charles Village property, a court judgment in Prince George's County for failure to pay a landlord for rented office space, and complaints from several other ex-employees about paycheck problems. By ACORN's own admission that it has been having trouble administering payments to many part-time voter-registration workers it recently hired.

"I find it completely ironic that an organization that fights for social justice" has trouble paying its workers, Stewart wrote.

Since arriving here in 1999, ACORN has organized efforts in Baltimore on several fronts, including downsizing the Baltimore City Council, supporting fair and safe housing for the poor, and pushing for a "living wage" for workers. Stewart's complaint that ACORN wasn't dealing fairly with its own employees, however, had not previously been brought to public attention. By July 21, several days after City Paper had first contacted ACORN about Stewart's complaint, the ex-intern had been paid in full.

At first, Stewart's former bosses-ACORN director Mitchell Klein and Baltimore County coordinator Michelle Moore-blamed the situation on Stewart, saying she failed to submit necessary paperwork. But by July 21, they were accepting fault for not paying Stewart in a timely fashion: "What happened to Sandi was bad," Klein says apologetically.

After hearing of Stewart's complaint, City Paper searched the courts to see if ACORN was having problems making other payments. It was.

On June 22, a nearly $7,000 court judgment was entered against the group in favor of Bradco Realty, the owner of office space ACORN had been renting in Hyattsville.

"They were not paying us," explains Bradco principal Michael Weinberger. "And we got tired of writing letters and making phone calls. Nobody even answered the phone. So we turned it over to a local attorney."

On July 18, just as City PaperUapproached ACORN about the problem, the group paid the $7,000. Klein disputes Weinberger's version of events, asserting that ACORN believed Bradco was overcharging them. "We lost," Klein says. "And now we're paying."

On June 30, another court action was filed against an ACORN affiliate, Baltimore Organizing and Support Center Inc. Short Line 2005 LLC filed a foreclosure lawsuit in Baltimore Circuit Court against the group, setting in motion a process that could have ended with Short Line 2005 owning ACORN's building at 16 W. 25th St. Information obtained from the city's Finance Department revealed that the support center had not paid real estate taxes, water bills, and other city-administered fees since it purchased the property in 2004. As a result, the city's lien against the support center was sold at tax sale to Short Line 2005 in May 2005, and Short Line filed the suit in order to exercise its right to collect the money the center owed.

"This is the first time I'm hearing about this," Klein stated when asked about the lawsuit on July 19. Later, Maryland ACORN's board chair, the Rev. Gloria Swieringa, thanked City Paper "for pointing out a tremendously erroneous situation that had not been brought to our attention." The same day, ACORN cut a check for more than $18,000 to settle the matter.

At first, Klein stated that the group's failure to keep current on its taxes and other city bills was due to Hurricane Katrina's disastrous impact last fall on ACORN's national offices in New Orleans, where many of the state chapters' finances are administered. However, after researching the matter, Klein learned that in fact the payments had not been made because the bills had been sent to the group's old office at 825 Park Ave., Baltimore Organizing and Support Center's address of record.

After Stewart leveled her complaint about having a hard time getting paid by ACORN, three other ex-employees who recently left their jobs came forward, recalling similar problems. One, a former community organizer who claims ACORN still owes reimbursement money to him, asked to remain anonymous because the group requires workers to sign a statement that they won't talk to the press. (Klein confirms that ACORN's employees are to have "no contact with the media without specific prior approval from a supervisor.") The ex-employee did not want to risk his anticipated repayment by being quoted by name in an article.

"I did have to wait a number of weeks for my paycheck," the ex-organizer says. "And I left because I decided I would no longer put up with their stuff. It seems to be a pretty routine thing." He adds that "people have been getting angry with them for not getting paid."

