ACORN

===target by beck et al; have i ever written this up? (acorn in moderation 919)moncrier rentatom  "whistleblower "lawyers CIR/WLFsee bak (new info too)
note color below

===

cns bs

<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important;">“There is a push in Minnesota to get so many people in the mail process,” Braden, former chief counsel for the Republican National Committee, said during an election law panel at CPAC.   Because of local government resources there, cities rejected less than 1 percent of absentee ballots, while rural areas rejected more than 10 percent, Braden said.   “This is a clear violation of the equal protection clause,” Braden said. “More mail-in votes results in many disenfranchised voters.”   The Minnesota Senate race is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. But beyond that single state, the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) also poses a threat to clean elections, said<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important;"> Heather Heidelbaugh, vice president of the Republican National Lawyers Association<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important;">, which brought suit against ACORN in Pennsylvania.  Heidelbaugh said ACORN will probably get money to help conduct the 2010 Census. [REDMAP?!]  “The one thing worse than having Al Franken in the Senate is to have ACORN conducting the Census,” Heidelbaugh said during the CPAC panel.   Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, who supervised that state’s election system, called the effort to move the Census under control of the White House an indicator that “team Obama has its sights set on the greatest accumulation of power we have ever witnessed.” - See more at: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/liberal-groups-are-undermining-voter-id-laws-say-conservative-election-experts#sthash.4ESbnbsy.dpuf

=
<h3 class="r"><a href="https://www.bakerlaw.com/emarkbraden">E. Mark Braden | BakerHostetler</a></h3><div class="s"><div><div class="f kv SWb" style="white-space:nowrap"><cite class="Rm">https://www.bakerlaw.com/emarkbraden</cite></div></div></div><div class="g"><div class="rc" data-hveid="29"><div class="s"><div><div class="f kv SWb" style="white-space:nowrap"><div class="crc"><div class="crl" data-async-context="res:0;ri:;site:bakerlaw.com" data-async-trigger="cra-0-filled" data-ved="0ahUKEwiGkf_3qdrNAhVK5yYKHV5xDTkQ5CsIIjAA">BakerHostetler</div></div></div>Mark Braden concentrates his work principally on the law of the political ... Mark spent 10 years as Chief Counsel to the Republican National Committee prior to ... of George Washington University and former Special Election Law Counsel to ...</div></div></div></div><div class="g"><div class="rc" data-hveid="35"><h3 class="r"><a href="https://www.bakerlaw.com/news/mark-braden-named-2014-republican-lawyer-of-the-year">Mark Braden Named 2014 Republican Lawyer of the Year ...</a></h3><div class="s"><div><div class="f kv SWb" style="white-space:nowrap"><cite class="Rm">https://www.bakerlaw.com/.../mark-braden-named-2014-republican-la...</cite></div></div></div></div></div><div class="g"><div class="rc" data-hveid="35"><div class="s"><div><div class="f kv SWb" style="white-space:nowrap"><div class="crc"><div class="crl" data-async-context="res:1;ri:;site:bakerlaw.com" data-async-trigger="cra-1-filled" data-ved="0ahUKEwiGkf_3qdrNAhVK5yYKHV5xDTkQ5CsIKDAB">BakerHostetler</div></div></div>Jul 1, 2014 - Of Counsel Mark Braden was named 2014 Republican Lawyer of the Year ... (Past special guests have included former Attorneys General, ... He spent 10 years as Chief Counsel to the Republican National Committee prior to ...</div></div></div></div><div class="g"><div class="rc" data-hveid="42"><h3 class="r"><a href="https://www.rnla.org/bio/BioDetail.asp?MemberID=620">Mark Braden - Republican National Lawyers Association | (RNLA)</a></h3><div class="s"><div><div class="f kv SWb" style="white-space:nowrap"><cite class="Rm">https://www.rnla.org/bio/BioDetail.asp?...</cite></div></div></div></div></div><div class="f kv SWb" style="white-space:nowrap"><div class="crc"><div class="crl" data-async-context="res:2;ri:;site:rnla.org" data-async-trigger="cra-2-filled" data-ved="0ahUKEwiGkf_3qdrNAhVK5yYKHV5xDTkQ5CsIMDAC">Republican National Lawyers Association</div></div></div>Mr. Braden spent ten years as Chief Counsel to the Republican National Committee prior to joining Baker & Hostetler. He has worked intimately with many ...

<a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95696267">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95696267</a>

2008 overby

<h1 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 15px 0px 11px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 1.125; vertical-align: baseline;">ACORN Has Long Been In Republicans' Cross Hairs</h1>Republicans continued the drumbeat of allegations against ACORN on

Tuesday. Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, the Republican

National Committee and others accuse the grassroots group of widespread

voter registration fraud. It's the latest, and most bitter, battle in a

long conflict between conservatives and ACORN.

ACORN, which

stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now,

makes no secret of its progressive tilt. Its top job isn't CEO, it's

chief organizer.

"We're like a community union," says Bertha

Lewis, the interim chief organizer. "Our folks are low and moderate

income. And we've been doing the fight on bread-and-butter issues for 38

years."

Those bread-and-butter issues have recently included

predatory lending and mortgages. Not long ago, ACORN forced Countrywide

Financial into an agreement to help homeowners trapped in their subprime

loans. In 1996, it led a campaign in Philadelphia to stop Pennsylvania

from selling liquor stores to raise money for sports arenas.

"We have huge needs around education, around housing, around jobs

programs, around social services," Bruce Dorpalen of ACORN Housing said

at the time. "And to devote that kind of money to sports stadiums is

just wrong."

At a 2006 rally in Miami, ACORN featured a friend

who now seems surprising: McCain. As a senator, he was pushing an

immigration reform bill supported by ACORN and other progressive groups.

ACORN members waved "McCain '08" signs at the rally as McCain said,

"What makes America special is what's in this room tonight. That's what

makes America special."

Now, McCain's campaign has accused

ACORN of flooding America's polling places with illegal voters. The

campaign and the RNC also have played up Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's

ties to ACORN.

Obama responded Tuesday, calling his relationship to the group "pretty straightforward."

In

1995, Obama said, he represented ACORN in a lawsuit against the state

of Illinois. "My partner in that representation was the U.S. Justice

Department, in having Illinois implement what was called the motor voter

law, to make sure that people could go to DMVs and driver's license

facilities to get registered. It wasn't being implemented," he said.

There

are other connections that conservatives have highlighted. Obama ran a

voter-registration project in Chicago in 1992 under the banner of

Project Vote, and years later, the national Project Vote affiliated with

ACORN. Earlier this year, his presidential campaign indirectly paid

ACORN more than $800,000 for campaign work in the primaries. And ACORN's

political action committee has endorsed Obama.

But conservatives have been after ACORN for years.

"It

is an organization that has a very outsized role in the democratic

process," says Tim Miller of the business-backed Employment Policies

Institute, which produced a 2006 report titled "Rotten ACORN, America's

Bad Seed."

Miller points to the ouster of ACORN's founder

earlier this year after the controller, the founder's brother, had

embezzled nearly a million dollars.

"When you think about a

truly transparent organization, there would never be any way somebody

could embezzle such a large amount," he says.

The Employment

Policies Institute also criticizes ACORN's organizational structure.

ACORN has dozens of subsidiaries. Some get federal funds. Some get money

from charities such as the liberal Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and

the not-so-liberal Bank of America Charitable Foundation.

Miller

says ACORN moves money around among the subsidiaries. He says it

"essentially gives them a cloak that prevents people from seeing really

how they're spending money that comes, in some cases, from the

taxpayers, in other cases, comes from members of their organization who

pay dues."

But right now, voter fraud is the GOP's top campaign

message. The Republican National Committee produced an online ad called

"ACORN Chicago" that reads: "Nationwide voter fraud. Barack Obama. Bad

judgment. Blind ambition. Too risky for America."

Lewis,

ACORN's chief organizer, says the group's profile has never been so

high. "This election, this linking us to Obama in order to try to damage

him, that's a great opportunity," she says.

Will Evans of the Center for Investigative Reporting contributed to this piece.

==

Fox Still Ignoring That IRS Targeted Progressives

Blog ››› August 21, 2013 10:48 AM EDT ››› ZACHARY PLEAT

A day after a Democratic congressman revealed further evidence that the IRS targeted progressive groups, Fox News is still ignoring the story by continuing to suggest that the IRS targeted only conservative groups.

The August 20 edition of On the Record and the August 21 edition of Fox & Friends both highlighted a <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/317247-news-organization-sues-for-irs-training-documents" style="outline: none; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">lawsuit</a> filed against the IRS that seeks to review the agency's guidelines for determining whether an organization deserves tax-exempt status, following <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/317247-news-organization-sues-for-irs-training-documents" style="outline: none; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">reports</a> that the agency inappropriately imposed extra scrutiny on conservative organizations. But in neither of the segments, which together devoted a total of six minutes to the topic, did Fox find the time to mention the fact that <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/08/20/fox-news-ignores-latest-evidence-that-progressi/195499" style="outline: none; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">new evidence</a> <a href="http://democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/press-release/new-documents-highlight-irs-scrutiny-progressive-groups" style="outline: none; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">released</a> August 20 effectively ends the IRS "scandal" the network has been <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/194966" style="outline: none; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">hyping</a> for <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/194495" style="outline: none; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">months</a>.

On August 20, Salon <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/20/irs_targeted_acorn_too/singleton/" style="outline: none; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);">reported</a> that the new documents reinforced evidence proving the IRS targeted progressive groups as well:

We already know that the IRS targeted progressive groups in addition to Tea Party ones, but new information released today adds further details, showing that the tax agency also targeted "ACORN successors" and left-leaning "Emerge" groups. Emerge Nevada, Emerge Maine and Emerge Massachusetts were the only groups to have their applications actually denied 501(c)4 tax-exempt status. Conservative groups had their applications delayed, in some cases for over a year, but not rejected outright.

Democrats say the new information should put to rest any lingering embers of the IRS scandal. "This new information should put a nail in the coffin of the Republican claims that the IRS's actions were politically motivated or were targeted at only one side of the political spectrum," said Elijah Cummings, the Maryland Democrat who is the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee.

The term "Emerge" had been redacted from an earlier version of a document released by the IRS, but was present on a newer version made available today. The new documents also showed that successors to ACORN, the liberal grass-roots organizing group that became a bugaboo of conservatives and that Congress defunded (again and again). The instructions on "ACORN successors" came on a BOLO (be on the lookout) list that included healthcare organizations, medical marijuana groups, newspapers, open source technology groups and other non-political organizations.

</blockquote>

<p style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-top: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A day later, Fox News has yet to report on these revelations.

===

rt understands network attack?  who are they trying to neutralize? acorn did reinvent? one guy went to srs
[ this network war?]

===

WASHINGTON -- When House GOP leaders <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/31/house-republican-budget_n_3684582.html" target="_hplink">abruptly shelved</a> a bill to fund standard federal transportation and housing programs last Wednesday, one of the legislation's few uncontroversial provisions was a section banning funds for the anti-poverty group ACORN. Had Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) been able to pass the bill, it would have marked the 13th time that Republicans have voted to block federal funding for ACORN since the GOP took over the lower chamber in 2011.

Oddly, however, ACORN, or the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, does not exist. And it did not exist at any time when the House GOP has held a vote on ACORN's access to government monies -- the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/22/acorn-disbanding-embattle_n_508893.html" target="_hplink">group disbanded in the spring of 2010</a>.

Just why, exactly, the House GOP keeps voting to ban funding for an organization that was extinguished more than three years ago remains something of a mystery, and the subject of Democratic ridicule.

"Word is the majority will also prohibit foreign aid to the Ottoman Empire this year," a Democratic congressional aide snarked to HuffPost. (Like ACORN, the Ottoman Empire does not exist.)

"Thirteen votes to defund a program that no longer exists. Forty votes to repeal a health care law that is transforming millions of lives," said Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), comparing the anti-ACORN legislation to the House GOP's routine votes to repeal Obamacare. "If their agenda is to do nothing on a timeline of never, they're setting record pace."

A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) declined to comment on the ACORN legislation and directed questions to Jennifer Hing, spokeswoman for the GOP majority on the House Appropriations Committee. Hing has <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/acorn-gop-budget-bill_n_2810345.html" target="hplink">repeatedly</a> told HuffPost that the defunding of ACORN is a "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/04/defund-acorn_n_3384060.html" target="hplink">standard provision</a>" that goes into <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/house-gop-acorn_n_3672557.html?1375133611" target="_hplink">most appropriations bills</a>.

Unlike most anti-poverty groups, ACORN was actually staffed by low-income people. The organization was never popular among conservative political groups. Republican politicians and right-wing activists had targeted the organization for decades, accusing ACORN of broad voter fraud conspiracies without ever turning up anything other than a few <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/2008/10/acorn-accusations/" target="_hplink"> isolated, usually accidental, violations</a>.

All of that changed in the fall of 2009, when conservative provocateur James O'Keefe released selectively edited videos that appeared to show ACORN employees offering advice on tax avoidance related to prostitution and child smuggling. Independent investigations by the <a href="http://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/brown-releases-report-detailing-litany-problems-acorn-no-criminality" target="hplink">California attorney general</a>, the <a href="http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/acorn_report_finds_no_illegal_conduct.php" target="hplink">Massachusetts attorney general</a> and the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/b-klyn-acorn-cleared-giving-illegal-advice-hide-money-prostitution-article-1.176119" target="hplink">Brooklyn, N.Y., district attorney</a> would later clear ACORN of criminal wrongdoing, and an investigation by the <a href="http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11484.pdf" target="hplink">Government Accountability Office would clear the group</a> of charges that it mishandled federal funds.

Before these investigations were completed, however, Congress cut off federal funding for ACORN using broad language that applied to any organization that had been charged with breaking federal or state election laws, lobbying disclosure laws or campaign finance laws or with filing fraudulent paperwork with any federal or state agency. The funding ban also extended to any employees, contractors or others affiliated with any group so charged. [ATI?]

The funding ban passed in the fall of 2009, and in early 2010, an empty-coffered ACORN disbanded. The House GOP has continued to bar the group from receiving federal cash ever since.

Today, the House Appropriations Committee generally includes a provision to bar funding for ACORN in bills that it approves. But not every bill that clears that committee goes out with anti-ACORN language. Legislation to fund energy and water, for instance, which passed the full House on July 10, made no mention of ACORN.

"The [energy and water] appropriations bill has not carried this provision in the past, and therefore did not carry it this year," said Hing.

Several other appropriations bills -- legislative branch funding and Hurricane Sandy relief aid, for instance -- have not included the boilerplate language regarding ACORN.

When asked if there were any rhyme or reason to the ACORN provisions, Hing told HuffPost, "Some of these were added via amendments on the House floor, so it was a fluid process."

How many times ACORN has been defunded is the subject of mild dispute among experts. While the House GOP has cast 12 different votes in favor of legislative language barring federal funds for ACORN, one of those votes, on June 14, 2011, was cast for two separate bills with anti-ACORN provisions. One of those bills, moreover, included two separate provisions barring funds to ACORN.

The anti-ACORN language at times takes different formulations. A recent bill to fund military projects and the Veterans Administration includes the line, "None of the funds made available in this Act may be distributed to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or its subsidiaries."

Last year's version of the same bill adds "or successors" to the boilerplate.

Some anti-ACORN funding provisions even retroactively ban funds previously appropriated to the organization:

"None of the funds made available under this Act or any prior appropriations Act may be provided to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or allied organizations," reads one 2012 appropriations bill.

<a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr2017eh/pdf/BILLS-112hr2017eh.pdf" target="_hplink">Another version from 2011</a> lists nearly three pages of state and local ACORN chapters -- all defunct -- that are barred from receiving government money.

Democrats have seldom fought the ACORN language, but defunding the group has not always an exclusively partisan proposition.

In the summer of 2010, the GOP successfully pushed two appropriations bills through the House, then led by Speaker Pelosi, that included a ban on funding for ACORN. At the time, the various government investigations into ACORN had not been completed, and many Democrats were wary of appearing sympathetic to the group.

The investigations cleared ACORN, but that did not halt the defunding efforts. When the GOP took control of the House in the November 2010 elections, anti-ACORN language became standard practice in the appropriations committee.

Transportation and housing funding, like the farm bill, were once considered certain to pass in both chambers of Congress. While the political future of basic federal transportation projects remains unclear, whenever House Republicans can find something to agree on, it's a safe bet that an ACORN funding ban will make the cut.

</div>

===

<h1 class="title-news">House Republicans To Defund ACORN Again, Even Though It Still Does Not Exist</h1>

Posted: 06/04/2013

</div>

WASHINGTON -- House Republicans are scheduled to vote on two separate budget bills this week, each of which would reject funding for the poverty activism group ACORN, despite the fact that ACORN disbanded three years ago.

ACORN, also known as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, came under heavy fire in the fall of 2009 after conservative videographer James O'Keefe released a set of selectively edited videos that appeared to show its employees offering advice on tax avoidance related to prostitution and child smuggling. Independent investigations by the California attorney general, the Massachusetts attorney general and the Brooklyn, N.Y., district attorney would later clear ACORN of criminal wrongdoing, and an investigation by the Government Accountability Office would clear ACORN of charges that it mishandled federal funds.

But in the fall of 2009, Congress banned federal funding for ACORN using broad language that applied to "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/22/whoops-anti-acorn-bill-ro_n_294949.html" target="_hplink">any organization</a>" that had been charged with breaking federal or state election laws, lobbying disclosure laws or campaign finance laws or with filing fraudulent paperwork with any federal or state agency. The funding ban also extended to any employees, contractors or others affiliated with any group so charged.

Struggling with the bad publicity and loss of federal funds, ACORN dissolved in early 2010. Just to be sure, however, Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas) included this language in <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr2216rh/pdf/BILLS-113hr2216rh.pdf" target="_hplink">a government funding bill</a> introduced on May 28 of this year: "None of the funds made available in this Act may be distributed to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or its subsidiaries or successors."

Section 545 of <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr2217rh/pdf/BILLS-113hr2217rh.pdf" target="_hplink">a bill put forward the next day</a> by Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) delves still deeper into faux certainty, extending the funding ban to "any prior appropriations Act."

In fact, ACORN has no subsidiaries, because it has not existed for three years. Neither bill defines "successors," but the broad language of <a href="http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3571/text" target="_hplink">the original 2009 funding ban</a> left little room for leeway, extending to "Any State chapter of ACORN registered with the Secretary of State's office in that State," "any organization that shares directors, employees, or independent contractors with ACORN," and any organization that "employs" someone "indicted" for violations that ACORN was initially charged with.

"Is it too late to defund Saddam Hussein?" mocked Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.).

Jennifer Hing, a spokeswoman for House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), defended the passages as routine language that House Republicans always include. "These provisions are typically carried every year in appropriations bills," Hing said.

Indeed, like a game of legislative Mad Libs, the House GOP routinely inserts a similar provision in appropriations bills it approves. In March, the House signed off on a short-term "continuing resolution" budget with language <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/acorn-gop-budget-bill_n_2810345.html" target="_hplink">identical to Culberson's</a>.

The decision of whether to cover prior legislation in the ACORN funding ban is left to individual Appropriations subcommittees, according to Hing. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, chaired by Carter, traditionally includes the retroactive ban. The Culberson and Carter bills are both set for a vote this week.

</div>

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/04/defund-acorn_n_3384060.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/04/defund-acorn_n_3384060.html</a>

===...

For this, the group was killed. Tea Party groups organized rallies, local authorities squeezed the group, and Congress even introduced and passed a bill in 2009 called the “<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/17/congress-votes-strip-acorn-federal-funding/">Defund ACORN Act</a>.” The group, which suffered from other significant legal and financial issues, is now defunct. But in that time, ACORN became a top-tier villain of the right, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/search/index?qstring=ACORN&from=1%2F1%2F2008&to=12%2F31%2F2009">mentioned</a> hundreds of times in 2008 and 2009 by conservative media figures tracked by Media Matters. In later 2009, the pollster PPP asked respondents, “Do you think that Barack Obama legitimately won the Presidential election last year, or do you think that ACORN stole it for him?” Among Republicans, <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/poll-gop-base-thinks-obama-didnt-actually-win-2008-election----acorn-stole-it.php">only 27 percent said Obama actually won</a> the race — 52 percent said that ACORN stole it. Even some GOP congressional candidates <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/doug-hoffman-acorn-has-stolen-ny-23-election.php">blamed their losses</a> on ACORN. ...http://www.salon.com/2012/09/28/gops_acorn_moment/

[vs ken blackwell ohio 2004]

CRC

In mid-October, the Center's president, Terence Scanlon, launched a pre-emptive strike against ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) and its voter registration efforts. Scanlon cast a shadow over ACORN's reports that it had registered over one million new voters. He charged that because of irregularities, the organization was coming under scrutiny by lawmakers "in state after state [where] allegations are surfacing that ACORN activists are padding the registration books."