"I had problems getting paid," Zuri Barnes, 28, also claims. The former community organizer worked for ACORN for seven months, he says, and was owed money after he quit recently. (Klein asserts that Barnes did not properly submit paperwork to get paid.) "I eventually got paid after numerous phone calls and going in and confronting my former boss," he recalls. "I've heard cases of people who are still waiting to get paid. It's a major issue, and it all comes down to administration. And this is a group that does community organizing, and yet it is so disorganized."

Khary Williams, a 24-year-old former ACORN community organizer, echoes the complaints. "I got my money," he says. "It was just very late. I left because I felt like I needed a job where, when it's payday, I get paid."

Klein admits that ACORN "is not perfect," adding that its payroll problems were exacerbated recently when the group ratcheted up its staff with a lot of part-time workers who are registering voters around the state.

"People get paid regularly here, but there are paperwork problems, and it is not the best system in the world," he says. "Obviously, we're not trying to screw people over-we want people to get paid on time. But there are some problems. We try to do the best we can."

Klein, however, expresses surprise about complaints from former community organizers, because they filled salaried positions in a different pay class from the part-time voter-registration workers.

"The voter-reg stuff, sure, we've had some problems there," he says. "But I know that our community organizers get paid. Generally, our payroll does run on a regular basis. Maybe one or two days late, but that's rare."

Asked if he believes the publicity about these problems will lead to more complaints to City Paper about payroll problems, Klein says it will.

"I guarantee it," he predicts. "Everyone's going to complain. But there are a lot of people who like working for us."

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 12:35 AM

Catholic Bishops roll ACORN under da bus:

Catholic News Service: WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Catholic Campaign for Human Development suspended funding a nationwide community organizing group after it was disclosed June 2 that nearly $1 million had been embezzled.

Funding was suspended for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, popularly known as ACORN, because of the financial irregularities, said Ralph McCloud, executive director of CCHD, the U.S. bishops' domestic anti-poverty and social justice program.

"We're not funding them at any level," McCloud told Catholic News Service Oct. 15.

The suspension covers all 40 ACORN affiliates nationwide that had been approved for $1.13 million in grants for the funding cycle that started July 1, 2008.

McCloud said the suspension came soon after his office learned that ACORN disclosed that Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke, had embezzled nearly $1 million from the organization and its affiliates in 1999 and 2000. Dale Rathke stepped down from his position with the organization in June when the matter became public; no charges were filed against him. Wade Rathke stepped down as the group's lead organizer at the same time but remains chief organizer for ACORN International LLC.

CCHD has hired specialists in forensic accounting to investigate whether any of its grant funding has been misappropriated, McCloud added.

Since revealing its financial troubles, the organization has come under intense scrutiny because of its voter registration practices. In several states voter registration forms have been found to include nonexistent or dead people. Some registrants have told elections officials they completed multiple cards at the urging of ACORN canvassers who claimed they would be fired if they did not meet a daily quota for signing up new voters.

McCloud released information showing that CCHD funded more than 320 ACORN projects with grants totaling more than $7.3 million during the last 10 years. He said the community organization also had received funds since early in CCHD's history.

CCHD's Web site reveals the campaign gave about $1.11 million to 40 ACORN affiliates in 2007 and $1.17 million to 45 affiliates in 2006.

Over the years, some of the funds undoubtedly were used for voter registration drives, McCloud said.

"It probably was," he told CNS. "But by the same token, we didn't find any voter registration irregularities, the allegations we are finding now."

McCloud also said that CCHD guidelines require that organizations in line for funding "go through a great deal of scrutiny."

Prior to the awarding of grants, applications from local organizations are vetted at the diocesan level by a funding committee, endorsed by the local bishop, and then scrutinized by the national CCHD staff and a committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, McCloud explained.

"The whole idea is making sure that the efforts of the groups we fund are working in nonpartisan efforts and focusing on the kind of work that we would like for them to do," McCloud said.

The organization has not returned several calls from CNS seeking comment about the suspension of funding.