As a non-profit community-based organizing group, ACORN has been in CRC's radar for several years. According to Scanlon, ACORN, with some 150,000 dues-paying members organized into 65 city chapters, "is better known for public disruption." Its so-called community organizing "has relied on in-your-face confrontation," including a 1995 demonstration targeting then House Speaker Newt Gingrich. "In 2002 it burst into the Heritage Foundation to harangue welfare reform expert Robert Rector. Dozen of city councils and state legislatures have had to face angry ACORN protesters demanding higher minimum wages and more welfare entitlements. Banks have been pressured to change their lending practices or face ACORN charges of discrimination before regulators."

In the constellation that comprises the growing sector of right wing think tanks and policy institutes, the Capital Research Center (CRC) isn't the best funded, the most noteworthy, or the most influential. It doesn't have the largest staff, or the biggest building. Unlike its well-known sister institutions -- the Heritage Foundation (website), the American Enterprise Institute (website) and the Hoover Institution (website)  the Capital Research Center mostly slogs away in relative anonymity.

Don't be fooled by the CRC general lack of buzz-generating activities: For over 20 years, the CRC has been hell-bent on carrying out its mission – defunding and disempowering the progressive non-profit sector and casting a wary eye on the foundations that fund them.

Most of time, however, CRC staffers are busy doing the nuts and bolts of the Center  analyzing how tax-exempt, tax-deductible organizations combine advocacy and "direct action" to promote their vision of the public interest. And it examines how closely individuals in the corporate and foundation sectors are sticking to the "donor intent" of the founders of these corporations and foundations. CRC's staff gets most infuriated when they discover that foundations that were originally established by free-market entrepreneurs that accumulated enormous wealth based on distinctly anti-environmental activities, provide significant funding support for environmental groups.

---

crc:

The Capital Research Center (CRC) was founded in 1984 by a former Heritage Foundation vice president to implement this agenda by uncovering the presumably questionable funding sources of progressive groups. CRC's central <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Capital_Research_Center%20">assumption</a> has always been that "a unified, sophisticated and well-funded philanthropic elite is dedicated to imposing on us the doctrine of 'progressive' philanthropy, doctrines that would reorder our political, economic and cultural priorities."

The CRC selected ACORN as a favored targed long before almost anybody else had heard of the group. In January 2005, Bill Berkowitz, who regularly reports on right-wing organizations, <a href="http://dissidentvoice.org/Jan05/Berkowitz0111.htm%20">wrote</a>:

"In mid-October of last year, the Center's president, Terence Scanlon, launched a pre-emptive strike against ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) and its voter registration efforts. Scanlon cast a shadow over ACORN's reports that it had registered over one million new voters. He charged that because of irregularities, the organization was coming under scrutiny by lawmakers 'in state after state [where] allegations are surfacing that ACORN activists are padding the registration books'

"As a non-profit community-based organizing group, ACORN has been on the CRC's radar for several years. According to Scanlon, ACORN, with some 150,000 dues-paying members organized into 65 city chapters, 'is better known for public disruption.' Its so-called community organizing 'has relied on in-your-face confrontation,' including a 1995 demonstration targeting then House Speaker Newt Gingrich. 'In 2002 it burst into the Heritage Foundation to harangue welfare reform expert Robert Rector. Dozen of city councils and state legislatures have had to face angry ACORN protesters demanding higher minimum wages and more welfare entitlements. Banks have been pressured to change their lending practices or face ACORN charges of discrimination before regulators.'”

Currently, CRC senior editor Matthew Vadum -- who <a href="http://www.capitalresearch.org/about/bios.html">describes</a> himself as "America's foremost expert on the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)" -- seems to be carrying much of the weight of the anti-ACORN campaign through his blog, <a href="http://twitter.com/Vadum">Twitter</a> feed, and frequent appearances with Glenn Beck and other right-wing TV hosts.

Last May, Vadum <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIxbW-Ta7ME">told</a> Beck, "ACORN is an immense crime family ... that has tentacles all though the United States, and now it's trying to spread to India and Canada and other places. ... They're engaged in racketeering. ... They break the law constantly."

"Something that needs to be explored is the roots of ACORN in the 1960s," Vadum continued. "It grew out of the radical welfare rights movement. And the idea behind that was that not enough people were on welfare and that you needed to pack the welfare rolls with as many people as possible in order to overwhelm the governments -- the various levels of government -- and cause social chaos. ... I guess you could say it was a Marxist-anarchist idea."

Vadum's latest entry at his CRC blog attempts to drag progressive filmmaker Brave New Films into his ACORN-related conspiracy theories. "Unwilling to admit it’s an ongoing criminal conspiracy to defraud the people of the United States of America, ACORN has retained Bolshevik Brave New Films to do some of its dirty work for it," Vadum writes. "The leftist propaganda factory headquartered in Culver City, Calif., has launched a new website, DeFOXamerica.com, which is an effort to shoot the messenger. Fox is the only television network that has taken much of an interest in covering the ACORN scandal which some commentators say is bigger than Watergate. ... It’s not known how much ACORN had to pay Brave New Films, a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit, to shill for it."

[DeFox America's Video on the attacks on ACORN is the video on the upper right-hand side of the screen]

===

[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/02/jon-stewart-on-climategat_n_376672.html Jon Stewart On ClimateGate] see below (too bad JS got punked on

---

see palast bbb

===

palast bbb:

The Hysteria Factory...

Oops. He’s telling a United States attorney to indict citizens, and attacking his failure to “move” when the senator tells him too.

I asked the prosecutor if Rove had him removed as punishment for not bringing the fake cases. “If his intent was, ‘look what happened with Iglesias,’ if that was his intent, he’s in big trouble. That is"obstruction of justice, one classic example.”

Iglesias was screwing them bad. The captain and eight other prosecutors were getting all precious about bringing bogus cases. That was undermining the GOP’s attempt to obtain new voter ID laws. The failure to find illegal voters put the lie to their campaign to prove the nation’s top voter registration organization, ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), had registered fraudulent voters. Getting ACORN was Republican operative Pat Rogers’ obsession, which he made into a national cause of the GOP and other politicians in the White Caucus as lawyer for the “nonpartisan” American Center for Voting Rights. It should have been called, American Center Against Voting. Everything the group proposed would cut the number of citizens voting by millions.

I wanted to ask Rogers why he brought in Rove and why he had Captain Iglesias gunned down. But Rogers didn’t want to answer my formal request for BBC TV. But I figured he couldn’t pass up the free champagne they would pour at a GOP victory party. At the soiree to which I obtained press credentials under another name, I caught Rogers in half-sip with an unseen microphone that captured his personal reviews of my reporting skills. “He’s an asshole,” he told a crony before greeting me warmly as the cameras rolled.

“Iglesias was not capable in his job.” Which was, apparently, hunting ACORN.

“ACORN hired a collection of people who fraudulently registered persons who are not eligible to vote. ACORN is working for the Democratic Party,” said Rogers. (He wore a flag lapel pin the party handed to all the champagne sippers. They gave me one of the Republican freebie flags. I still have it in the wrapper. Take a look: Made in China.)

Had Rogers unmasked a conspiracy between ACORN and the Democratic Party covered up from them by US Attorney Iglesias, a Republican? Wow!

<div>

"Conspiracy,” said Rogers mysteriously," is a loose word.” Rogers is fond of loose words. He’d recently held a press conference waving a list of a half-dozen fraudulent voters registered by ACORN. With his full house of illegal voters, Rogers made a huge splash in the papers. Then Iglesias made a total ass out of Rogers, by not busting even one.

What the hell, even a jerk reporter like me will give Rogers a chance. I checked out all six of these ne'er-do-wells, these fugitives from justice. I began at a diner in Cerritos where I tracked Melissa Tais, notorious for allowing another voter with another signature to use her name so she and her confederate could vote twice.

Actually, what she’d done was fill out one registration form at an ACORN table, but never received the receipt. So, following the law’s requirements, she reregistered, this time signing while holding the form in her hand so the signature was a little shaky—resulting in two admittedly different-looking signatures.

So, did she vote twice? No. County officials hauled her into a hearing and it shook her up so much she wouldn't vote at all. And that’s what they wanted.

But Iglesias wouldn’t play and ACORN continued to register Hispanic and low-income voters until 2009, when Andrew Breitbart (who has since returned to the bosom of Satan) blew up some cockamamie sting {okeefe?]which had nothing to do with voting—and put ACORN out of the registration business. (ACORN’s one-time lawyer, Barack Obama, averted his gaze as the media jackals savaged the poor folks’ group, then paid for his pusillanimity in 2010 when Congress flipped color from Blue to Red.)

The US attorney firings occurred just in time for the 2008 election. Iglesias wasn’t alone, of course. Tom Heffelfinger, Republican US attorney for Minnesota, was on the hit list for defending Native American voters from an attack by the GOP’s Minnesota secretary of state. Iglesias called his buddy in Arkansas who was taken down for similar pangs of conscience, but agreed to step aside without a fight so his friend, President Bush, could make his own choice.

And Bush’s choice was...Tim Griffin.

"In mid-October of last year, the Center's president, Terence Scanlon, launched a pre-emptive strike against ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) and its voter registration efforts. Scanlon cast a shadow over ACORN's reports that it had registered over one million new voters. He charged that because of irregularities, the organization was coming under scrutiny by lawmakers 'in state after state [where] allegations are surfacing that ACORN activists are padding the registration books'

Currently, CRC senior editor Matthew Vadum -- who <a href="http://www.capitalresearch.org/about/bios.html">describes</a> himself as "America's foremost expert on the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)" -- seems to be carrying much of the weight of the anti-ACORN campaign through his blog, <a href="http://twitter.com/Vadum">Twitter</a> feed, and frequent appearances with Glenn Beck and other right-wing TV hosts.

Last May, Vadum <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIxbW-Ta7ME">told</a> Beck, "ACORN is an immense crime family ... that has tentacles all though the United States, and now it's trying to spread to India and Canada and other places. ... They're engaged in racketeering. ... They break the law constantly."

"Something that needs to be explored is the roots of ACORN in the 1960s," Vadum continued. "It grew out of the radical welfare rights movement. And the idea behind that was that not enough people were on welfare and that you needed to pack the welfare rolls with as many people as possible in order to overwhelm the governments -- the various levels of government -- and cause social chaos. ... I guess you could say it was a Marxist-anarchist idea."

Vadum's latest entry at his CRC blog attempts to drag progressive filmmaker Brave New Films into his ACORN-related conspiracy theories. "Unwilling to admit it's an ongoing criminal conspiracy to defraud the people of the United States of America, ACORN has retained Bolshevik Brave New Films to do some of its dirty work for it," Vadum writes. "The leftist propaganda factory headquartered in Culver City, Calif., has launched a new website, DeFOXamerica.com, which is an effort to shoot the messenger. Fox is the only television network that has taken much of an interest in covering the ACORN scandal which some commentators say is bigger than Watergate. ... It��s not known how much ACORN had to pay Brave New Films, a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit, to shill for it."

[DeFox America's Video on the attacks on ACORN is the video on the upper right-hand side of the screen]

</div>

===

<h1>Let's Take the GOP's Zombie ACORN Probe Completely Seriously</h1>

The community organizing collective ACORN may be disbanded but that doesn't mean Republicans are finished crusading against its former employees and tying them to the left-wing-tinged Occupy Wall Street movement. On Monday, House Oversight Committee chairman Darrell Issa called for an investigation into New York Communities for Change, a group that works out of ACORN's former Brooklyn offices and is staffed by many of its former employees, for engaging "in fraud through its participation in the Occupy Wall Street protests." The basic ingredients of Occupy Wall Street, ACORN and fraud make for an intoxicating cocktail of right-wing preoccupations not likely to wear off. So let's begin by taking the allegations completely and utterly seriously.

The critical allegations against New York Communities for Change (NYCC), according to Issa's <a href="http://crocodoc.com/OyY9zuS">letter</a> [PDF] to the U.S. attorney general in New York, are that it "solicited donations from union members under false pretenses and misappropriated those funds to support the protesters" of Occupy Wall Street. The allegations stem from a Fox News <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/26/exclusive-acorn-playing-behind-scenes-role-in-occupy-movement/">report</a> published on October 26 citing anonymous sources working at NYCC accusing the organization of collecting cash donations for a United Federation of Teachers fundraising drive and giving the money to Occupy Wall Street.

Sources who participated in the teachers union campaign said NYCC supervisors gave them the addresses of union members and told them to go knock on their doors and ask for contributions—and did not mention that the money would go toward Occupy Wall Street expenses. One source said the campaign raked in about $5,000. ...

Sources said staff members also collected door-to-door for NYCC's PCB campaign — which aims to test schools for deadly toxins —but then pooled that money together with cash raised for the teachers union and other campaigns to fund Occupy Wall Street.

</blockquote>

Citing the Fox News report in his letter to the U.S. attorney general, Issa makes two primary allegations: 1) NYCC, a community organizing nonprofit, is funneling money to Occupy Wall Street 2) It's telling donors the money is actually going to a United Federation of Teachers fundraising drive.

NYCC denies both allegations. “We have never given any money to Occupy Wall Street,” said Jon Kest, the executive director of NYCC, to Politico's <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67793.html">Ben Smith</a> on Monday. “It's just absurd.”

But what if Kest is lying? If money raised by NYCC is traced to Occupy Wall Street, could that be considered a crime or misdemeanor?

Not likely.

In the state of New York, groups that want to raise money such as NYCC need to register with the <a href="http://www.charitiesnys.com/home.html">Attorney General's Charities Bureau</a>, a spokesperson at the attorney general's office in New York said. Upon registration, the group must explain how it will use its funds in a type of mission statement. If it wants to donate to outside groups, that must be disclosed and the outside groups must at least be vaguely aligned with the group's mission statement. Otherwise, it's a violation of New York state charities law. So does NYCC's registered mission statement jive with a donation to Occupy Wall Street? Fortunately, for NYCC, it does. Even if Kest is lying about where his group sends its money, a donation to Occupy Wall Street (a movement that deals with economic and social justice) would probably fall within NYCC's mission statement. Here's NYCC's <a href="http://bartlett.ag.ny.gov/Char_Forms/show_details.jsp?id=%7BE06A5C99-3716-427F-B755-C691076C52FC%7D">registration documents</a> and mission statement, available for viewing at the attorney general's charities database.

The undertones of social welfare and economic justice sound awfully familiar to what a sign might read at an Occupy Wall Street protest. So it's not a tough sell to say the two group's interests are aligned. But what about the second allegation: that NYCC employees "lied about how the money would be used"?

According to Fox News sources, the lying was recurrent. “We go to Freeport, Central Islip, Park Slope, everywhere, and we say we’re collecting money for PCBs testing in schools. But the money isn’t going to the campaign," a source told the network.

If those allegations can be proven to be true, it could spell trouble for NYCC, says Gene Takagi, a nonprofit attorney and director of the Nonprofit & Exempt Organizations Law Group. "It's the basic definition of fraud: you can't lie or cheat or deceit about raising funds or how funds are going to be used," he said. "Any individual committing fraud could be subject to criminal penalties and the state could revoke an organization's ability to raise charitable funds."

Still, the devil is in the details. "If they said they were using it for a particular drive and part of that drive is consistent with raising money for Occupy Wall Street, you would say that they hadn't committed fraud," he said. "But if there's no reasonable way the drives are correlated, you could say it would be worth investigating."

Whether U.S. attorney Loretta Lynch of the Eastern District of New York takes Issa up on his request for an investigation is far from certain. "I have no comment as it is a matter of policy that we do not confirm/deny or discuss investigations," said Lynch's spokesman in a <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/07/house-oversight-chair-calls-for-probe-into-acorn-occupy-wall-street/#ixzz1d7kRmret">statement</a>.

Experts we spoke with said they would be surprised if a fraud case was pursued, given the small amount of money reportedly involved. (The Fox News source said that only $5,000 was raised in the fundraising drive in question.)

"For $5,000, I'm not sure that's something that the DA would pursue," said Takagi. Cliff Perlman a partner at the New York-city based law firm <a href="http://www.perlmanandperlman.com/">Perlman & Perlman</a>, which specializes in nonprofit law, agreed. "In my experience, the U.S. attorney and the district attorney don't prosecute cases for those small numbers. It's really hard to get the government to intervene."

<a href="http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2011/11/lets-take-gops-zombie-acorn-probe-completely-seriously-second/44727/">http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2011/11/lets-take-gops-zombie-acorn-probe-completely-seriously-second/44727/</a>

===

succeeded by https://www.facebook.com/accesf

---

Fox Effect:

Color of change boycott GB when he said BO racist (van jones fdr)

GB--> BO'R, Cornyn, bond, mike pense

Several GB listners killed cops, went after pols 152-  aclu and Tides targeted

asked for dirt on sunstein, mark lloyd and carol browner

ACORN hist 1970, to broaden efforts beyond welfare recip, created housing unit that helped 45k ppl, rehab 750 homes [// habitat??]

fdr bro embezzled, ret $ but not reported to law.

1992 BO worked w.

no real fraud; sometimes canvassers made up fake reg for $, but law some places requires ALL to be turned in.

Fox news blamed acorn for subprime  161

BREIBART started at E!Entertinament New, then drudge; used okeefe vids to launch Big Gov't, said it wd change dir of politics in US

may 8 tp sept 18, 09 beck and hannity referred to acorn 1502x  p163 (vs ney and JA 62 x) 163 halliburton 43, Blackwater 4x

GB 1Kx segments on acorn

one acorn staffer spotted put on, so she told o'keefe she'd killed husband, picked up by fox (not checked)

demo led house defunded acorn 345-75, sen 85-15

METHOD: 1) activist lie, 2) massive coverage 3) attack other media for not covering 4) mainstream media picks up  5) media critics praise fox  6) story falls apart after damage done 168-9cf escalator

===

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACORN_2009_undercover_videos_controversy">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACORN_2009_undercover_videos_controversy</a>

matt t breitbart obit:

Furthermore, the <a href="http://www.wnd.com/2009/09/109444/">ACORN videos</a> made by Breitbart and his two young acolytes, Hannah Giles and James O’Keefe – it’s hard not to see the inspired humor behind their elaborate stunt. And anyone who’s heard their proposals before ACORN staffers to bring underage girls over the border as part of a white-(or nonwhite-) slaving startup firm, and doesn’t think the ACORN responses (or non-responses, as it were) were shocking, they’re deluding themselves. In the Baltimore office, they ran the whole underage hooker-den spiel past an ACORN staffer, and got the following response: "You are gonna use three of them – they are gonna be under 16, so you is eligible to get child tax credit and additional child tax credit."

That is seriously messed up material. Did they edit the videos heavily? Hell yes. Did they make ACORN’s behavior out to be a lot worse than it was? Absolutely. But there’s no way to watch the raw footage and not grasp how totally nuts some of this ACORN "counseling" was. We have to give Breitbart that.

Read more: <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/andrew-breitbart-death-of-a-douche-20120301#ixzz1pJAXtUid" style="">http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/andrew-breitbart-death-of-a-douche-20120301#ixzz1pJAXtUid</a>

</div>

<div class="dateblock">October 15, 2008</div>

Republicans continued the drumbeat of allegations against ACORN on Tuesday. Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee and others accuse the grassroots group of widespread voter registration fraud. It's the latest, and most bitter, battle in a long conflict between conservatives and ACORN.

ACORN, which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, makes no secret of its progressive tilt. Its top job isn't CEO, it's chief organizer.

"We're like a community union," says Bertha Lewis, the interim chief organizer. "Our folks are low and moderate income. And we've been doing the fight on bread-and-butter issues for 38 years."

[see above, BLAMED for crash]

Those bread-and-butter issues have recently included predatory lending and mortgages. Not long ago, ACORN forced Countrywide Financial into an agreement to help homeowners trapped in their subprime loans. In 1996, it led a campaign in Philadelphia to stop Pennsylvania from selling liquor stores to raise money for sports arenas.

"We have huge needs around education, around housing, around jobs programs, around social services," Bruce Dorpalen of ACORN Housing said at the time. "And to devote that kind of money to sports stadiums is just wrong."

At a 2006 rally in Miami, ACORN featured a friend who now seems surprising: McCain. As a senator, he was pushing an immigration reform bill supported by ACORN and other progressive groups. ACORN members waved "McCain '08" signs at the rally as McCain said, "What makes America special is what's in this room tonight. That's what makes America special."

Now, McCain's campaign has accused ACORN of flooding America's polling places with illegal voters. The campaign and the RNC also have played up Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's ties to ACORN.

Obama responded Tuesday, calling his relationship to the group "pretty straightforward."

In 1995, Obama said, he represented ACORN in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois. "My partner in that representation was the U.S. Justice Department, in having Illinois implement what was called the motor voter law, to make sure that people could go to DMVs and driver's license facilities to get registered. It wasn't being implemented," he said.

There are other connections that conservatives have highlighted. Obama ran a voter-registration project in Chicago in 1992 under the banner of Project Vote, and years later, the national Project Vote affiliated with ACORN. Earlier this year, his presidential campaign indirectly paid ACORN more than $800,000 for campaign work in the primaries. And ACORN's political action committee has endorsed Obama.

But conservatives have been after ACORN for years.

"It is an organization that has a very outsized role in the democratic process," says Tim Miller of the business-backed Employment Policies Institute, which produced a 2006 report titled "Rotten ACORN, America's Bad Seed."

Miller points to the ouster of ACORN's founder earlier this year after the controller, the founder's brother, had embezzled nearly a million dollars.

"When you think about a truly transparent organization, there would never be any way somebody could embezzle such a large amount," he says.

The Employment Policies Institute also criticizes ACORN's organizational structure. ACORN has dozens of subsidiaries. Some get federal funds. Some get money from charities such as the liberal Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the not-so-liberal Bank of America Charitable Foundation.

Miller says ACORN moves money around among the subsidiaries. He says it "essentially gives them a cloak that prevents people from seeing really how they're spending money that comes, in some cases, from the taxpayers, in other cases, comes from members of their organization who pay dues."

But right now, voter fraud is the GOP's top campaign message. The Republican National Committee produced an online ad called "ACORN Chicago" that reads: "Nationwide voter fraud. Barack Obama. Bad judgment. Blind ambition. Too risky for America."

Lewis, ACORN's chief organizer, says the group's profile has never been so high. "This election, this linking us to Obama in order to try to damage him, that's a great opportunity," she says.

Will Evans of the Center for Investigative Reporting contributed to this piece.

=

breitbart:

<h2>The ACORN "document dump"</h2>

Breitbart announces Dumpster-diving "evidentiary phase" of ACORN "scandal." In a November 23, 2009, BigGovernment.com <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fbiggovernment.com%2F2009%2F11%2F23%2Facorn-scandal-part-2-the-evidentiary-phase%2F" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://biggovernment.com/2009/11/23/acorn-scandal-part-2-the-evidentiary-phase/">entry</a>, Breitbart announced the existence of "20,000 deeply sensitive and highly political documents discovered in the dumpster behind ACORN in San Diego on October 9, nine days after ACORN was announced to be under state investigation." Breitbart added: "Some might call that 'obstruction of justice.' "

That same day, Derrick Roach, a San Diego-area private investigator, posted an <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fbiggovernment.com%2F2009%2F11%2F23%2Fbreaking-san-diego-acorn-document-dump-scandal%2F" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://biggovernment.com/2009/11/23/breaking-san-diego-acorn-document-dump-scandal/">entry</a> on BigGovernment.com announcing that it was he who had retrieved the documents, which he said "were irresponsibly and brazenly dumped in a public dumpster, without considering laws and regulations as to how sensitive information should be treated." Roach also posted a YouTube video shot on "the evening of the document dump" that, in his words, "shows ACORN operatives clearly engaged in some kind of discussion -- likely related to the activities of that evening."

"Deeply sensitive" documents mainly trash.  Despite claims of "obstruction of justice," neither Breitbart nor Roach offered any evidence that the documents they took from the trash bin behind ACORN's San Diego office had anything to with California Attorney General Jerry Brown's reported investigation into ACORN. Indeed, the limited selection of documents they posted online included a food stamp application, a canvassing form, and redacted documents presumably containing an employee's tax and personal information.

NBC Los Angeles <a href="http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbclosangeles.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FACORN-Documents-Pulled-from-Dumpster.html" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://mediamatters.org/rd?to=http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/politics/ACORN-Documents-Pulled-from-Dumpster.htmlhttp://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/politics/ACORN-Documents-Pulled-from-Dumpster.html">reported</a> on November 23, 2009, that Amy Schur of ACORN's California office stated of the discarded documents: "In early October, when our San Diego staff were doing an office clean-up in preparation for a major 10-station phone bank program being set up in our offices, it appears that included in the piles of garbage being thrown out may have been some documents containing private information." Schur further stated: "Our files were not part of the scope of the visit by the Attorney General's office, and the majority of what was thrown out was junk -- old leaflets, newsletters, etc... It looks like our staff were careless and some documents with personal information were included in the piles of garbage."

----

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-atlas/fake-acorn-pimp-pleads-gu_b_591708.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-atlas/fake-acorn-pimp-pleads-gu_b_591708.html</a>

..very good art'l:

O'Keefe's tapes were misleading, doctored, and edited, yet reported as fact by the right wing press as well as CNN, the Washington Post, and the New York Times, and now the New Yorker.

O'Keefe never posed as a pimp when he talked to ACORN staffers. He presented himself as a friend, or boyfriend, or a colleague of Giles, who was posing as the prostitute. O'Keefe wore a dress shirt and Khakis when he entered ACORN offices, and later spliced in shots of himself wearing the pimp outfit in the final videos to make it appear that he had worn them in the meetings with ACORN. To sensationalize the tape, O'Keefe dressed up in cartoonish pimp garb for the bumpers shown on television. The outlandish costume aimed to make ACORN's African-American intake staff look like buffoons. Despite O'Keefe's refusal to release the original, unedited footage, the media would be duped into erroneously reporting or suggesting that O'Keefe pretended to be her pimp.

ACORN's Baltimore office was just one of ten O'Keefe and Giles entered. In most of the offices ACORN's staff turned the pair away, reported the couple to the police, refused to provide them any aid, and in one case tried to convince the phony prostitute to get counseling. In no ACORN office did employees file any paperwork on the duo's behalf.

Independent investigations of the incident by the former Attorney General of Massachusetts, the Brooklyn District Attorney, California's Attorney General, a federal district court, the Congressional Research Office concluded that ACORN had done nothing illegal, the tapes were doctored, and O'Keefe never posed as a pimp inside ACORN's offices. In an interview with the Washington Independent, Giles admitted that the images of O'Keefe in an outlandish pimp outfit were edited in later. While Mead conceded that the tapes did not expose endemic corruption at ACORN or any evidence of any actual wrongdoing by Baltimore employees, her piece left the overall impression there was something very wrong at ACORN.

Further, like so many other media stories about ACORN, you don't learn anything about the group, besides the scandal. Meade supplies just one fact; ACORN is a "community-organizing association." Was it an effective one? Is the group large, small, new, old? What else did ACORN do besides provide advice? Was it similar to other groups? Why did Breitbart go after ACORN? What is a community organizing association? What is the context for the controversy besides involving Breitbart?

Mead does not report that several scholars say ACORN, a predominately African-American group, is one of the<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-atlas/what-is-acorn-and-why-pro_b_300087.html" target="_hplink"> most effective anti-poverty groups</a> in the country and that it had office in more than 700 neighborhoods of 70 cities across the country. Its 400,000 dues paying low and moderated income members successfully fought banks that engaged in predatory lending, employers that paid poverty wages, and developers that gentrified low-income neighborhoods. There's no mention that ACORN has strengthened our democracy by registering more than a million low-income, minority and young voters, the hardest to register groups in America. Many in the media got the story wrong, but only Jon Stewart (who had joined in the anti-ACORN chorus after the O'Keefe videos were initially broadcast) made a public correction. He devoted a segment on his January 27, 2010 Daily Show to making fun of O'Keefe's credibility and praising ACORN for doing "God's work."

Inaccurate reporting by the mainstream press about the accusations against ACORN began with the voter fraud controversy. For example, ACORN itself reported voter-registration irregularities to authorities, as required by law, yet 80 percent of the print and broadcast stories about ACORN's alleged voter fraud failed to mention that.

The voter fraud allegations and the O'Keefe videos led to ACORN's lost credibility with foundations and one-time political allies. Congress voted to cut off ACORN's federal funds (a tiny part of its overall budget) and to end ACORN's ability to provide free tax preparation clinics for the poor and to help Census workers recruit people to fill out the forms. Because of the pivotal role the video deception had in bringing down ACORN, the New Yorker should make a correction and perhaps even do some honest journalism about ACORN's success.

I am beginning to believe that most well-paid liberal journalists, who are unfamiliar with urban issues and what it's like to be poor in a wealthy society, are quick to believe any story about an African American group screwing up.

Issa atack

-----

media matters

<a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/201107130050">http://mediamatters.org/research/201107130050</a>

"scandal was proven" ??

---

<a href="http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/taking_stock_of_the_acorn_sting.php">http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/taking_stock_of_the_acorn_sting.php</a>

Conservatives and Republicans have longed waged a campaign against ACORN, focused mainly on the group's voter registration activities. During the 2008 cycle, ACORN, by <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0724-07.htm">its own tally</a>, helped register over 1.3 million low-income, minority, and young -- in other words, predominantly Democratic -- voters across the country. As Steve Staneck, of the conservative Heartland Institute <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/15/eveningnews/main5313869.shtml">put it</a> to CBS News this week: "[ACORN] has no business trying to organize voter registration because it has shown time and time again that it cannot be trusted to do that."

---

Yesterday, TPM reported that 76 House Republicans want to <a target="blank" href="http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/gop-honors-tea-party-marchers----and-inflates-their-numbers.php">officially commend</a> the 9/12 tea partiers' march. Today, the Washington Independent <a target="blank" href="http://washingtonindependent.com/65443/resolution-to-honor-acorn-sting-video-stalls-out">unearths</a> a similar resolution, introduced earlier this month, to honor the "fact-finding reporting" done by Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe III, the "government watchdogs" who filmed undercover video of ACORN.

Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) introduced the resolution to honor the "exemplary actions" of the young conservatives, who dressed up as a prostitute and a pimp and secretly filmed ACORN workers giving them advice on how to commit fraud. Giles and James "are owed a debt of gratitude by the people of the United States," the resolution reads.

The videos led to a vote in the House to de-fund ACORN, a large community organization that advocates for the poor (and a favorite target of conservatives). Because of that, reads the resolution, the sting videos "resulted in the potential annual savings of millions of taxpayer dollars."

Olson's managed to get just two co-sponsors for his resolution. The 9/12 resolution, introduced by Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), on the other hand, has 75 co-sponsors.

=

<h1>FLASHBACK: 31 House Republicans Supported Resolution Honoring Alleged Felon James O'Keefe</h1>

<div class="post-pub-info">January 26, 2010  — Matt Finkelstein</div>

Today, the FBI <a href="/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nola.com%2Fpolitics%2Findex.ssf%2F2010%2F01%2Facorn_gotcha_man_arrested_for.html">arrested</a> James O'Keefe, the conservative activist who posed as a pimp and filmed the undercover videos that led Congress to defund ACORN.  O'Keefe is accused of participating in a conspiracy to tamper with phones in the New Orleans office of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA).  According to NOLA.com:

Also arrested were Joseph Basel, Stan Dai and Robert Flanagan, all 24. Flanagan is the son of William Flanagan, who is the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, the office confirmed. All four were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony.

According to the FBI affidavit, Flanagan and Basel entered the federal building at 500 Poydras Street about 11 a.m. Monday, dressed as telephone company employees,��wearing jeans,  fluorescent green vests, tool belts, and hard hats. When they arrived at Landrieu's 10th floor office, O'Keefe was already in the office and had told a staffer he was waiting for someone to arrive.

</blockquote>

As Dave Weigel <a href="/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Fwashingtonindependent.com%2F74832%2Facorn-investigator-james-okeefe-arrested">notes</a>, "O'Keefe had become a conservative media star since the ACORN sting." Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) even <a href="/rd?to=http%3A%2F%2Folson.house.gov%2Findex.cfm%3Fsectionid%3D34%26sectiontree%3D21%2C22%2C34%26itemid%3D193">introduced a resolution praising O'Keefe</a> and his partner, would-be prostitute Hannah Giles, for "their diligent investigative journalism." In a statement announcing the resolution, Olson said, "Hannah and James should be applauded for their efforts to root out corruption and abuse of federal tax dollars." He also claimed O'Keefe was "setting an example for concerned citizens across America."

</div>

<a href="http://www.salon.com/news/acorn/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/01/26/okeefe">http://www.salon.com/news/acorn/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/01/26/okeefe</a>

acorn cleared<a href="http://www.salon.com/news/acorn/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/01/26/okeefe">http://www.salon.com/news/acorn/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/01/26/okeefe</a>

<div class="story_preview" id="story_preview_mps2028194">Just over a month ago, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brooklynda.org/press_releases/pr_mar_10.htm#01">announced</a> that his office had found no criminal wrongdoing by ACORN -- despite that infamous videotape produced by James O'Keefe III, showing staffers in the local office supposedly advising "prostitute" Hannah Giles how to avoid taxes. The prosecutor's findings predictably drew little attention from the mainstream and right-wing media that blared O'Keefe's videotapes so relentlessly last year, as if he had uncovered a massive scandal...</div>

But with California Attorney General Jerry Brown's release of unedited videotapes of the ACORN "stings" in San Diego and Los Angeles -- which demonstrate clearly how editing distorted those events -- the Brooklyn probe takes on added significance. Just like Brown, Hynes said he had concluded that "no criminality has been found," and just like Brown, Hynes got access to the unedited tapes that O'Keefe's producer, Andrew Breitbart, has refused to release more generally.

What did Hynes learn from the unedited tapes? His spokesman says the district attorney cannot discuss the case beyond the two-sentence press release sent out by his office. But a "law enforcement source" <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/03/01/2010-03-01_bklyn_acorn_cleared_over_giving_illegal_advice_on_how_to_hide_money_from_prostit.html#ixzz0kS5KUzrR">told the Daily News</a> that the unedited tapes left a very different impression than the chopped segments that Fox News Channel aired so many times. "They edited the tape to meet their agenda," said the source, referring to O'Keefe and Giles.

</div>

video

<a href="http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/07/rachel_maddow_acorn_tapes">http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/07/rachel_maddow_acorn_tapes</a>

but he did say i have contacts ?)

=

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/17/AR2009091704805.html?hpid=topnews">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/17/AR2009091704805.html?hpid=topnews</a>

Giles did not respond to phone calls and requests through Townhall.com editor Jonathan Garthwaite for an interview. Her father, Doug Giles of the radical Clash Church in Miami, had complained of what he called the evils of the Obama administration and its alliance with ACORN.

"What Obama's Town Hall Charade and Pam Anderson's Breasts Have in Common," Doug Giles complained of Obama's "rent-a-mobs" at a health care town hall in New Hampshire. He claimed Obama could "summon a cabal at the drop of a red fez," including "ACORN lug nuts ready to register Mickey Mouse" to vote.

Ron Robinson, director of Young America's Foundation, where Hannah Giles spent the summer learning about how to be a journalist from conservative media experts, said Doug Giles has reason to be proud of how he has raised his daughter.

------

RWW

��

<a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/young-americas-foundation">http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/young-americas-foundation</a>

<ul>

<li>YAF's "Conservative Speakers Program" helps students bring controversial right-wing speakers to college campuses. Some of these speakers include: Ann Coulter, Alabama's Judge Roy Moore, Ward Connerly, Phyllis Schlafly, Ralph Reed, Christina Hoff Sommers, Dinesh D'Souza, David Horowitz, Oliver North, Edwin Meese III, Dan Quayle, Robert Novak, Patrick Buchanan, Jack Kemp, Newt Gingrich, Rep. Steve Largent, Walter Williams, Bay Buchanan, Bob Barr, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Michael Medved, Ben Stein and Kenneth Starr.</li>

<li>

</li>

<li>YAF sponsors the National Journalism Center (NJC). Established in 1977, the NJC sponsors trainings for aspiring student journalists and helps coordinate internships and permanent jobs for its alumni at many mainstream news outlets.</li>

<li>

</li>

<li>YAF holds a national student conference each year, bringing in speakers, educational materials, and providing seminars to help educate America's conservative youth. In 2003 their national conference guest speaker was Vice President Dick Cheney.</li>

</ul>

-----

<a href="http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Young_America_s_Foundation">http://mediamattersaction.org/transparency/organization/Young_America_s_Foundation</a>

YAF sponsors guest speakers, such as Ann Coulter, Ben Stein, and Michelle Malkin, at college campuses across the country. The organization also hosts a number of conferences every year, which attract an array of prominent conservative speakers. Past speakers at YAF conferences include former Congressmen Newt Gingrich, Trent Lott, Tom DeLay, and Jack Kemp, among many others. YAF also runs the National Journalism Center, a conservative media training organization. In 1998, the organization purchased former President Ronald Reagans ranch in California.