However, ACORN officials are defending the organization's voter registration practices. During an Oct. 14 press conference, spokesman Patrick Whelan acknowledged that some of the organizations 13,000 canvassers submitted duplicate or false registrations, but said they represented a tiny fraction of the 1.3 million new voters signed up for the Nov. 4 election. He said the organization itself discovered many of the problem registrations.

Traditionally drawn to causes usually backed by Democrats, the 38-year-old organization has conducted organizing campaigns in low- and moderate-income communities on issues such as unemployment, affordable housing, predatory lending, health care, minimum wage and living wage, and immigration. ACORN also has conducted voter registration drives throughout its history by hiring canvassers to go door to door and to visit public sites where people gather.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 12:12 AM

"Living Wage" Horseshit.

The National Labor Relations Board of the United States of America ruled that ACORN violated labor law by intimidating and unfairly laying off three employees who were trying to improve their working conditions and supported the IWW union organizing effort. Below we quote the NLRB's ruling on the case. Also at the bottom of the page we include the link to the NLRB website including the full text of the ruling, which gives the details of the case and we encourage you to read.

Conclusions of Law:

    * 1) By interrogating employees about their union activities, by informing employees that other employees have been discharged because of the Union, by threatening employees that selecting the Union to represent them will be futile, and by threatening employees with discharge, Respondent [ACORN] has violated Section 8(a)(1) of the Act.

    * 2) By laying off Gigi Nevils, Sarah Stephens, and Erin Howley, Respondent [ACORN] has violated Section 8(a)(3) and (1) of the Act.

    * 3) The violations set forth above are unfair labor practices affecting commerce within the meaning of the Act."

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 09:08 PM

I looked it up. No charges were filed against him and he was never prosecuted. This is how ACORN spends the public's money, and that of their donors.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: GUEST,Bruce Michael Baillie
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 05:58 PM

...Is this Acorn Stairlifts of Steeton, West Yorkshire? I was made redundant from there back in February. The guy who owns the company is a TWAT!

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 01:57 PM

But does anyone know if he was every prosecuted?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 12:57 PM

...and even though one of its employees did embezzle (it was one employee and not the organization itself who did that), the organization as a whole has helped a hell of a lot of people over the years, and continues to do so.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 12:55 PM

ACORN is responsible, along with the SEIU, for helping to get "Living Wage" amendments enacted in several cities in the US. That's one of the reasons the Republicans have been trying for years to get rid of ACORN. They have been fighting for living wages.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 12:17 PM

Was Rathke ever prosecuted for the theft?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 11:06 AM

Washington post:

Internal ACORN documents show an organization in turmoil as last year's presidential election approached, with a board torn over how to handle embezzlement by the founder's brother and growing concern that donor money and pension funds had been plundered in the insider scheme.

Minutes from a meeting ACORN held in Los Angeles last summer reveal a group then on the brink of financial collapse. "Currently owe over $800k to IRS," the minutes note. "Haven't paid medical bills of over $300k. We are essentially 'broke' nationally and lots of offices are struggling."
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Some top ACORN officials tried to shield the scheme, which involved Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke. "Leadership has no faith in staff. Wade betrayed them," the minutes said.

The documents present a troubling picture of one of the nation's leading social justice advocacy groups, with more than 400,000 members, offices in 75 cities and an expanding international presence.

ACORN, or Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, was founded in 1970 and is supported in part by government grants. It has forged relationships with banks, federal and state agencies, and nonprofit groups that have made it a major force in helping low-income families buy homes and in bringing marginalized voters to the polls. The ACORN political action committee endorsed Barack Obama in February 2008.

ACORN said in a statement Saturday that it has taken "decisive action" to correct problems detailed in the documents, which it said were stolen and leaked to investigators for a House oversight committee. Spokesman Brian Kettenring said ACORN has reorganized, severed its connections to Wade Rathke and "been made whole relative to the monies stolen in 1999-2000." He also said that "arrangements have been or are being made to correct all tax delinquencies."

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: curmudgeon
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 10:36 AM

Still beating the dead horse?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 10:12 AM

"They do a hell of a lot of good for the disenfranchised."