<table><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237616); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237616" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Armstrong_Foundation">Armstrong Foundation</a></td><td>$92,500</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">F M Kirby Freedom Center</td><td>$10,000</td><td>12/30/2007</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">Educational programs college level</td><td>$10,000</td><td>12/31/2006</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">National Journalism Center</td><td>$2,500</td><td>12/31/2006</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">National Journalism Center</td><td>$2,500</td><td>12/31/2005</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">Educational programs</td><td>$10,000</td><td>12/31/2004</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">National Journalism Center

Educational programs in journalism</td><td>$5,000</td><td>12/31/2004</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">National Journalism Center

Educational programs in journalism</td><td>$2,500</td><td>12/31/2003</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">National Journalism Center

Educational programs in journalism</td><td>$5,000</td><td>12/31/2002</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">Youth/leadership programs</td><td>$10,000</td><td>12/31/2001</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">National Journalism Center

Educational programs in journalism</td><td>$2,500</td><td>12/31/2001</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">Youth/leadership programs</td><td>$10,000</td><td>12/31/2000</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">Youth programs; Leadership program</td><td>$12,500</td><td>12/31/1999</td></tr><tr class="group_237616"><td class="indent">Youth programs</td><td>$10,000</td><td>9/15/1998</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237622); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237622" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Barbara_and_Barre_Seid_Foundation">Barbara and Barre Seid Foundation</a></td><td>$2,500</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237622"><td class="indent">General support</td><td>$2,500</td><td>12/7/1998</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237624); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237624" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Bill_and_Berniece_Grewcock_Foundation">Bill and Berniece Grewcock Foundation</a></td><td>$73,000</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237624"><td class="indent">Undesignated</td><td>$50,000</td><td>1/1/2006</td></tr><tr class="group_237624"><td class="indent">Undesignated</td><td>$5,000</td><td>1/1/2005</td></tr><tr class="group_237624"><td class="indent">Undesignated</td><td>$5,000</td><td>1/1/2003</td></tr><tr class="group_237624"><td class="indent">Undesignated</td><td>$5,000</td><td>1/1/2002</td></tr><tr class="group_237624"><td class="indent">Undesignated</td><td>$5,000</td><td>1/1/2001</td></tr><tr class="group_237624"><td class="indent">Undesignated</td><td>$2,000</td><td>1/1/2000</td></tr><tr class="group_237624"><td class="indent">Reagan Ranch Historical Trust</td><td>$1,000</td><td>1/1/1998</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237486); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237486" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Castle_Rock_Foundation">Castle Rock Foundation</a></td><td>$105,000</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237486"><td class="indent">General operating</td><td>$30,000</td><td>12/31/2007</td></tr><tr class="group_237486"><td class="indent">General operating support</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/2004</td></tr><tr class="group_237486"><td class="indent">General support for speakers programs on college campuses</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/1999</td></tr><tr class="group_237486"><td class="indent">Support of the Black Speakers Program, which provides conservative African American speakers to campuses; agency helps college students identify conservative speakers for campus</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/1996</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237496); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237496" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Charles_G_Koch_Charitable_Foundation">Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation</a></td><td>$20,000</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237496"><td class="indent">General operating support</td><td>$10,000</td><td>12/31/2007</td></tr><tr class="group_237496"><td class="indent">Educational Programs</td><td>$10,000</td><td>1/1/1998</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237630); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237630" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Charlotte_and_Walter_Kohler_Charitable_Trust">Charlotte and Walter Kohler Charitable Trust</a></td><td>$25,000</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237630"><td class="indent">General operating support</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/2002</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237500); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237500" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Claude_R_Lambe_Charitable_Foundation">Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation</a></td><td>$37,500</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237500"><td class="indent">General operating support</td><td>$12,500</td><td>12/31/2007</td></tr><tr class="group_237500"><td class="indent">Educational Programs</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/1996</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237506); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237506" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/David_H_Koch_Charitable_Foundation">David H. Koch Charitable Foundation</a></td><td>$50,000</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237506"><td class="indent">Concept Design Program Support</td><td>$50,000</td><td>1/1/1999</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237510); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237510" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Earhart_Foundation">Earhart Foundation</a></td><td>$20,000</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237510"><td class="indent">FM Kirby Freedom Center

For general support for the National Journalism Center during calendar year 2002</td><td>$20,000</td><td>1/1/2002</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237513); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237513" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/F_M_Kirby_Foundation">F.M. Kirby Foundation</a></td><td>$1,835,000</td><td>��</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent"> </td><td>$90,000</td><td>1/1/2007</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent"> </td><td>$90,000</td><td>1/1/2006</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent">General support</td><td>$90,000</td><td>1/1/2005</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent">Toward the Reagan Ranch Outreach Center-$50,000</td><td>$135,000</td><td>1/1/2004</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent">General support</td><td>$85,000</td><td>1/1/2003</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent">General support</td><td>$75,000</td><td>1/1/2002</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent">General support</td><td>$75,000</td><td>1/1/2001</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent">General support</td><td>$65,000</td><td>1/1/2000</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent">General support</td><td>$65,000</td><td>1/1/1999</td></tr><tr class="group_237513"><td class="indent">Toward the retirement of Young America's Foundation debt in its acquisition of Rancho del Cielo-$1,000,000</td><td>$1,065,000</td><td>1/1/1998</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237648); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237648" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/JM_Foundation">JM Foundation</a></td><td>$65,000</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237648"><td class="indent">Toward educational activities for students at Rancho del Cielo and the Reagan Ranch Center</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/2004</td></tr><tr class="group_237648"><td class="indent">No purpose given.</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/2001</td></tr><tr class="group_237648"><td class="indent">To support a national lecture series</td><td>$15,000</td><td>1/1/1996</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237549); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237549" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/John_M_Olin_Foundation">John M. Olin Foundation</a></td><td>$70,000</td><td> </td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr class="group_237549"><td class="indent">A program of lectures to promote President Reagan's legacy</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/1999</td></tr><tr class="group_237549"><td class="indent">The promotion of an annual study of college courses</td><td>$20,000</td><td>1/1/1998</td></tr><tr class="group_237549"><td class="indent">To support a lecture tour by Forrest McDonald and Russell Kirk on the bicentennial of the Constitution</td><td>$25,000</td><td>1/1/1986</td></tr></tbody><tbody><tr><td><a onclick="tog(237653); return false;" href="#"><img class="toggler" id="i_237653" src="/static/img/plus.png" alt="" /></a> <a href="/transparency/organization/Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation">Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation</a></td><td>$159,700</td></tr></tbody></table>

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) was a collection of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_organizing" title="Community organizing">community</a>-based organizations in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a> that advocated for low- and moderate-income families by working on neighborhood safety, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_registration" title="Voter registration">voter registration</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care" title="Health care">health care</a>, affordable housing, and other social issues. ACORN had over 400,000 members and more than 1,200 neighborhood chapters<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-csm-2">[3]</a> in over 100 cities across the U.S.,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-about-acorn-3">[4]</a> as well as in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina" title="Argentina">Argentina</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru" title="Peru">Peru</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-4">[5]</a> ACORN was founded in 1970 by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade_Rathke" title="Wade Rathke">Wade Rathke</a> and Gary Delgado.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-5">[6]</a> Maude Hurd has been National President since 1990; Bertha Lewis was appointed CEO in 2008.

ACORN's priorities have included: better housing and wages for the poor, more community development investment from banks and governments, better public schools, and other social justice issues. ACORN pursued these goals through demonstration, negotiation, lobbying for legislation, and voter participation.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-r8144-6">[7]</a> ACORN was composed of a number of legally distinct <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-profit_organization" title="Non-profit organization">non-profit</a> entities including a nationwide <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbrella_organization" title="Umbrella organization">umbrella organization</a> established as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501%28c%29%284%29" title="501(c)(4)" class="mw-redirect">501(c)(4)</a> that performed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying" title="Lobbying">lobbying</a>; local chapters established as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501%28c%29%283%29" title="501(c)(3)" class="mw-redirect">501(c)(3)</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonpartisan_%28American_organizations%29" title="Nonpartisan (American organizations)">nonpartisan</a> charities; and the ACORN Housing Corporation. These entities supported <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_union" title="Labor union" class="mw-redirect">labor-oriented</a> causes.

During the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_elections,_2006" title="United States elections, 2006">2006 mid-term elections</a>, political controversy emerged over voter registration fraud by four ACORN employees.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-KC_MO-7">[8]</a> In 2009, selectively edited videos were released by two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_conservatism" title="US conservatism" class="mw-redirect">conservative</a> activists using a hidden camera to elicit damaging responses from low-level ACORN employees that appeared to advise them how to hide prostitution activities and avoid taxes.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-CA_AG_Report-8">[9]</a> This created a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACORN_2009_undercover_videos_controversy" title="ACORN 2009 undercover videos controversy">nationwide controversy</a> resulting in a loss of funding from government and private donors.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-bankruptcy-9">[10]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-foxnewsvideo-10">[11]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-cbs-11">[12]</a>

By March 2010, 15 of ACORN's 30 state chapters had closed and at least two others had severed ties with ACORN.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-bankruptcy-9">[10]</a> On March 22, 2010, ACORN announced it was closing its remaining affiliated state chapters and disbanding due to falling revenue.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-acornfolds-12">[13]</a> On December 11, 2009, a federal judge in New York, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Gershon" title="Nina Gershon">Nina Gershon</a>, ruled that Congress had violated the Constitution when it passed a resolution barring ACORN from receiving federal funds.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-times-acorn-lorber-13">[14]</a> On August 13, 2010, a federal appeals court reversed that decision, citing a study finding that ACORN received only 10 percent of its funding from federal sources, and thus the resolution did not constitute punishment.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-AP-08-13-10-14">[15]</a>

On November 2, 2010, ACORN filed for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapter_7,Title_11,United_States_Code" title="Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code">Chapter 7</a> liquidation, effectively closing the organization.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-15">[16]</a>

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Issues_and_actions">1 Issues and actions</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Predatory_lending_and_affordable_housing">1.1 Predatory lending and affordable housing</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Living_wages">1.2 Living wages</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Katrina_relief">1.3 Katrina relief</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Education">1.4 Education</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Voter_registration">1.5 Voter registration</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Gun_control">1.6 Gun control</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Home_Defender_Program">1.7 Home Defender Program</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#History">2 History</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#1970.E2.80.931975:_Founding">2.1 1970��1975: Founding</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#1975.E2.80.931980:_Growth_beyond_Arkansas">2.2 1975–1980: Growth beyond Arkansas</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#1981.E2.80.931989:_Reagan_era">2.3 1981��1989: Reagan era</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#1988.E2.80.931998:_Focus_on_housing">2.4 1988��1998: Focus on housing</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#1998.E2.80.932009:_Building_capacity">2.5 1998–2009: Building capacity</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#2010:_ACORN_disbands">2.6 2010: ACORN disbands</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Budget">3 Budget</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Controversies">4 Controversies</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#2008:_Presidential_campaign">4.1 2008: Presidential campaign</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-19"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#2008-2009:_Investigation_of_embezzlement">4.2 2008-2009: Investigation of embezzlement</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-20"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#2009:_Undercover_videos_controversy">4.3 2009: Undercover videos controversy</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-21"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#The_Defund_ACORN_Act">4.4 The Defund ACORN Act</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-22"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#ACORN_name_changes">4.5 ACORN name changes</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-23"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#References">5 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-24"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#Bibliography">6 Bibliography</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-25"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#External_links">7 External links</a></li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Issues and actions">edit</a>] Issues and actions</h2>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Predatory lending and affordable housing">edit</a>] Predatory lending and affordable housing</h3>

ACORN investigates complaints against companies accused of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predatory_lending" title="Predatory lending">predatory lending</a> practices. ACORN also works to support strict state laws against predatory practices, organizes against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreclosure_rescue_scheme" title="Foreclosure rescue scheme">foreclosure rescue scams</a>, and steers borrowers toward loan counseling;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-ACORN_2003-16">[17]</a> Following a three-year campaign, Household International (now owned by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSBC" title="HSBC">HSBC Holdings</a> and renamed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSBC_Finance" title="HSBC Finance">HSBC Finance Corporation</a>), one of the largest <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subprime_lending" title="Subprime lending">subprime lenders</a> in the country, and ACORN announced on November 25, 2003 a proposed settlement of a 2002 national <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class-action_lawsuit" title="Class-action lawsuit" class="mw-redirect">class-action lawsuit</a> brought by ACORN. The settlement created a $72 million foreclosure avoidance program to provide relief to household borrowers who are at risk of losing their homes.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-ACORN_2003-16">[17]</a> The settlement came on the heels of an earlier $484 million settlement between Household, Attorneys General, and bank regulators from all 50 US states.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-17">[18]</a>

ACORN and its affiliates advocate for affordable housing by urging the development, rehabilitation and establishment of housing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trust_%28law%29" title="Trust (law)" class="mw-redirect">trust funds</a> at the local, state, and federal levels.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-a44-18">[19]</a> The group also pushes for enforcement of affordable-housing requirements for developers and promotes programs to help homeowners repair their homes and organize tenant demands.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-a44-18">[19]</a> An ACORN official voiced support for a proposal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton" title="Hillary Clinton" class="mw-redirect">Hillary Clinton</a> made during the presidential primary election to create a federal fund for distressed homeowners.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-19">[20]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Living wages">edit</a>] Living wages</h3>

</div>

</div>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_wage" title="Living wage">Living wage</a> ordinances require private businesses that do business with the government to pay their workers a wage that enables them to afford basic necessities. ACORN has helped pass local living wage laws in 15 cities including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago,Illinois" title="Chicago, Illinois" class="mw-redirect">Chicago</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland,California" title="Oakland, California">Oakland</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver,_Colorado" title="Denver, Colorado" class="mw-redirect">Denver</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York City</a>. ACORN maintains a website that provides strategic and logistical assistance to organizations nationwide.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Katrina relief">edit</a>] Katrina relief</h3>

ACORN members across the country, particularly in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_Coast" title="Gulf Coast" class="mw-redirect">Gulf</a> region, have organized fund-raising and organizing drives to ensure that victims of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina" title="Hurricane Katrina">Hurricane Katrina</a> will receive assistance and will be able to return to affected areas.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>] ACORN's home clean-out demonstration program has gutted and rebuilt over 1,850 homes with the help of volunteers. The ACORN Katrina Survivors Association formed in the aftermath of the storm is the first nationwide organization for Katrina survivors and has been working for equitable treatment for victims. Displaced citizens were bused into the city for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans" title="New Orleans">New Orleans</a> primary and general elections. ACORN says its Housing Services have helped more than 2,000 homeowners affected by the storm and is an official planner working with the city on reconstruction.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-20">[21]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Education">edit</a>] Education</h3>

ACORN pushes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_reform" title="Education reform">education reform</a> usually in the form of organizing neighborhood groups and "community" or "ACORN schools". In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago" title="Chicago">Chicago</a>, ACORN has advocated for a certified teacher to be in every classroom. In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" title="California">California</a>, ACORN has documented the need for textbooks and school repairs. ACORN works with teachers unions to get money for school construction and more funding for schools.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-ACORN_school_overview-21">[22]</a> ACORN also supports school reform and the "creation of alternative public schools" such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_school" title="Charter school">charter schools</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-ACORN_school_overview-21">[22]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-a735-22">[23]</a> ACORN opposed the privatization of some NYC schools, favoring its own Charter School plan.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-23">[24]</a> The ACORN model for schools emphasizes small classes, parent involvement, qualified teachers and "community-oriented curricula".<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-a735-22">[23]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Voter registration">edit</a>] Voter registration</h3>

ACORN has conducted large-scale voter registration drives since at least the 1980s,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-24">[25]</a> focusing primarily on poor and minority citizens.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-APMud-25">[26]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-MiamiFuror-26">[27]</a> During the 2008 election season, ACORN gathered over 1.3 million voter registration forms in 21 states. Some of these registration forms were flagged by ACORN's internal auditors for review by election officials. It was estimated by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Vote" title="Project Vote">Project Vote</a> that 400,000 registrations collected by ACORN were ultimately rejected, the vast majority for being duplicate registrations submitted by citizens (which is also common at government voter registration services according to reports on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Voter_Registration_Act" title="National Voter Registration Act" class="mw-redirect">National Voter Registration Act</a> by the U.S. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Assistance_Commission" title="Election Assistance Commission">Election Assistance Commission</a>). An unknown number of registrations were fraudulent, but Project Vote estimated that only a few percent were based on past years and samples from some drives in 2008.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-NYTTally-27">[28]</a> No official in states where voter registration drives were conducted have come forward with substantial numbers of fraudulent registrations. It was estimated by Project Vote that 450,000 of the registrations collected by ACORN represented first-time voters, while the remainder were address changes submitted by citizens updating their addresses.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-NYTTally-27">[28]</a>

As required by law in most states, ACORN must submit all registration forms collected by its workers, including those flagged by ACORN as incomplete or suspicious. Fraudulent voter registrations are investigated at local, state, and federal levels, and have sometimes resulted in criminal convictions for ACORN employees. ACORN has fired employees for fraudulent registration practices and turned them over to authorities. As of 2006, ACORN was improving its fraud detection and reporting procedures, and cooperating with authorities in efforts to prosecute violators.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-KC_MO-7">[8]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-SeattleTimes1-28">[29]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-NYTIssues-29">[30]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-30">[31]</a> Jeff Ordower, ACORN's Midwest Director, observed, "There is no scenario where those people on problematic cards would show up at the polls."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-31">[32]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-32">[33]</a> Of 26,513 registrations submitted by ACORN over a nine-month period in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_County,_California" title="San Diego County, California">San Diego County, California</a>, 4,655 were initially flagged, but 2,806 of those were later validated - a 7% error rate - compared to usually less than 5% for voter drives by other organizations, according to county officials.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-san_diego_county-33">[34]</a> In a case in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_state" title="Washington state" class="mw-redirect">Washington state</a> where 7 temporary employees of ACORN were charged with submitting fraudulent voter registrations, ACORN agreed to pay <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_County" title="King County" class="mw-redirect">King County</a> $25,000 for its investigative costs and acknowledged that the national organization could be subject to criminal prosecution if fraud occurs again. According to the prosecutor, the misconduct was done "as an easy way to get paid [by ACORN], not as an attempt to influence the outcome of elections."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-SeattleTimes1-28">[29]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-34">[35]</a> In August, 2009, a former ACORN field director in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_metropolitan_area" title="Las Vegas metropolitan area">Las Vegas</a> pled guilty to "conspiracy to commit the crime of compensation for registration of voters" in connection with a quota system for paid registration staff.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-35">[36]</a> In November 2009, the former ACORN official, Christopher Edwards was sentenced to a year's probation and agreed to testify for prosecutors in charges against ACORN and against an ACORN regional director.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-36">[37]</a>

In addition to registering voters directly, ACORN has worked to remove systemic obstacles to voter registration. In 2006, it brought a lawsuit in federal court in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio" title="Ohio">Ohio</a> against the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Secretary_of_State" title="Ohio Secretary of State">Ohio Secretary of State</a>, at that time <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Blackwell" title="Ken Blackwell">Ken Blackwell</a>, and the Director of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Department_of_Job_and_Family_Services" title="Ohio Department of Job and Family Services">Ohio Department of Job and Family Services</a>. ACORN alleged that, during the period that included the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_United_States_election_voting_controversies" title="2004 United States election voting controversies">2004 United States election voting controversies</a>, the defendants had committed multiple violations of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Voter_Registration_Act_of_1993" title="National Voter Registration Act of 1993">National Voter Registration Act of 1993</a>. The district court dismissed the case, but that decision was reversed in 2008 by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Court_of_Appeals_for_the_Sixth_Circuit" title="United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit">United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-37">[38]</a> After extensive fact discovery in 2009, the parties agreed to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settlement_%28litigation%29" title="Settlement (litigation)">settlement</a>, under which the defendants agreed to implement several measures to facilitate registration of low-income voters.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-38">[39]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-39">[40]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-40">[41]</a> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton_Daily_News" title="Dayton Daily News">Dayton Daily News</a> characterized the settlement as "accepting the thrust of [ACORN's] complaint."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-41">[42]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Gun control">edit</a>] Gun control</h3>

In 2006, ACORN intervened on behalf of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_City" title="Jersey City" class="mw-redirect">Jersey City</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey" title="New Jersey">New Jersey</a> in a lawsuit brought against the city challenging a local ordinance that limited individuals' handgun purchases to one gun a month.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-toutant-42">[43]</a> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_County,_New_Jersey" title="Hudson County, New Jersey">Hudson County</a> Superior Court struck down the ordinance on the grounds that it violated the New Jersey Constitution's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Protection_clause" title="Equal Protection clause" class="mw-redirect">Equal Protection clause</a>, and a state statute prohibiting towns and municipalities from enacting firearms legislation.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-toutant-42">[43]</a>

On September 29, 2008, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey_Superior_Court" title="New Jersey Superior Court">New Jersey Superior Court</a> Appellate Division denied ACORN's appeal of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_County" title="Hudson County" class="mw-redirect">Hudson County</a> Superior Court's decision striking down Jersey City's ordinance.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-43">[44]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Home Defender Program">edit</a>] Home Defender Program</h3>

In 2009, ACORN advocated allowing homeowners delinquent in their mortgage payments to remain in their homes pending a government solution to the housing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreclosure" title="Foreclosure">foreclosure</a> crisis. ACORN introduced a program called the Home Defender Program, intended to mobilize people to congregate at homes faced with foreclosure to "defend a family's right to stay in their homes."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-44">[45]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-45">[46]</a> One ACORN Web page advocated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_disobedience" title="Civil disobedience">civil disobedience</a> against foreclosure evictions stating that people in foreclosed homes should refuse to leave, and in some cases, move back in.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-46">[47]</a>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: History">edit</a>] History</h2>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: 1970–1975: Founding">edit</a>] 1970��1975: Founding</h3>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade_Rathke" title="Wade Rathke">Wade Rathke</a>, founded ACORN in 1970, after the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Welfare_Rights_Organization" title="National Welfare Rights Organization">National Welfare Rights Organization</a> (NWRO) sent him to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock,Arkansas" title="Little Rock, Arkansas">Little Rock, Arkansas</a> as an organizer.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-47">[48]</a> Rathke had previously dropped out of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_College" title="Williams College">Williams College</a> to promote <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draft_resistance" title="Draft resistance" class="mw-redirect">draft resistance</a> for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Students_for_a_Democratic_Society" title="Students for a Democratic Society">Students for a Democratic Society</a>. Gary Delgado and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wiley" title="George Wiley">George Wiley</a> were also instrumental in its founding. ACORN's first campaign was to help welfare recipients attain their basic needs, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clothing" title="Clothing">clothing</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furniture" title="Furniture">furniture</a>. This drive, inspired by a clause in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas" title="Arkansas">Arkansas</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welfare%28financial_aid%29" title="Welfare (financial aid)" class="mw-redirect">welfare</a> laws, began the effort to create and sustain a movement that would grow to become the Arkansas Community Organizations for Reform Now, the beginnings of ACORN.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-Delgado-48">[49]</a>

ACORN's goal was to "unite welfare recipients with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_poor" title="Working poor">needy working people</a> around issues such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_School_Lunch_Act" title="National School Lunch Act">school lunches</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment" title="Unemployment">unemployment</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_veteran" title="Vietnam veteran">Vietnam veterans'</a> rights, and emergency room care."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-49">[50]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: 1975–1980: Growth beyond Arkansas">edit</a>] 1975–1980: Growth beyond Arkansas</h3>

In 1975, ACORN created branches in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas" title="Texas">Texas</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dakota" title="South Dakota">South Dakota</a>. On December 13, 1975, sixty leaders from the three ACORN states elected the first associate Executive Board and the first ACORN president, Steve McDonald, to deal with matters beyond the scope of the individual city and state boards. Each year thereafter saw three or more states join ACORN, building to a total of 20 states by 1980. This expansion led to multi-state campaigns beginning with a mass meeting of 1,000 members in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennessee" title="Memphis, Tennessee">Memphis</a> in 1978. At the end of the conference, ACORN convention delegates marched on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Democratic_Party" title="United States Democratic Party" class="mw-redirect">Democratic Party</a> conference with the outline of a nine-point "People��s Platform" which would go on to become the foundation of ACORN's platform when it was ratified in 1979.

ACORN was active in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.presidential_election,1980" title="U.S. presidential election, 1980" class="mw-redirect">1980 Election</a> with the "People's Platform" serving as its standard.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-50">[51]</a> It led <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonstration_%28people%29" title="Demonstration (people)">demonstrations</a> aimed at both major party candidates; demanded to meet with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter" title="Jimmy Carter">President Jimmy Carter</a>; marched on the president's campaign finance committee chair's home; and presented its platform to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Republican_Party" title="United States Republican Party" class="mw-redirect">Republican Party</a> platform committee.

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: 1981–1989: Reagan era">edit</a>] 1981–1989: Reagan era</h3>

By 1980, ACORN’s staff was stretched thin by the demands of meeting its expansion goals. Much of its resources and energy had been dedicated to the presidential primaries and national party conventions. ACORN launched <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatting" title="Squatting">squatting</a> campaigns in an attempt to obtain affordable housing, and encouraged <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatter" title="Squatter" class="mw-redirect">squatters</a> to refit the premises for comfortable living.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

In June 1982, ACORN sponsored "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan" title="Ronald Reagan">Reagan</a> Ranches" in over 35 cities believing the president's focus to be on military as opposed to social spending. These <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent_city" title="Tent city">tent cities</a> were erected for two days and were met with resistance from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Service" title="National Park Service">National Park Service</a>, which tried repeatedly to evict the tenters. The protesters remained and then marched on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House" title="White House">White House</a> and testified before a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress" title="United States Congress">Congressional committee</a> about what they described as the housing crisis in America. The last Reagan Ranch was held at the Republican Convention in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas,_Texas" title="Dallas, Texas" class="mw-redirect">Dallas</a> in 1984.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

In addition to protesting, ACORN also developed and strengthened its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_action_committee" title="Political action committee">political action committees</a> and encouraged its members to run for office. For the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.presidential_election,1984" title="U.S. presidential election, 1984" class="mw-redirect">1984 election</a> ACORN wanted to endorse a candidate, setting a 75% support in polls among members as its requirement. No candidate reached that level, though there was strong support for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Jackson" title="Jesse Jackson">Jesse Jackson</a>. ACORN also established a legislative office that year in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,DC" title="Washington, DC" class="mw-redirect">Washington, DC</a>. During this period ACORN also focused on local election reform in a number of cities, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania" title="Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania" class="mw-redirect">Pittsburgh</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,South_Carolina" title="Columbia, South Carolina">Columbia, South Carolina</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sioux_Falls,South_Dakota" title="Sioux Falls, South Dakota">Sioux Falls, South Dakota</a>, encouraging the change of at-large legislative bodies to district representation.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-51">[52]</a>

ACORN grew to 27 states, adding chapters in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York City</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,DC" title="Washington, DC" class="mw-redirect">Washington, DC</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago,Illinois" title="Chicago, Illinois" class="mw-redirect">Chicago, Illinois</a> by the end of Reagan's first term.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-Delgado-48">[49]</a> During the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.presidential_election,1988" title="U.S. presidential election, 1988" class="mw-redirect">1988 Election</a>, ACORN held its National Convention in the same city as the Democratic Convention — <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta,_Georgia" title="Atlanta, Georgia" class="mw-redirect">Atlanta, Georgia</a>. During the preceding four years ACORN had strengthened its ties with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Jackson" title="Jesse Jackson">Jesse Jackson</a> and accounted for 30 Jackson delegates. It also sponsored a march at the convention.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

ACORN's membership grew to more than 70,000 in 28 states during this time. It increased its legislative lobbying efforts in Washington, DC, and strengthened its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_Action_Committee" title="Political Action Committee" class="mw-redirect">Political Action Committees</a> (PACs). It also developed what it called the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Affiliated_Media_Foundation_Movement&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Affiliated Media Foundation Movement (page does not exist)">Affiliated Media Foundation Movement</a> (AM/FM). Starting with station <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KNON" title="KNON">KNON</a> in Dallas, AM/FM moved on to establish radio stations, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UHF" title="UHF" class="mw-redirect">UHF</a> television and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_television" title="Cable television">cable television</a> programming. It also sought and received appointments to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resolution_Trust_Corporation" title="Resolution Trust Corporation">Resolution Trust Corporation</a> (RTC) which was formed to dissolve the assets of failed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savings_and_loan" title="Savings and loan" class="mw-redirect">Savings and Loans</a> resulting from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savings_and_Loan_crisis" title="Savings and Loan crisis" class="mw-redirect">Savings and Loan crisis</a>.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

While some of ACORN’s most notable efforts were in the area of housing, it has counted health, public safety, education, representation, work and workers’ rights and communications concerns among its victories. The 1990 ACORN convention in Chicago focused on the fast-breaking housing campaign. It featured a squatting demonstration at an RTC house. Later, ACORN members demanded cooperation from banks about providing loan data on low- and moderate-income communities and compliance with the 1977 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Reinvestment_Act" title="Community Reinvestment Act">Community Reinvestment Act</a> (CRA). ACORN fought weakening of the CRA in 1991, staging a two-day takeover of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Banking_Committee" title="House Banking Committee" class="mw-redirect">House Banking Committee</a> hearing room. It also established ACORN Housing Corporation to service people moving into homes under the housing campaign, rehabilitated hundreds of houses addressed by CRA.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

The ACORN convention in New York in 1992, called the "ACORN-Bank Summit", was organized to make deals with giant banks. When <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citibank" title="Citibank">Citibank</a>, the nation’s largest bank, did not participate, conventioneers protested at its downtown <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a> headquarters, and won a meeting to negotiate for similar programs.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

ACORN supported and lobbied for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Voter_Registration_Act_of_1993" title="National Voter Registration Act of 1993">"Motor Voter" Act</a>. After its passage, ACORN members attended <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton" title="Bill Clinton">President Clinton’s</a> signing ceremony. ACORN then pursued new registration laws in Arkansas and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts" title="Massachusetts">Massachusetts</a> and filed suit in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois" title="Illinois">Illinois</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana" title="Louisiana">Louisiana</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan" title="Michigan">Michigan</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri" title="Missouri">Missouri</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey" title="New Jersey">New Jersey</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania" title="Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania</a> as a result of the act. In 1993, ACORN also began a national campaign to fight <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurance" title="Insurance">insurance</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redlining" title="Redlining">redlining</a>, a practice that put the gains made in other housing campaigns at risk. The campaign targeted <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allstate" title="Allstate">Allstate</a>, hitting sales offices in 14 cities and a stockholders meeting. Allstate agreed to negotiate and signed an agreement in 1994 for a $10 million partnership with ACORN and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NationsBank" title="NationsBank">NationsBank</a> for below-market mortgages to low-income home-buyers. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelers_Insurance" title="Travelers Insurance" class="mw-redirect">Travelers Insurance</a> agreed to a Neighborhood and Home Safety Program, linking access to insurance and lower rates to public safety programs.[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed">citation needed</a>]

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: 1998��2009: Building capacity">edit</a>] 1998–2009: Building capacity</h3>

ACORN's subsequent activities have included its "Living Wage" programs, voter registration, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grassroots_democracy" title="Grassroots democracy">grassroots political organization</a>.

In 1998, ACORN helped form the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Families_Party" title="Working Families Party">Working Families Party</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York" title="New York">New York</a> which counts increasing the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage" title="Minimum wage">minimum wage</a> as its centerpiece issue.

A March 27, 2003 decision of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Labor_Relations_Board" title="National Labor Relations Board">National Labor Relations Board</a> found that ACORN tried to thwart <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_union" title="Labor union" class="mw-redirect">union organizing</a> efforts within its own organization by laying off two workers who were trying to organize.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-nlrb-52">[53]</a> The two workers, both field organizers with ACORN, began discussions with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_Employees_International_Union" title="Service Employees International Union">Service Employees International Union</a> and later sought to organize under <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Workers_of_the_World" title="Industrial Workers of the World">Industrial Workers of the World</a> in response to their $20,200 annual salary for a 54-hour work week.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-53">[54]</a> The NLRB ordered the two employees be reinstated in their former jobs and that ACORN cease from interrogating employees about organizing activity.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-nlrb-52">[53]</a> ACORN has since strengthened its ties with the Service Employees International Union, which donated $2.1 million to ACORN in 2005,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-54">[55]</a> often collaborating on issues (including health insurance costs and the minimum wage) and sharing office space.

In 2004, Florida ACORN helped to raise Florida's minimum wage by $1.00 per hour, by lobbying for a minimum wage amendment to be placed on the ballot. Over 1 million Florida employees were affected by the raise, which is adjusted annually for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation" title="Inflation">inflation</a>. That year, ACORN became an international organization, opening offices in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru" title="Peru">Peru</a>, and beginning work in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic" title="Dominican Republic">Dominican Republic</a>. Since then offices have opened in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico" title="Mexico">Mexico</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina" title="Argentina">Argentina</a>.

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: 2010: ACORN disbands">edit</a>] 2010: ACORN disbands</h3>

On March 19, 2010, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a> reported that ACORN was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy; 15 of the group's 30 state chapters had disbanded over the past six months, and other chapters (including the largest, in New York and California) renamed themselves and severed all ties to the national organization.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-bankruptcy-9">[10]</a> Two unnamed ACORN officials told the Times that the following weekend, a teleconference was planned to discuss a bankruptcy filing; "private donations from foundations to Acorn [had] all but evaporated," and the federal government had distanced itself from the group.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-bankruptcy-9">[10]</a> "[L]ong before the activist videos delivered what may become the final blow, the organization was dogged for years by financial problems and accusations of fraud."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-bankruptcy-9">[10]</a> "That 20-minute video ruined 40 years of good work," said Sonja Merchant-Jones, former co-chairwoman of ACORN's recently closed Maryland chapter. "But if the organization had confronted its own internal problems, it might not have been taken down so easily."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-bankruptcy-9">[10]</a>

On March 22, 2010, National ACORN spokesman Kevin Whelan says the organization's board decided to close remaining state affiliates and field offices by April 1 because of falling revenues.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-55">[56]</a> Some other national operations will continue operating for at least several weeks before shutting for good.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-Politico-56">[57]</a> On April 20, ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis reported that ACORN was "still alive. We're limping along. We're on life support."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-AP_4-20-57">[58]</a> Lewis said that ACORN's annual budget had been reduced from $25 million to $4 million, and that its staff of 350 to 600 people had been reduced to four.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-AP_4-20-57">[58]</a> Lewis explained the controversies had left a stain on ACORN, "sort of like a scarlet letter," forcing the group to spend money defending itself against "one investigation after another."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-AP_4-20-57">[58]</a>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Budget">edit</a>] Budget</h2>

Until the controversies of 2008 and 2009, ACORN had an annual budget of approximately US$25 million, with approximately 10% of those funds coming from federal sources, a smaller figure from state sources, and the rest coming from supporters and membership. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HUD" title="HUD">HUD</a> estimates that ACORN received $42 million since the 2000 budget year while the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee estimates that ACORN received $53 million in federal funds since 1994.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-msnbc-1">[2]</a>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Controversies">edit</a>] Controversies</h2>

ACORN was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonpartisan" title="Nonpartisan">nonpartisan</a> organization, but its legally separate political action arm frequently endorsed causes and candidates, including the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-about-acorn-3">[4]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-wsj0731-58">[59]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-59">[60]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-endorse_obama-60">[61]</a> ACORN lobbied every <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_National_Convention" title="Democratic National Convention">Democratic National Convention</a> since <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Democratic_National_Convention" title="1980 Democratic National Convention">1980</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-a730-61">[62]</a> and had members elected as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delegate" title="Delegate">delegates</a> to those conventions;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-a730-61">[62]</a> ACORN also lobbied at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Republican_Party" title="U.S. Republican Party" class="mw-redirect">Republican</a> conventions.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-a730-61">[62]</a> ACORN was criticized by Republicans for its support of Democratic candidates and for its general support of political positions that are more often favored by Democrats.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-wsj0731-58">[59]</a>

In a report released in October 2008, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Department_of_Justice" title="U.S. Department of Justice" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Department of Justice</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_General" title="Inspector General">Inspector General</a> concluded that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Attorney_General" title="U.S. Attorney General" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Attorney General</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Gonzales" title="Alberto Gonzales">Alberto Gonzales</a> fired <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Attorney" title="U.S. Attorney" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Attorney</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Iglesias%28attorney%29" title="David Iglesias (attorney)">David Iglesias</a> for political reasons after Iglesias failed to prosecute a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico" title="New Mexico">New Mexico</a> ACORN chapter. The report said claims Iglesias was fired for poor performance were not credible, and the "real reason for Iglesias's removal was the complaints from New Mexico Republican politicians and party activists about how Iglesias handled voter fraud [cases]."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-62">[63]</a>

During the debate on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Economic_Stabilization_Act_of_2008" title="Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008">Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008</a>, some commentators claimed that a draft provision (omitted in the adopted bill) to give money to funds run by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Department_of_the_Treasury" title="US Department of the Treasury" class="mw-redirect">US Department of the Treasury</a> could potentially lead to money flowing to groups like ACORN.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-wsj0731-58">[59]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-63">[64]</a> When asked how much money ACORN or other community groups would get, a spokesman for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_on_Financial_Services" title="United States House Committee on Financial Services">Financial Services Committee</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chairman" title="Chairman">chairman</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Frank" title="Barney Frank">Barney Frank</a>, said, "Absolutely none. All funds would go to state and local governments."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-cbs-11">[12]</a> Critics also claimed that ACORN's complex organizational structure allowed it to escape public scrutiny.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-64">[65]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: 2008: Presidential campaign">edit</a>] 2008: Presidential campaign</h3>

ACORN was a political issue in the 2008 United States Presidential Election over allegations of conflict of interest and voter registration fraud. During the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Democratic_Presidential_Primary" title="2008 Democratic Presidential Primary" class="mw-redirect">2008 Democratic Presidential Primary</a> ACORN's national political action committee, ACORN Votes, endorsed Barack Obama. Obama, with several other attorneys, had served as local counsel for ACORN in a 1995 voting rights lawsuit joined by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Justice_Department" title="US Justice Department" class="mw-redirect">Justice Department</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Women_Voters" title="League of Women Voters">League of Women Voters</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-65">[66]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-66">[67]</a> Obama's campaign hired an ACORN affiliate for $800,000 to conduct a get-out-the-vote effort during that primary,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-davidbrown-67">[68]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-yanooz-68">[69]</a> but did not retain ACORN for the general presidential election.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-davidbrown-67">[68]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-yanooz-68">[69]</a>

Throughout the election season, supporters of Republican candidates portrayed ACORN's submission of invalid voter registration applications as widespread vote fraud. In October 2008, the campaign for Republican presidential candidate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain" title="John McCain">John McCain</a> released a Web-based advertisement claiming ACORN was responsible for "massive voter fraud," a point that Sen. McCain repeated in the final presidential debate. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factcheck.org" title="Factcheck.org" class="mw-redirect">Factcheck.org</a> called this claim "breathtakingly inaccurate," but acknowledged that ACORN had problems with phony registrations.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-69">[70]</a> The ads also claimed that home loan programs ACORN promoted were partly responsible for the sub-prime mortgage crisis. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsweek" title="Newsweek">Newsweek</a> and Factcheck.org also found these claims to be exaggerated and inaccurate.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-70">[71]</a>

A poll released in November 2009 by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Policy_Polling" title="Public Policy Polling">Public Policy Polling</a> organization found that 52% of Republican Party members it surveyed, and 26% of respondents overall, believed in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory" title="Conspiracy theory">conspiracy theory</a> that ACORN "stole" the election for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a>. The Democratic polling organization commented that this was somewhat higher than belief in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birther" title="Birther" class="mw-redirect">birther</a> conspiracy theories.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-71">[72]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: 2008-2009: Investigation of embezzlement">edit</a>] 2008-2009: Investigation of embezzlement</h3>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a> reported on July 9, 2008, that Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN's founder Wade Rathke, was found to have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embezzlement" title="Embezzlement">embezzled</a> $948,607.50 from the group and affiliated charitable organizations back in 1999 and 2000.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-nytstrom-72">[73]</a> ACORN executives decided to handle it as an internal matter, and did not inform most of the board members or law enforcement, and instead signed an enforceable restitution agreement with the Rathke family to repay the amount of the embezzlement. $210,000 has already been repaid, and a donor, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drummond_Pike" title="Drummond Pike">Drummond Pike</a>, has offered to pay the remaining debt.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-73">[74]</a> The Times reported that, according to Wade Rathke, "the decision to keep the matter secret was not made to protect his brother but because word of the embezzlement would have put a 'weapon' into the hands of enemies of ACORN, a liberal group that is a frequent target of conservatives who object to ACORN's often strident advocacy on behalf of low- and moderate-income families and workers." A whistleblower revealed the embezzlement in 2008. On June 2, 2008, Dale Rathke was dismissed, and Wade stepped down as ACORN's chief organizer, but he remains chief organizer for Acorn International L.L.C.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-nytstrom-72">[73]</a>

In September 2008, following revelations of Dale Rathke's embezzlement, two members of ACORN's national board of directors filed a lawsuit seeking to obtain financial documents and to force the organization to sever ties with Wade Rathke.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-74">[75]</a> ACORN's executive committee voted unanimously to remove the two, "because their actions��such as releasing a confidential legal memo to the press—were damaging the organization."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-75">[76]</a>

In October 2009, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana" title="Louisiana">Louisiana</a> Attorney General <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Caldwell" title="Buddy Caldwell">Buddy Caldwell</a> claimed in a subpoena that ACORN's board of directors found that a larger amount—$5 million—had been embezzled from the organization. Bertha Lewis, ACORN's CEO, said the allegation is false.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-76">[77]</a> On November 6, following up on the subpoena, Caldwell served a search warrant at the ACORN headquarters in New Orleans.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-77">[78]</a> Caldwell stated, "This is an investigation of everything—Acorn, the national organization, the local organization and all of its affiliated entities."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-78">[79]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: 2009: Undercover videos controversy">edit</a>] 2009: Undercover videos controversy</h3>

<div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACORN_2009_undercover_videos_controversy" title="ACORN 2009 undercover videos controversy">ACORN 2009 undercover videos controversy</a></div>