Reality: Family members embezzle money intended to help the poor:

NYT:

A whistle-blower forced Acorn to disclose the embezzlement, which involved the brother of the organization's founder, Wade Rathke.

The brother, Dale Rathke, embezzled nearly $1 million from Acorn and affiliated charitable organizations in 1999 and 2000, Acorn officials said, but a small group of executives decided to keep the information from almost all of the group's board members and not to alert law enforcement.

Dale Rathke remained on Acorn's payroll until a month ago, when disclosure of his theft by foundations and other donors forced the organization to dismiss him.

"We thought it best at the time to protect the organization, as well as to get the funds back into the organization, to deal with it in-house," said Maude Hurd, president of Acorn. "It was a judgment call at the time, and looking back, people can agree or disagree with it, but we did what we thought was right."

The amount Dale Rathke embezzled, $948,607.50, was carried as a loan on the books of Citizens Consulting Inc., which provides bookkeeping, accounting and other financial management services to Acorn and many of its affiliated entities.

Wade Rathke said the organization had signed a restitution agreement with his brother in which his family agreed to repay the amount embezzled in exchange for confidentiality.

Wade Rathke stepped down as Acorn's chief organizer on June 2, the same day his brother left, but he remains chief organizer for Acorn International L.L.C.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: curmudgeon
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 10:12 AM

Sawzaw's Source (Wikipedia):

EPI has has been widely quoted in news stories regarding minimum wage issues, and although a few of those stories have correctly described it as a "think tank financed by business," most stories fail to provide any identification that would enable readers to identify the vested interests behind its pronouncements. Instead, it is usually described exactly the way it describes itself, as a "non-profit research organization dedicated to studying public policy issues surrounding employment growth" that "focuses on issues that affect entry-level employment." In reality, EPI's mission is to keep the minimum wage low so Berman's clients can continue to pay their workers as little as possible.

EPI also owns the internet domain names to MinimumWage.com and LivingWage.com, a website that attempts to portray the idea of a living wage for workers as some kind of insidious conspiracy. "Living wage activists want nothing less than a national livingwage," it warns (as though there is something wrong with paying employees enough that they can afford to eat and pay rent).

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 09:54 AM

"getting paid a living wage."Utter BullshiT

Employment Policies Institute:

"Despite its ardent support of higher wages and union membership for all workers, ACORN has made repeated attempts to block the unionization of its own work force while paying below-minimum-wage salaries to its employees. In addition to the extensive union-busting detailed by the National Labor Relations Board, ACORN unsuccessfully sued the State of California to be exempted from the minimum wage."

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 09:46 AM

New York rolls Acorn under da bus:

AP:

New York Gov. David Paterson has ordered state agencies to examine contracts with ACORN and place holds on them in the meantime.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 06:06 PM

ACORN already has the networks and staff and basic expertise....seems to me it would be better to HELP them, if they are stretched thin, rather than shutting them down.

But that isn't the real issue, is it? The basic issue is: what they are doing, when they do it well and legally and carefully, automatically helps Democrats more than Republicans. Getting them to fail is a goal for certain parties, even if the good done by ACORN falls in the process.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 05:28 PM

No they don't. Not yet. We still don't know what really happened in those offices because we've only seen highly edited videos.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 05:15 PM

They tell us something about the training the people staffing the various offices though.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 04:54 PM

They do a hell of a lot of good for the disenfranchised. They help people with home ownership, voting, and getting paid a living wage. Those videos don't tell us a thing about the quality of the service that ACORN provides.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 04:28 PM

To advocate for someone probably won't do the person any good unless the advocate can do something constructive. If they are helping people fill out tax returns, for instance, they should be trained in tax law and have some kind of credentials to demonstrate they know what they are doing. I don't mean they need to be CPA's but they should have something.

             The people in the recent video-tapes really didn't appear to me to have any idea what they were talking about. It gave the impression that people running ACORN offices everwhere were in the same boat.