The ACORN 2009 undercover videos controversy started in September 2009 when conservative activists <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Giles" title="Hannah Giles" class="mw-redirect">Hannah Giles</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_O%27Keefe" title="James O'Keefe">James O'Keefe</a> publicized <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_quoting_out_of_context" title="Fallacy of quoting out of context">selectively edited</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-79">[80]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-80">[81]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-CA_AG_Release-81">[82]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_camera" title="Hidden camera">hidden camera</a> recordings through <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News" title="Fox News" class="mw-redirect">Fox News</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Breitbart" title="Andrew Breitbart">Andrew Breitbart's</a> website <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BigGovernment.com" title="BigGovernment.com" class="mw-redirect">BigGovernment.com</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-CA_AG_Report-8">[9]</a> In the videos, Giles posed as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution" title="Prostitution">prostitute</a> and O'Keefe posed as her boyfriend in order to elicit damaging responses from employees of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-CA_AG_Report-8">[9]</a> The videos were recorded over the summer of 2009 while visiting ACORN offices in eight<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-82">[83]</a> cities and purported to show low-level ACORN employees in several cities providing advice to Giles and O'Keefe on how to avoid taxes and detection by the authorities with regard to their plans to engage in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_evasion" title="Tax evasion" class="mw-redirect">tax evasion</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_smuggling" title="Human smuggling" class="mw-redirect">human smuggling</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_prostitution" title="Child prostitution" class="mw-redirect">child prostitution</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-NYT20090919shane-83">[84]</a> After the videos were made public, the U.S. Congress voted to eliminate federal funding to ACORN. Although the resolutions were later nullified in a federal court ruling that the measure was an unconstitutional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_attainder" title="Bill of attainder">bill of attainder</a>, on August 13, 2010, a federal appeals court upheld the congressional act that cut off federal funding for ACORN.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-TAYLOR-84">[85]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-FOX-85">[86]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-times-acorn-lorber-13">[14]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-autogenerated1-86">[87]</a> In March 2010, ACORN announced it would be closing its offices and disbanding due to loss of funding from government and private donors.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-87">[88]</a>

On December 7, 2009, the former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Attorney_General" title="Massachusetts Attorney General">Massachusetts Attorney General</a>, after an independent internal investigation of ACORN, found the videos that had been released appeared to have been edited, "in some cases substantially". He found no evidence of criminal conduct by ACORN employees, but concluded that ACORN had poor management practices that contributed to unprofessional actions by a number of its low-level employees.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-88">[89]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-89">[90]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-90">[91]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-91">[92]</a> On March 1, 2010, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_Attorney" title="District Attorney" class="mw-redirect">District Attorney</a>'s office for Brooklyn determined that the videos were "heavily edited"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-92">[93]</a> and concluded that there was no criminal wrongdoing by the ACORN staff in the videos from the Brooklyn ACORN office.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-NYT2010Newman-93">[94]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-Salon2010Madden-94">[95]</a> On April, 1, 2010, an investigation by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Attorney_General" title="California Attorney General">California Attorney General</a> found the videos from Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino to be "heavily edited,"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-CA_AG_Report-8">[9]</a> and the investigation did not find evidence of criminal conduct on the part of ACORN employees.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-CA_AG_Release-81">[82]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-CA_AG_Report-8">[9]</a> On June 14, 2010, the US <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Accountability_Office" title="Government Accountability Office">Government Accountability Office</a> (GAO) released its findings which showed that ACORN evidenced no sign that it, or any of its related organizations, mishandled any federal money they had received.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-95">[96]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-96">[97]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: The Defund ACORN Act">edit</a>] The Defund ACORN Act</h3>

In 2009, in light of various scandals a number of Democrats who once advertised their connections to ACORN began to distance themselves, as Republicans began to use ACORN to portray Democrats as corrupt.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-97">[98]</a> In light of the controversies, the United States House and Senate, by wide margins, attached amendments to pending spending legislation that would temporarily prohibit the federal government from funding ACORN, or any agency that had been involved in similar scandals �� including money authorized by previous legislation. President Obama signed the bill into law on October 1.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-Barron-98">[99]</a> ACORN sued the United States Government in the United States District Court in Brooklyn over the measure, known as the "Defund ACORN Act," claiming it was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_attainder" title="Bill of attainder">bill of attainder</a>, and therefore unconstitutional. Experts varied on the merit of the case. One argument was that while government funding choices do not generally qualify as bills of attainder, the lack of a non-punitive regulatory purpose for the legislation may give a court "sufficient basis to overcome the presumption of constitutionality."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-suit-99">[100]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-CRS-100">[101]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-heritage-101">[102]</a> The court issued a preliminary injunction that nullified the act.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-times-acorn-lorber-13">[14]</a>

In response to an inquiry from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Housing_and_Urban_Development" title="United States Department of Housing and Urban Development">Housing and Urban Development Department</a> lawyer, David Barron, the acting assistant attorney general for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Legal_Counsel" title="Office of Legal Counsel">Office of Legal Counsel</a>, wrote a five-page memorandum concluding that the law does not prohibit the government from paying ACORN for services already performed.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-Barron-98">[99]</a> On December 11, U.S. District Judge Nina Gershon issued a preliminary injunction blocking the government from enforcing its temporary spending ban, a week before it was set to expire.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-WSJ-102">[103]</a> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Accountability_Office" title="Government Accountability Office">Government Accountability Office</a> (GAO) opened an investigation of ACORN in December, 2009.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-Politico-56">[57]</a> In June, 2010, the GAO released a preliminary report stating the investigation has found no sign the group or related organizations mishandled the $40 million in federal money they received from nine federal agencies.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-103">[104]</a>

On August 13, 2010 the 2nd District Court of Appeals in New York reversed Judge Gershon's decision.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-AP-08-13-10-14">[15]</a> The appeals court cited a study finding that only 10% of ACORN's funding came from federal sources, and stated, "We doubt that the direct consequences of the appropriations laws temporarily precluding ACORN from federal funds were so disproportionately severe or so inappropriate as to constitute punishment."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-AP-08-13-10-14">[15]</a> The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Constitutional_Rights" title="Center for Constitutional Rights">Center for Constitutional Rights</a>, which had argued the case on ACORN's behalf, was considering a request for a rehearing by more judges of the 2nd Circuit.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-AP-08-13-10-14">[15]</a>

<h3>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: ACORN name changes">edit</a>] ACORN name changes</h3>

As part of a re-branding effort by ACORN leadership, ACORN International changed its name in 2010 to Community Organizations International.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-104">[105]</a> As part of the effort by some chapters to stay afloat by severing ties with the national organization, California ACORN changed its name to Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-105">[106]</a> New York ACORN renamed itself New York Communities for Change,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-bankruptcy-9">[10]</a> and an offshoot of the ACORN organization called Acorn Housing changed its name to Affordable Housing Centers of America<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-106">[107]</a> yet has retained the same tax and employee identification numbers that it held under its former name.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_note-107">[108]</a>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: References">edit</a>] References</h2>

<ol>

<li id="cite_note-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-0">^</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Rutenberg" title="Jim Rutenberg">Rutenberg, Jim</a> (October 7, 2009). <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/acorn-chief-denounces-air-of-mccarthyism/?scp=1&sq=%22Bertha%20Lewis%22%20%22Maude%20Hurd%22&st=Search" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Acorn Chief Denounces Air of ‘McCarthyism’"</a>. The Politics and Government Blog of the Times (New York Times). <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/acorn-chief-denounces-air-of-mccarthyism/?scp=1&sq=%22Bertha%20Lewis%22%20%22Maude%20Hurd%22&st=Search" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/acorn-chief-denounces-air-of-mccarthyism/?scp=1&sq=%22Bertha%20Lewis%22%20%22Maude%20Hurd%22&st=Search</a>. Retrieved 2009-10-07.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Acorn+Chief+Denounces+Air+of+%E2%80%98McCarthyism%E2%80%99&rft.jtitle=The+Politics+and+Government+Blog+of+the+Times&rft.aulast=Rutenberg&rft.aufirst=Jim&rft.au=Rutenberg%2C%26%2332%3BJim&rft.date=October+7%2C+2009&rft.pub=New+York+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fthecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F10%2F06%2Facorn-chief-denounces-air-of-mccarthyism%2F%3Fscp%3D1%26sq%3D%2522Bertha%2520Lewis%2522%2520%2522Maude%2520Hurd%2522%26st%3DSearch&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-msnbc-1">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-msnbc_1-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-msnbc_1-1">b</a> <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32925682/ns/politics-more_politics/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Did ACORN get too big for its own good?"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSNBC" title="MSNBC">MSNBC</a>. 2009-09-19. <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32925682/ns/politics-more_politics/" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32925682/ns/politics-more_politics/</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Did+ACORN+get+too+big+for+its+own+good%3F&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2009-09-19&rft.pub=%5B%5BMSNBC%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msnbc.msn.com%2Fid%2F32925682%2Fns%2Fpolitics-more_politics%2F&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-csm-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-csm_2-0">^</a> Michael B. Farrell (2009-09-16). <a href="http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/09/16/what-is-the-acorn-controversy-about/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"What is the ACORN controversy about?"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Science_Monitor" title="Christian Science Monitor" class="mw-redirect">Christian Science Monitor</a>. <a href="http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/09/16/what-is-the-acorn-controversy-about/" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/09/16/what-is-the-acorn-controversy-about/</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=What+is+the+ACORN+controversy+about%3F&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Michael+B.+Farrell&rft.au=Michael+B.+Farrell&rft.date=2009-09-16&rft.pub=%5B%5BChristian+Science+Monitor%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ffeatures.csmonitor.com%2Fpolitics%2F2009%2F09%2F16%2Fwhat-is-the-acorn-controversy-about%2F&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-about-acorn-3">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-about-acorn_3-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-about-acorn_3-1">b</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12342" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Who is ACORN? (organization homepage)"</a>. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12342" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12342</a>. Retrieved 2009-09-15.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Who+is+ACORN%3F+%28organization+homepage%29&rft.atitle=&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D12342&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now">��</li>

<li id="cite_note-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-4">^</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=2617" class="external text" rel="nofollow">What does ACORN do?</a>, ACORN, <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=2617" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=2617</a>, retrieved 2010-12-03<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=What+does+ACORN+do%3F&rft.pub=ACORN&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D2617&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-5"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-5">^</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Walls_%28academic%29" title="David Walls (academic)">Walls, David</a> (Summer 1994). <a href="http://www.sonoma.edu/users/w/wallsd/community-organizing.shtml" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Power to the People: Thirty-five Years of Community Organizing"</a>. The Workbook. <a href="http://www.sonoma.edu/users/w/wallsd/community-organizing.shtml" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.sonoma.edu/users/w/wallsd/community-organizing.shtml</a>. Retrieved 2010-12-03.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Power+to+the+People%3A+Thirty-five+Years+of+Community+Organizing&rft.atitle=The+Workbook&rft.aulast=Walls&rft.aufirst=David&rft.au=Walls%2C%26%2332%3BDavid&rft.date=Summer+1994&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonoma.edu%2Fusers%2Fw%2Fwallsd%2Fcommunity-organizing.shtml&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-r8144-6"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-r8144_6-0">^</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=1139&L=0%3Fid%3D8144" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"New Report Finds Widespread Local Use of Affordable Housing Program Being Currently Debated in Congress"</a>. ACORN (press release). 2002-07-23. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=1139&L=0%3Fid%3D8144" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=1139&L=0%3Fid%3D8144</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=New+Report+Finds+Widespread+Local+Use+of+Affordable+Housing+Program+Being+Currently+Debated+in+Congress&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2002-07-23&rft.pub=ACORN+%28press+release%29&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D1139%26L%3D0%253Fid%253D8144&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now">��</li>

<li id="cite_note-KC_MO-7">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-KC_MO_7-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-KC_MO_7-1">b</a> <a href="http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/politics/10214492/detail.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN Workers Indicted For Alleged Voter Fraud"</a>. KMBC=TV. 2006-11-01. <a href="http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/politics/10214492/detail.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/politics/10214492/detail.html</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+Workers+Indicted+For+Alleged+Voter+Fraud&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2006-11-01&rft.pub=KMBC%3DTV&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thekansascitychannel.com%2Fpolitics%2F10214492%2Fdetail.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-CA_AG_Report-8">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-CA_AG_Report_8-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-CA_AG_Report_8-1">b</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-CA_AG_Report_8-2">c</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-CA_AG_Report_8-3">d</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-CA_AG_Report_8-4">e</a> <a href="http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/press/pdfs/n1888_acorn_report.pdf" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"REPORT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON THE ACTIVITIES OF ACORN"</a>. April 1, 2010. <a href="http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/press/pdfs/n1888_acorn_report.pdf" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/press/pdfs/n1888_acorn_report.pdf</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=REPORT+OF+THE+ATTORNEY+GENERAL+ON+THE+ACTIVITIES+OF+ACORN&rft.atitle=&rft.date=April+1%2C+2010&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fag.ca.gov%2Fcms_attachments%2Fpress%2Fpdfs%2Fn1888_acorn_report.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-bankruptcy-9">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-bankruptcy_9-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-bankruptcy_9-1">b</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-bankruptcy_9-2">c</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-bankruptcy_9-3">d</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-bankruptcy_9-4">e</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-bankruptcy_9-5">f</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-bankruptcy_9-6">g</a> Urbina, Ian (March 19, 2010). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/us/politics/20acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Acorn on Brink of Bankruptcy, Officials Say"</a>. The New York Times. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/us/politics/20acorn.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/us/politics/20acorn.html</a>. Retrieved 2010-03-20.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Acorn+on+Brink+of+Bankruptcy%2C+Officials+Say&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Urbina&rft.aufirst=Ian&rft.au=Urbina%2C%26%2332%3BIan&rft.date=March+19%2C+2010&rft.pub=The+New+York+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F03%2F20%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2F20acorn.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-foxnewsvideo-10"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-foxnewsvideo_10-0">^</a> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,549241,00.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Second Video Shows ACORN Officials Helping 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' in Washington Office"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News_Channel" title="Fox News Channel">Fox News</a>. September 11, 2009. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,549241,00.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,549241,00.html</a>. Retrieved 2009-09-11.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Second+Video+Shows+ACORN+Officials+Helping+%27Pimp%2C%27+%27Prostitute%27+in+Washington+Office&rft.atitle=&rft.date=September+11%2C+2009&rft.pub=%5B%5BFox+News+Channel%7CFox+News%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fstory%2F0%2C2933%2C549241%2C00.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now">��</li>

<li id="cite_note-cbs-11">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-cbs_11-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-cbs_11-1">b</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Grim" title="Ryan Grim">Ryan Grim</a> (September 27, 2008). <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4483168.shtml" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN Issue Fueling Bailout Opposition"</a>. CBS News. <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4483168.shtml" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4483168.shtml</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=ACORN+Issue+Fueling+Bailout+Opposition&rft.jtitle=CBS+News&rft.aulast=%5B%5BRyan+Grim%5D%5D&rft.au=%5B%5BRyan+Grim%5D%5D&rft.date=September+27%2C+2008&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fstories%2F2008%2F09%2F27%2Fpolitics%2Fpolitico%2Fthecrypt%2Fmain4483168.shtml&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-acornfolds-12"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-acornfolds_12-0">^</a> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,589768,00.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN Closing in Wake of Scandal"</a>. FOX News. March 22, 2010. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,589768,00.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,589768,00.html</a>. Retrieved March 22, 2010.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=ACORN+Closing+in+Wake+of+Scandal&rft.jtitle=FOX+News&rft.date=March+22%2C+2010&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fstory%2F0%2C2933%2C589768%2C00.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-times-acorn-lorber-13">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-times-acorn-lorber_13-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-times-acorn-lorber_13-1">b</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-times-acorn-lorber_13-2">c</a> Lorber, Janie (December 11, 2009). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/us/politics/12acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"House Ban on Acorn Grants Is Ruled Unconstitutional"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a>: p. A12. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/us/politics/12acorn.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/us/politics/12acorn.html</a>. Retrieved February 1, 2010.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=House+Ban+on+Acorn+Grants+Is+Ruled+Unconstitutional&rft.jtitle=%5B%5BThe+New+York+Times%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Lorber&rft.aufirst=Janie&rft.au=Lorber%2C%26%2332%3BJanie&rft.date=December+11%2C+2009&rft.pages=p.%26nbsp%3BA12&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F12%2F12%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2F12acorn.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-AP-08-13-10-14">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-AP-08-13-10_14-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-AP-08-13-10_14-1">b</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-AP-08-13-10_14-2">c</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-AP-08-13-10_14-3">d</a> Hays, Tom. <a href="http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12975806" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Federal appeals court in NY rules against ACORN</a>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Press" title="Associated Press">Associated Press</a> (via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KTUU-TV" title="KTUU-TV">KTUU-TV</a> Alaska), August 13, 2010.</li>

<li id="cite_note-15"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-15">^</a> <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-acorn-bankruptcy-20101103,0,549666.story" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy</a>; Los Angeles Times; November 2, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-ACORN_2003-16">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-ACORN_2003_16-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-ACORN_2003_16-1">b</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8500" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN Annual Report 2003"</a>. ACORN. 2003. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8500" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8500</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+Annual+Report+2003&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2003&rft.pub=ACORN&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D8500&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-17"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-17">^</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20060927065346/http://www.atg.wa.gov/householdfinance/facts.shtml" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Household Finance Settlement"</a>. Washington State Office of the Attorney General. 2003-12-05. Archived from <a href="http://www.atg.wa.gov/householdfinance/facts.shtml" class="external text" rel="nofollow">the original</a> on 2007-09-27. <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20060927065346/http://www.atg.wa.gov/householdfinance/facts.shtml" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://web.archive.org/web/20060927065346/http://www.atg.wa.gov/householdfinance/facts.shtml</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Household+Finance+Settlement&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2003-12-05&rft.pub=Washington+State+Office+of+the+Attorney+General&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20060927065346%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.atg.wa.gov%2Fhouseholdfinance%2Ffacts.shtml&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-a44-18">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-a44_18-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-a44_18-1">b</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=44" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Affordable Housing"</a>. ACORN. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=44" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=44</a>. Retrieved 2010-12-03.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Affordable+Housing&rft.atitle=&rft.pub=ACORN&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D44&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-19"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-19">^</a> <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/104/story/31441.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Clinton calls for $30 billion in mortgage aid to home-owners</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-20"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-20">^</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=9703" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Two years after Katrina, still fighting and winning"</a>. ACORN. 2005. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=9703" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=9703</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Two+years+after+Katrina%2C+still+fighting+and+winning&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2005&rft.pub=ACORN&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D9703&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-ACORN_school_overview-21">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-ACORN_school_overview_21-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-ACORN_school_overview_21-1">b</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=2660" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"School Overview"</a>. ACORN. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=2660" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=2660</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=School+Overview&rft.atitle=&rft.pub=ACORN&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D2660&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-a735-22">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-a735_22-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-a735_22-1">b</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=735" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Detailed History of ACORN:New Victories, 1995-2002"</a>. ACORN. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=735" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=735</a>. Retrieved 2010-12-03.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Detailed+History+of+ACORN%3ANew+Victories%2C+1995-2002&rft.atitle=&rft.pub=ACORN&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D735&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-23"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-23">^</a> Mark Walsh (2001-03-14). <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2001/03/14/26edison.h20.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"N.Y.C. Parents To Vote on Edison Charter Plan"</a>. Education Week. <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2001/03/14/26edison.h20.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2001/03/14/26edison.h20.html</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=N.Y.C.+Parents+To+Vote+on+Edison+Charter+Plan&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Mark+Walsh&rft.au=Mark+Walsh&rft.date=2001-03-14&rft.pub=Education+Week&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.edweek.org%2Few%2Farticles%2F2001%2F03%2F14%2F26edison.h20.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-24"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-24">^</a> Christopher Hayes, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nation" title="The Nation">The Nation</a>, September 1, 2008, <a href="http://www.thenation.com/article/obamas-voter-registration-drive" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Obama's Voter-registration Drive</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-APMud-25"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-APMud_25-0">^</a> Hastings, Deborah (2008-10-18). <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-10-18-3995453887_x.htm" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN controversy: Voter fraud or mudslinging?"</a>. Associated Press. <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-10-18-3995453887_x.htm" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-10-18-3995453887_x.htm</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+controversy%3A+Voter+fraud+or+mudslinging%3F&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Hastings&rft.aufirst=Deborah&rft.au=Hastings%2C%26%2332%3BDeborah&rft.date=2008-10-18&rft.series=Associated+Press&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2F2008-10-18-3995453887_x.htm&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-MiamiFuror-26"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-MiamiFuror_26-0">^</a> <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/campaign-2008/story/739642.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Furor over ACORN allegations gaining momentum"</a>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>] <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Herald" title="Miami Herald" class="mw-redirect">Miami Herald</a>, 2008-10-24.</li>

<li id="cite_note-NYTTally-27">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-NYTTally_27-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-NYTTally_27-1">b</a> Falcone, Michael; Moss, Michael (2008-10-23). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/us/politics/24acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Groups Tally of New Voters Was Vastly Overstated"</a>. New York Times. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/us/politics/24acorn.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/us/politics/24acorn.html</a>. Retrieved 2010-03-27.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Groups+Tally+of+New+Voters+Was+Vastly+Overstated&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Falcone&rft.aufirst=Michael&rft.au=Falcone%2C%26%2332%3BMichael&rft.au=Moss%2C%26%2332%3BMichael&rft.date=2008-10-23&rft.pub=New+York+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2008%2F10%2F24%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2F24acorn.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-SeattleTimes1-28">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-SeattleTimes1_28-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-SeattleTimes1_28-1">b</a> Ervin, Keith (2007-07-28). <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003806904_webvotefraud26m.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Felony charges filed against 7 in state's biggest case of voter-registration fraud"</a>. The Seattle Times. <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003806904_webvotefraud26m.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003806904_webvotefraud26m.html</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Felony+charges+filed+against+7+in+state%27s+biggest+case+of+voter-registration+fraud&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Ervin&rft.aufirst=Keith&rft.au=Ervin%2C%26%2332%3BKeith&rft.date=2007-07-28&rft.pub=The+Seattle+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fseattletimes.nwsource.com%2Fhtml%2Flocalnews%2F2003806904_webvotefraud26m.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-NYTIssues-29"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-NYTIssues_29-0">^</a> Strom, Stephanie (2008-10-22). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/us/22acorn.html?sq=ACORN&st=cse&scp=11&pagewanted=print" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Acorn Report Raises Issues of Legality"</a>. New York Times. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/us/22acorn.html?sq=ACORN&st=cse&scp=11&pagewanted=print" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/us/22acorn.html?sq=ACORN&st=cse&scp=11&pagewanted=print</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-19.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Acorn+Report+Raises+Issues+of+Legality&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Strom&rft.aufirst=Stephanie&rft.au=Strom%2C%26%2332%3BStephanie&rft.date=2008-10-22&rft.pub=New+York+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2008%2F10%2F22%2Fus%2F22acorn.html%3Fsq%3DACORN%26st%3Dcse%26scp%3D11%26pagewanted%3Dprint&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-30"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-30">^</a> Sheffield, Reggie. <a href="http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1216864520180960.xml&coll=1" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Former temp worker accused of bogus registrations."</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Patriot-News" title="The Patriot-News">The Patriot-News</a> (Harrisburg, Penn.), July 24, 2008</li>

<li id="cite_note-31"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-31">^</a> Bill Dolan (2008-10-02). <a href="http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/10/02/news/lake_county/doc5399904569d23a75862574d600010e55.txt" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"County rejects large number of invalid voter registrations"</a>. The Times Media Company. <a href="http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/10/02/news/lake_county/doc5399904569d23a75862574d600010e55.txt" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/10/02/news/lake_county/doc5399904569d23a75862574d600010e55.txt</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=County+rejects+large+number+of+invalid+voter+registrations&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Bill+Dolan&rft.au=Bill+Dolan&rft.date=2008-10-02&rft.pub=The+Times+Media+Company&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nwi.com%2Farticles%2F2008%2F10%2F02%2Fnews%2Flake_county%2Fdoc5399904569d23a75862574d600010e55.txt&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-32"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-32">^</a> Bill Dolan (2008-10-23). <a href="http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/10/23/news/top_news/doce273bd903d615e49862574ea00806d36.txt" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN defends fraudulent Lake voter drive"</a>. The Times Media Company. <a href="http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/10/23/news/top_news/doce273bd903d615e49862574ea00806d36.txt" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/10/23/news/top_news/doce273bd903d615e49862574ea00806d36.txt</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+defends+fraudulent+Lake+voter+drive&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Bill+Dolan&rft.au=Bill+Dolan&rft.date=2008-10-23&rft.pub=The+Times+Media+Company&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nwi.com%2Farticles%2F2008%2F10%2F23%2Fnews%2Ftop_news%2Fdoce273bd903d615e49862574ea00806d36.txt&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-san_diego_county-33"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-san_diego_county_33-0">^</a> Hiram Soto and Helen Gao (October 16, 2008). <a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20081016-1250-bn16acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN active in voter registration in county"</a>. San Diego Union-Tribune. <a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20081016-1250-bn16acorn.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20081016-1250-bn16acorn.html</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+active+in+voter+registration+in+county&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Hiram+Soto+and+Helen+Gao&rft.au=Hiram+Soto+and+Helen+Gao&rft.date=October+16%2C+2008&rft.pub=San+Diego+Union-Tribune&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.signonsandiego.com%2Fnews%2Fmetro%2F20081016-1250-bn16acorn.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-34"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-34">^</a> Rachel La Corte (2007-02-23). <a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/304877_acorn23.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Reform group turned in 2000 suspicious voter registrations: County may make criminal inquiry"</a>. Seattle Post Intelligencer. <a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/304877_acorn23.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/304877_acorn23.html</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Reform+group+turned+in+2000+suspicious+voter+registrations%3A+County+may+make+criminal+inquiry&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Rachel+La+Corte&rft.au=Rachel+La+Corte&rft.date=2007-02-23&rft.pub=Seattle+Post+Intelligencer&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fseattlepi.nwsource.com%2Flocal%2F304877_acorn23.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-35"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-35">^</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/us/05acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">New York Times</a> Associated Press, 2009-08-19.</li>

<li id="cite_note-36"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-36">^</a> <a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/23/ex-acorn-official-gets-probation-voter-registratio/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Las Vegas Sun</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-37"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-37">^</a> <cite>Harkless v. Brunner</cite>, <a href="http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/08a0389p-06.pdf" class="external text" rel="nofollow">_ F.3d _</a> (United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit October 28, 2008).</li>

<li id="cite_note-38"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-38">^</a> <a href="http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/project_vote/2009/12/federal-court-lawsuit-settleme.php" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Federal Court Lawsuit Settlement Brings Ohio into Compliance with NVRA"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_Points_Memo" title="Talking Points Memo">Talking Points Memo</a>. December 1, 2009. <a href="http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/project_vote/2009/12/federal-court-lawsuit-settleme.php" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/project_vote/2009/12/federal-court-lawsuit-settleme.php</a>. Retrieved 2009-12-13.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Federal+Court+Lawsuit+Settlement+Brings+Ohio+into+Compliance+with+NVRA&rft.atitle=&rft.date=December+1%2C+2009&rft.pub=%5B%5BTalking+Points+Memo%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Ftpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com%2Ftalk%2Fblogs%2Fproject_vote%2F2009%2F12%2Ffederal-court-lawsuit-settleme.php&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-39"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-39">^</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lawyers%27_Committee_for_Civil_Rights_Under_Law" title="The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law" class="mw-redirect">The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law</a> (November 30, 2009). <a href="http://www.lawyerscommittee.org/projects/voting_rights/press_releases?id=0059" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Federal Court Lawsuit Settlement Brings Ohio Into Compliance with National Voter Registration Act-Hundreds of Thousands of Low-Income Ohioans to Benefit"</a>. Press release. <a href="http://www.lawyerscommittee.org/projects/voting_rights/press_releases?id=0059" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.lawyerscommittee.org/projects/voting_rights/press_releases?id=0059</a>. Retrieved 2009-12-13.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Federal+Court+Lawsuit+Settlement+Brings+Ohio+Into+Compliance+with+National+Voter+Registration+Act-Hundreds+of+Thousands+of+Low-Income+Ohioans+to+Benefit&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=%5B%5BThe+Lawyers%27+Committee+for+Civil+Rights+Under+Law%5D%5D&rft.au=%5B%5BThe+Lawyers%27+Committee+for+Civil+Rights+Under+Law%5D%5D&rft.date=November+30%2C+2009&rft.series=Press+release&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lawyerscommittee.org%2Fprojects%2Fvoting_rights%2Fpress_releases%3Fid%3D0059&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-40"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-40">^</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Vote" title="Project Vote">Project Vote</a>. <a href="http://www.projectvote.org/newsreleases/442-federal-court-lawsuit-settlement-brings-ohio-into-compliance-with-national-voter-registration-act.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Federal Court Lawsuit Settlement Brings Ohio Into Compliance with National Voter Registration Act"</a>. Press release. <a href="http://www.projectvote.org/newsreleases/442-federal-court-lawsuit-settlement-brings-ohio-into-compliance-with-national-voter-registration-act.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.projectvote.org/newsreleases/442-federal-court-lawsuit-settlement-brings-ohio-into-compliance-with-national-voter-registration-act.html</a>. Retrieved 2009-12-13.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Federal+Court+Lawsuit+Settlement+Brings+Ohio+Into+Compliance+with+National+Voter+Registration+Act&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=%5B%5BProject+Vote%5D%5D&rft.au=%5B%5BProject+Vote%5D%5D&rft.series=Press+release&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.projectvote.org%2Fnewsreleases%2F442-federal-court-lawsuit-settlement-brings-ohio-into-compliance-with-national-voter-registration-act.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-41"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-41">^</a> <a href="http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2009/12/10/editorial_acorn_suit_gets_good.html?cxtype=feedbot" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Editorial: ACORN suit gets good result for Ohio voters"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton_Daily_News" title="Dayton Daily News">Dayton Daily News</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton,_Ohio" title="Dayton, Ohio">Dayton, Ohio</a>). December 10, 2009. <a href="http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2009/12/10/editorial_acorn_suit_gets_good.html?cxtype=feedbot" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2009/12/10/editorial_acorn_suit_gets_good.html?cxtype=feedbot</a>. Retrieved 2009-12-14.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Editorial%3A+ACORN+suit+gets+good+result+for+Ohio+voters&rft.jtitle=%5B%5BDayton+Daily+News%5D%5D&rft.date=December+10%2C+2009&rft.place=%5B%5BDayton%2C+Ohio%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.daytondailynews.com%2Fblogs%2Fcontent%2Fshared-gen%2Fblogs%2Fdayton%2Fopinion%2Fentries%2F2009%2F12%2F10%2Feditorial_acorn_suit_gets_good.html%3Fcxtype%3Dfeedbot&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-toutant-42">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-toutant_42-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-toutant_42-1">b</a> Toutant, Charles (2006-12-20). <a href="http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1166448999875" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"N.J. Judge Voids City's Gun Control Law"</a>. New Jersey Law Journal. <a href="http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1166448999875" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1166448999875</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=N.J.+Judge+Voids+City%27s+Gun+Control+Law&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Toutant&rft.aufirst=Charles&rft.au=Toutant%2C%26%2332%3BCharles&rft.date=2006-12-20&rft.pub=New+Jersey+Law+Journal&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.law.com%2Fjsp%2Farticle.jsp%3Fid%3D1166448999875&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-43"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-43">^</a> <a href="http://google.com/search/cache?ei=UTF8&p=www.judiciary.state.nj.us%2Fopinions%2Fa4443-06a4708-06.pdf&fr=yfp-t-501&u=www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opinions/a4443-06a4708-06.pdf&d=S490IULURjvc&icp=1&.intl=us" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, No. A-4443-06T2 and A-4708-06T2"</a>. September 29, 2008. <a href="http://google.com/search/cache?ei=UTF8&p=www.judiciary.state.nj.us%2Fopinions%2Fa4443-06a4708-06.pdf&fr=yfp-t-501&u=www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opinions/a4443-06a4708-06.pdf&d=S490IULURjvc&icp=1&.intl=us" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://google.com/search/cache?ei=UTF8&p=www.judiciary.state.nj.us%2Fopinions%2Fa4443-06a4708-06.pdf&fr=yfp-t-501&u=www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opinions/a4443-06a4708-06.pdf&d=S490IULURjvc&icp=1&.intl=us</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Superior+Court+of+New+Jersey%2C+Appellate+Division%2C+No.+A-4443-06T2+and+A-4708-06T2&rft.atitle=&rft.date=September+29%2C+2008&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fgoogle.com%2Fsearch%2Fcache%3Fei%3DUTF8%26p%3Dwww.judiciary.state.nj.us%252Fopinions%252Fa4443-06a4708-06.pdf%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26u%3Dwww.judiciary.state.nj.us%2Fopinions%2Fa4443-06a4708-06.pdf%26d%3DS490IULURjvc%26icp%3D1%26.intl%3Dus&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-44"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-44">^</a> <a href="http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2749/t/3071/signUp.jsp?key=2134" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN Home Defender Program"</a>. <a href="http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2749/t/3071/signUp.jsp?key=2134" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2749/t/3071/signUp.jsp?key=2134</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+Home+Defender+Program&rft.atitle=&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fsalsa.wiredforchange.com%2Fo%2F2749%2Ft%2F3071%2FsignUp.jsp%3Fkey%3D2134&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now">��</li>

<li id="cite_note-45"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-45">^</a> Bill Dolan (2009-02-19). <a href="http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/02/19/news/lake/doc853b6aa5c26aca0286257561007d5737.txt" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN plans local action to stem NWI mortgage foreclosures"</a>. The Times Media Company. <a href="http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/02/19/news/lake/doc853b6aa5c26aca0286257561007d5737.txt" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/02/19/news/lake/doc853b6aa5c26aca0286257561007d5737.txt</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+plans+local+action+to+stem+NWI+mortgage+foreclosures&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Bill+Dolan&rft.au=Bill+Dolan&rft.date=2009-02-19&rft.pub=The+Times+Media+Company&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nwi.com%2Farticles%2F2009%2F02%2F19%2Fnews%2Flake%2Fdoc853b6aa5c26aca0286257561007d5737.txt&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-46"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-46">^</a> <a href="http://acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=22521&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=12387&cHash=5ef36d5092" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Refusing to Leave: ACORN Members Step up Fight to Stay in Homes"</a>. 2009-02-13. <a href="http://acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=22521&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=12387&cHash=5ef36d5092" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=22521&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=12387&cHash=5ef36d5092</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Refusing+to+Leave%3A+ACORN+Members+Step+up+Fight+to+Stay+in+Homes&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2009-02-13&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Facorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D12439%26tx_ttnews%255Btt_news%255D%3D22521%26tx_ttnews%255BbackPid%255D%3D12387%26cHash%3D5ef36d5092&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-47"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-47">^</a> Stern, Sol (Spring 2003). <a href="http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_2_acorns_nutty_regime.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN’s Nutty Regime for Cities"</a>. City Journal. <a href="http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_2_acorns_nutty_regime.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_2_acorns_nutty_regime.html</a>. Retrieved 2007-01-24.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=ACORN%E2%80%99s+Nutty+Regime+for+Cities&rft.jtitle=City+Journal&rft.aulast=Stern&rft.aufirst=Sol&rft.au=Stern%2C%26%2332%3BSol&rft.date=Spring+2003&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.city-journal.org%2Fhtml%2F13_2_acorns_nutty_regime.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now">��</li>

<li id="cite_note-Delgado-48">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-Delgado_48-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-Delgado_48-1">b</a> Delgado, Gary (1986). Organizing the Movement: The Roots and Growth of ACORN. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_University_Press" title="Temple University Press">Temple University Press</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87722-393-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-87722-393-9">0-87722-393-9</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Computer_Library_Center" title="Online Computer Library Center">OCLC</a> <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/12134922" class="external text" rel="nofollow">59256995 12134922 59256995</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Organizing+the+Movement%3A+The+Roots+and+Growth+of+ACORN&rft.aulast=Delgado&rft.aufirst=Gary&rft.au=Delgado%2C%26%2332%3BGary&rft.date=1986&rft.pub=%5B%5BTemple+University+Press%5D%5D&rft_id=info:oclcnum/12134922+59256995&rft.isbn=0-87722-393-9&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-49"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-49">^</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12447&L=1%2Findex.php%3Fid%3Dhttp%3A%2F" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN History</a> acorn.org</li>

<li id="cite_note-50"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-50">^</a> <a href="http://www.umsl.edu/%7Ewhmc/guides/whm0040.htm" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Western Historical Manuscript Collection"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Missouri" title="University of Missouri">University of Missouri</a> - St. Louis. June 1980. <a href="http://www.umsl.edu/%7Ewhmc/guides/whm0040.htm" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.umsl.edu/_{whmc/guides/whm0040.htm</a>}. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Western+Historical+Manuscript+Collection&rft.atitle=&rft.date=June+1980&rft.pub=%5B%5BUniversity+of+Missouri%5D%5D+-+St.+Louis&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.umsl.edu%2F%7Ewhmc%2Fguides%2Fwhm0040.htm&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-51"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-51">^</a> <a href="http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/439052" class="external text" rel="nofollow">www.altlaw.org</a>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-nlrb-52">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-nlrb_52-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-nlrb_52-1">b</a> <a href="http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/Board%20Decisions/338/338-129.pdf" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Decisions of the NLRB, 338–129"</a> (PDF). National Labor Relations Board. 2003-03-27. <a href="http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/Board%20Decisions/338/338-129.pdf" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/Board%20Decisions/338/338-129.pdf</a>. Retrieved 2006-10-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Decisions+of+the+NLRB%2C+338%E2%80%93129&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2003-03-27&rft.pub=National+Labor+Relations+Board&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nlrb.gov%2Fshared_files%2FBoard%2520Decisions%2F338%2F338-129.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-53"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-53">^</a> <a href="http://wweek.com/editorial/2818/2532/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Willamette Week | ��The ACORN that imploded” | March 6th, 2002</a>.</li>

<li id="cite_note-54"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-54">^</a> <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116113323291895978-search.html?KEYWORDS=ACORN+%2B+union&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"The Wal-Mart Posse"</a>. The Wall Street Journal. 2006-10-18. <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116113323291895978-search.html?KEYWORDS=ACORN+%2B+union&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116113323291895978-search.html?KEYWORDS=ACORN+%2B+union&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month</a>. Retrieved 2007-11-12.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=The+Wal-Mart+Posse&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2006-10-18&rft.pub=The+Wall+Street+Journal&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB116113323291895978-search.html%3FKEYWORDS%3DACORN%2B%252B%2Bunion%26COLLECTION%3Dwsjie%2F6month&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-55"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-55">^</a> Smith, Ben (March 22, 2010). <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0310/Acorn_folds.html?showall" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN Folds"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politico.com" title="Politico.com" class="mw-redirect">Politico.com</a>. <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0310/Acorn_folds.html?showall" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0310/Acorn_folds.html?showall</a>. Retrieved 2010-03-22.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+Folds&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Smith&rft.aufirst=Ben&rft.au=Smith%2C%26%2332%3BBen&rft.date=March+22%2C+2010&rft.pub=%5B%5BPolitico.com%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com%2Fblogs%2Fbensmith%2F0310%2FAcorn_folds.html%3Fshowall&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now">��</li>

<li id="cite_note-Politico-56">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-Politico_56-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-Politico_56-1">b</a> Jake Sherman (December 17, 2009). <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30742.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"GAO Opens ACORN Investigation"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politico.com" title="Politico.com" class="mw-redirect">Politico.com</a>. <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30742.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30742.html</a>. Retrieved 12-17-2009.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=GAO+Opens+ACORN+Investigation&rft.atitle=%5B%5BPolitico.com%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Jake+Sherman&rft.au=Jake+Sherman&rft.date=December+17%2C+2009&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com%2Fnews%2Fstories%2F1209%2F30742.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-AP_4-20-57">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-AP_4-20_57-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-AP_4-20_57-1">b</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-AP_4-20_57-2">c</a> Larry Neumeister (2010-04-20). <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100420/ap_on_re_us/us_acorn_lawsuit" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN CEO outside court: 'We're on life support'"</a>. Associated Press. <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100420/ap_on_re_us/us_acorn_lawsuit" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100420/ap_on_re_us/us_acorn_lawsuit</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+CEO+outside+court%3A+%27We%27re+on+life+support%27&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Larry+Neumeister&rft.au=Larry+Neumeister&rft.date=2010-04-20&rft.pub=Associated+Press&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fap%2F20100420%2Fap_on_re_us%2Fus_acorn_lawsuit&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-wsj0731-58">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-wsj0731_58-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-wsj0731_58-1">b</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-wsj0731_58-2">c</a> Williamson, Elizabeth; Mullins, Brody (July 31, 2008). <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121745181676698197.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Democratic Ally Mobilizes In Housing Crunch"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wall_Street_Journal" title="The Wall Street Journal">The Wall Street Journal</a>. <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121745181676698197.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121745181676698197.html</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Democratic+Ally+Mobilizes+In+Housing+Crunch&rft.jtitle=%5B%5BThe+Wall+Street+Journal%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Williamson&rft.aufirst=Elizabeth&rft.au=Williamson%2C%26%2332%3BElizabeth&rft.date=July+31%2C+2008&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB121745181676698197.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-59"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-59">^</a> Katrina vanden Heuvel (2008-02-23). <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?bid=45&pid=289192" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN: Obama Gets It</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nation" title="The Nation">The Nation</a>. <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?bid=45&pid=289192" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?bid=45&pid=289192</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=ACORN%3A+Obama+Gets+It&rft.aulast=Katrina+vanden+Heuvel&rft.au=Katrina+vanden+Heuvel&rft.date=2008-02-23&rft.pub=%5B%5BThe+Nation%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Fblogs%2Fcampaignmatters%3Fbid%3D45%26pid%3D289192&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-endorse_obama-60"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-endorse_obama_60-0">^</a> ACORN. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8539&tx_ttnews%5Bpointer%5D=4&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=21759&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=8538&cHash=ff99d11068" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN’s Political Action Committee Endorses Obama"</a>. Press release. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8539&tx_ttnews%5Bpointer%5D=4&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=21759&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=8538&cHash=ff99d11068" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8539&tx_ttnews%5Bpointer%5D=4&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=21759&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=8538&cHash=ff99d11068</a>. Retrieved 2010-12-03.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN%E2%80%99s+Political+Action+Committee+Endorses+Obama&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=ACORN&rft.au=ACORN&rft.series=Press+release&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D8539%26tx_ttnews%255Bpointer%255D%3D4%26tx_ttnews%255Btt_news%255D%3D21759%26tx_ttnews%255BbackPid%255D%3D8538%26cHash%3Dff99d11068&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-a730-61">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-a730_61-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-a730_61-1">b</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-a730_61-2">c</a> <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Detailed History of ACORN: The ACORN 80 Plan"</a>. ACORN. <a href="http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730</a>. Retrieved 2010-12-03.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Detailed+History+of+ACORN%3A+The+ACORN+80+Plan&rft.atitle=&rft.pub=ACORN&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acorn.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D730&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-62"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-62">^</a> US Department of Justice Inspector General. <a href="http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/s0809a/final.pdf" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"An Investigation into the Removal of Nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006, pgs 156-167 and 190"</a> (PDF). <a href="http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/s0809a/final.pdf" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/s0809a/final.pdf</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=An+Investigation+into+the+Removal+of+Nine+U.S.+Attorneys+in+2006%2C+pgs+156-167+and+190&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=US+Department+of+Justice+Inspector+General&rft.au=US+Department+of+Justice+Inspector+General&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usdoj.gov%2Foig%2Fspecial%2Fs0809a%2Ffinal.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-63"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-63">^</a> <a href="http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_ayo08b28.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Draft bill"</a>. US House of Representatives. <a href="http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_ayo08b28.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_ayo08b28.html</a>. Retrieved 2010-12-03.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Draft+bill&rft.atitle=&rft.pub=US+House+of+Representatives&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com%2Fstatic%2FPPM41_ayo08b28.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-64"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-64">^</a> Peter Overby. <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95696267" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN Has Long Been In Republicans' Cross Hairs"</a>. <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95696267" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95696267</a>. Retrieved 2010-12-03.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+Has+Long+Been+In+Republicans%27+Cross+Hairs&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Peter+Overby&rft.au=Peter+Overby&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2Ftemplates%2Fstory%2Fstory.php%3FstoryId%3D95696267&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-65"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-65">^</a> Stephanie Strom (2008-10-08). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/11/us/politics/11acorn.html?r=1&oref=slogin" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"On Obama, Acorn and Voter Registration"</a>. New York Times. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/11/us/politics/11acorn.html?r=1&oref=slogin" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/11/us/politics/11acorn.html?_r=1&oref=slogin</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=On+Obama%2C+Acorn+and+Voter+Registration&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Stephanie+Strom&rft.au=Stephanie+Strom&rft.date=2008-10-08&rft.pub=New+York+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2008%2F10%2F11%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2F11acorn.html%3F_r%3D1%26oref%3Dslogin&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-66"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-66">^</a> Barabak, Mark Z.; Seema Mehta (2008-10-16). <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-debate16-2008oct16,0,5385470.story" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"McCain, Obama duel in caustic debate finale"</a>. Los Angeles Times. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-debate16-2008oct16,0,5385470.story" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-debate16-2008oct16,0,5385470.story</a>. Retrieved 2008-10-17.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=McCain%2C+Obama+duel+in+caustic+debate+finale&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Barabak&rft.aufirst=Mark+Z.&rft.au=Barabak%2C%26%2332%3BMark+Z.&rft.date=2008-10-16&rft.pub=Los+Angeles+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fla-na-debate16-2008oct16%2C0%2C5385470.story&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-davidbrown-67">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-davidbrown_67-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-davidbrown_67-1">b</a> David M. Brown (2008-08-22). <a href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/election/s_584284.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Obama to amend report on $800,000 in spending"</a>. Pitsburgh Tribune Review. <a href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/election/s_584284.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/election/s_584284.html</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Obama+to+amend+report+on+%24800%2C000+in+spending&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=David+M.+Brown&rft.au=David+M.+Brown&rft.date=2008-08-22&rft.pub=Pitsburgh+Tribune+Review&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pittsburghlive.com%2Fx%2Fpittsburghtrib%2Fnews%2Felection%2Fs_584284.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-yanooz-68">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-yanooz_68-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-yanooz_68-1">b</a> Bill Draper (2008-10-08). <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_el_ge/voter_fraud_6" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Missouri officials suspect fake voter registration"</a>. Associated Press. <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_el_ge/voter_fraud_6" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_el_ge/voter_fraud_6</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Missouri+officials+suspect+fake+voter+registration&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Bill+Draper&rft.au=Bill+Draper&rft.date=2008-10-08&rft.series=Associated+Press&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fap%2F20081009%2Fap_on_el_ge%2Fvoter_fraud_6&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-69"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-69">^</a> Novak, Viveca (2008-10-31). <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_whoppers_of_2008--the_sequel.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"The Whoppers of 2008 -- The Sequel"</a>. factcheck.org. <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_whoppers_of_2008--the_sequel.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_whoppers_of_2008--the_sequel.html</a>. Retrieved 2009-01-23.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=The+Whoppers+of+2008+--+The+Sequel&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Novak&rft.aufirst=Viveca&rft.au=Novak%2C%26%2332%3BViveca&rft.date=2008-10-31&rft.pub=factcheck.org&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.factcheck.org%2Felections-2008%2Fthe_whoppers_of_2008--the_sequel.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-70"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-70">^</a> Jess Henig (2008-10-18). <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/164722/page/1" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN Accusations"</a>. Newsweek. <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/164722/page/1" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.newsweek.com/id/164722/page/1</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+Accusations&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Jess+Henig&rft.au=Jess+Henig&rft.date=2008-10-18&rft.pub=Newsweek&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2Fid%2F164722%2Fpage%2F1&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-71"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-71">^</a> <a href="http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/11/acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Public Policy Polling November 19, 2009</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-nytstrom-72">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-nytstrom_72-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-nytstrom_72-1">b</a> Strom, Stephanie (July 9, 2008). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/us/09embezzle.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Funds Misappropriated at 2 Nonprofit Groups"</a>. The New York Times. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/us/09embezzle.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/us/09embezzle.html</a>. Retrieved 2008-10-13.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Funds+Misappropriated+at+2+Nonprofit+Groups&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Strom&rft.aufirst=Stephanie&rft.au=Strom%2C%26%2332%3BStephanie&rft.date=July+9%2C+2008&rft.pub=The+New+York+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2008%2F07%2F09%2Fus%2F09embezzle.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-73"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-73">^</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/us/17acorn.html?pagewanted=print" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/us/17acorn.html?pagewanted=print</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-74"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-74">^</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/us/10acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">New York Times</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-75"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-75">^</a> <a href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_606173.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Pittsburgh News, Sports, Entertainment, Events - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-76"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-76">^</a> <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gdO149RbRfTcMxP0vhtwOxMyqoxAD9B5KLH80" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Associated Press, October 6, 2009</a>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-77"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-77">^</a> Carr, Martha (2009-11-06). <a href="http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/11/attorney_general_serves_search.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"State investigators taking dozens of computers from ACORN office on Canal Street"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Times-Picayune" title="New Orleans Times-Picayune" class="mw-redirect">New Orleans Times-Picayune</a>. <a href="http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/11/attorney_general_serves_search.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/11/attorney_general_serves_search.html</a>. Retrieved 2009-11-06.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=State+investigators+taking+dozens+of+computers+from+ACORN+office+on+Canal+Street&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Carr&rft.aufirst=Martha&rft.au=Carr%2C%26%2332%3BMartha&rft.date=2009-11-06&rft.pub=%5B%5BNew+Orleans+Times-Picayune%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nola.com%2Fcrime%2Findex.ssf%2F2009%2F11%2Fattorney_general_serves_search.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-78"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-78">^</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/us/07acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Acorn offices in New Orleans Are Raided"</a>. New York Times. 2009-11-06. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/us/07acorn.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/us/07acorn.html</a>. Retrieved 2009-11-10.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Acorn+offices+in+New+Orleans+Are+Raided&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2009-11-06&rft.pub=New+York+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F11%2F07%2Fus%2F07acorn.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-79"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-79">^</a> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/01/calif-ag-determines-acorn-broke-criminal-laws/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">California AG Determines ACORN Broke No Criminal Laws</a> FOX News; April 1, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-80"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-80">^</a> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/29/okeefe.cnn.prank/index.html?hpt=T2" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Fake pimp from ACORN videos tries to 'punk' CNN correspondent</a> CNN; September 29, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-CA_AG_Release-81">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-CA_AG_Release_81-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-CA_AG_Release_81-1">b</a> <a href="http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1888&" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Brown Releases Report Detailing a Litany of Problems with ACORN, But No Criminality"</a>. California Office of Attorney General. 2010-04-01. <a href="http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1888&" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1888&</a>. Retrieved 2010-04-03.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Brown+Releases+Report+Detailing+a+Litany+of+Problems+with+ACORN%2C+But+No+Criminality&rft.jtitle=California+Office+of+Attorney+General&rft.date=2010-04-01&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fag.ca.gov%2Fnewsalerts%2Frelease.php%3Fid%3D1888%26&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-82"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-82">^</a> According to the California Attorney General's investigation report, page 8, the recordings occurred in ACORN offices in eight cities: Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Brooklyn, Miami, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Bernardino.</li>

<li id="cite_note-NYT20090919shane-83"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-NYT20090919shane_83-0">^</a> Shane, Scott (2009-09-19). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/us/19sting.html?pagewanted=print" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"A Political Gadfly Lampoons the Left via YouTube"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a>. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/us/19sting.html?pagewanted=print" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/us/19sting.html?pagewanted=print</a>. Retrieved 2009-09-26.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=A+Political+Gadfly+Lampoons+the+Left+via+YouTube&rft.jtitle=%5B%5BThe+New+York+Times%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Shane&rft.aufirst=Scott&rft.au=Shane%2C%26%2332%3BScott&rft.date=2009-09-19&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F09%2F19%2Fus%2F19sting.html%3Fpagewanted%3Dprint&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-TAYLOR-84"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-TAYLOR_84-0">^</a> Taylor, Andrew (2009-09-14). <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jxhq8CPN8LdLntDEDtE5NrEBQ2IgD9ANF3F01" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Senate votes to deny funds to ACORN"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Press" title="Associated Press">Associated Press</a>. <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jxhq8CPN8LdLntDEDtE5NrEBQ2IgD9ANF3F01" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jxhq8CPN8LdLntDEDtE5NrEBQ2IgD9ANF3F01</a>. Retrieved 2009-09-15.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Senate+votes+to+deny+funds+to+ACORN&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Taylor&rft.aufirst=Andrew&rft.au=Taylor%2C%26%2332%3BAndrew&rft.date=2009-09-14&rft.series=%5B%5BAssociated+Press%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhostednews%2Fap%2Farticle%2FALeqM5jxhq8CPN8LdLntDEDtE5NrEBQ2IgD9ANF3F01&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOX-85"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-FOX_85-0">^</a> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,551533,00.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"House Votes to Strip Funding for ACORN"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News_Channel" title="Fox News Channel">Fox News</a>. 2009-09-17. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,551533,00.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,551533,00.html</a>. Retrieved 2009-09-17.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=House+Votes+to+Strip+Funding+for+ACORN&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2009-09-17&rft.pub=%5B%5BFox+News+Channel%7CFox+News%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fstory%2F0%2C2933%2C551533%2C00.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-autogenerated1-86"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-autogenerated1_86-0">^</a> Hays, Tom. <a href="http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/nation-world-news/federal-appeals-court-in-ny-rules-against-acorn-859385.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Federal appeals court in NY rules against ACORN</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Press" title="Associated Press">Associated Press</a>, August 13, 2010.</li>

<li id="cite_note-87"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-87">^</a> <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100322/ap_on_re_us/us_acorn_closing_down" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"ACORN disbanding because of money woes, scandal"</a>. 2010-03-22. <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100322/ap_on_re_us/us_acorn_closing_down" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100322/ap_on_re_us/us_acorn_closing_down</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=ACORN+disbanding+because+of+money+woes%2C+scandal&rft.atitle=&rft.date=2010-03-22&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fap%2F20100322%2Fap_on_re_us%2Fus_acorn_closing_down&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-88"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-88">^</a> <a href="http://www.proskauer.com/files/uploads/report2.pdf" class="external text" rel="nofollow">An Independent Governance Assessment of ACORN</a> December 7, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-89"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-89">^</a> <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/12/acorn_workers_cleared_of_illeg.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN Workers Cleared Of Illegality By Outside Probe</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-90"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-90">^</a> <a href="http://correspondents.theatlantic.com/wendy_kaminer/2009/12/acorn_and_the_ethics_of_leadership.php" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN and the Ethics of Leadership</a>, Atlantic Monthly, Dec. 8, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-91"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-91">^</a> <a href="http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1654:npq-on-acorn-investigation-results&catid=58:npq-in-the-news&Itemid=54" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN Investigation Results</a>, The Nonprofit Quarterly</li>

<li id="cite_note-92"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-92">^</a> <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/03/damaging_brooklyn_acorn_sting.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Damaging Brooklyn ACORN Sting Video Ruled ‘Heavily Edited,’ No Charges to Be Filed</a> New York Magazine; March 2, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-NYT2010Newman-93"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-NYT2010Newman_93-0">^</a> Newman, Andrew (2010-03-01). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/nyregion/02acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Advice to Fake Pimp Was No Crime, Prosecutor Says"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a>. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/nyregion/02acorn.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/nyregion/02acorn.html</a>. Retrieved 2010-03-07.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Advice+to+Fake+Pimp+Was+No+Crime%2C+Prosecutor+Says&rft.jtitle=%5B%5BThe+New+York+Times%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Newman&rft.aufirst=Andrew&rft.au=Newman%2C%26%2332%3BAndrew&rft.date=2010-03-01&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F03%2F02%2Fnyregion%2F02acorn.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-Salon2010Madden-94"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-Salon2010Madden_94-0">^</a> Madde, Mike (2010-03-01). <a href="http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/03/01/acorn_cleared" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Brooklyn prosecutors clear local ACORN office"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon.com" title="Salon.com">Salon.com</a>. <a href="http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/03/01/acorn_cleared" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/03/01/acorn_cleared</a>. Retrieved 2010-03-07.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Brooklyn+prosecutors+clear+local+ACORN+office&rft.atitle=%5B%5BSalon.com%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Madde&rft.aufirst=Mike&rft.au=Madde%2C%26%2332%3BMike&rft.date=2010-03-01&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.salon.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fwar_room%2F2010%2F03%2F01%2Facorn_cleared&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now">��</li>

<li id="cite_note-95"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-95">^</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-atlas/acorn-vindicated-of-wrong_b_612265.html?page=3&show_comment_id=50563828" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN Vindicated of Wrongdoing by the Congressional Watchdog Office</a> Huffington Post; June 15, 2010; John Atlas</li>

<li id="cite_note-96"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-96">^</a> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/14/congress.acorn/index.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Preliminary report clears ACORN on funds"</a>. CNN. 2010-06-15. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/14/congress.acorn/index.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/14/congress.acorn/index.html</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Preliminary+report+clears+ACORN+on+funds&rft.jtitle=CNN&rft.date=2010-06-15&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2010%2FPOLITICS%2F06%2F14%2Fcongress.acorn%2Findex.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-97"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-97">^</a> Sharon Theimer and Pete Yost (2009-09-19). <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/19/AR2009091902865.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Did ACORN get too big for its own good?"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Post" title="Washington Post" class="mw-redirect">Washington Post</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Press" title="Associated Press">Associated Press</a>. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/19/AR2009091902865.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/19/AR2009091902865.html</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Did+ACORN+get+too+big+for+its+own+good%3F&rft.jtitle=%5B%5BWashington+Post%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Sharon+Theimer+and+Pete+Yost&rft.au=Sharon+Theimer+and+Pete+Yost&rft.date=2009-09-19&rft.series=%5B%5BAssociated+Press%5D%5D&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-dyn%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F2009%2F09%2F19%2FAR2009091902865.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot" title="Wikipedia:Link rot">dead link</a>]</li>

<li id="cite_note-Barron-98">^ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-Barron_98-0">a</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-Barron_98-1">b</a> Charlie Savage (2009-11-27). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/us/politics/28acorn.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Justice Department Says Acorn Can Be Paid for Pre-Ban Contracts"</a>. New York Times. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/us/politics/28acorn.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/us/politics/28acorn.html</a>. Retrieved 12-03-2009.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Justice+Department+Says+Acorn+Can+Be+Paid+for+Pre-Ban+Contracts&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Charlie+Savage&rft.au=Charlie+Savage&rft.date=2009-11-27&rft.pub=New+York+Times&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F11%2F28%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2F28acorn.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-suit-99"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-suit_99-0">^</a> Kareem Fahim (November 12, 2009). <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/nyregion/13acorn.html?r=1" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Acorn Sues Over Funding Vote in House"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a>. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/nyregion/13acorn.html?r=1" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/nyregion/13acorn.html?_r=1</a>. Retrieved 11-13-2009.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Acorn+Sues+Over+Funding+Vote+in+House&rft.jtitle=%5B%5BThe+New+York+Times%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Kareem+Fahim&rft.au=Kareem+Fahim&rft.date=November+12%2C+2009&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F11%2F13%2Fnyregion%2F13acorn.html%3F_r%3D1&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-CRS-100"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-CRS_100-0">^</a> Kenneth R. Thomas. <a href="http://volokh.com/files/acornattainder.pdf" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"The proposed "Defund ACORN Act": Is it a "Bill of Attainder?""</a>. Congressional Research Service. <a href="http://volokh.com/files/acornattainder.pdf" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://volokh.com/files/acornattainder.pdf</a>. Retrieved 11-14-2009.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=The+proposed+%22Defund+ACORN+Act%22%3A+Is+it+a+%22Bill+of+Attainder%3F%22&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Kenneth+R.+Thomas&rft.au=Kenneth+R.+Thomas&rft.pub=Congressional+Research+Service&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fvolokh.com%2Ffiles%2Facornattainder.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-heritage-101"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-heritage_101-0">^</a> Hans von Spokavsky (September 27, 2009). <a href="http://www.heritage.org/Research/Legalissues/wm2630.cfm" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Defunding ACORN: Necessary and Proper, and Certainly Constitutional"</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Foundation" title="Heritage Foundation" class="mw-redirect">Heritage Foundation</a>. <a href="http://www.heritage.org/Research/Legalissues/wm2630.cfm" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://www.heritage.org/Research/Legalissues/wm2630.cfm</a>. Retrieved 11-13-2009.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Defunding+ACORN%3A+Necessary+and+Proper%2C+and+Certainly+Constitutional&rft.atitle=%5B%5BHeritage+Foundation%5D%5D&rft.aulast=Hans+von+Spokavsky&rft.au=Hans+von+Spokavsky&rft.date=September+27%2C+2009&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heritage.org%2FResearch%2FLegalissues%2Fwm2630.cfm&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-WSJ-102"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-WSJ_102-0">^</a> Merchant, Nomaan (December 12, 2009). <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126057881607388239.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">"Judge Blocks U.S. Ban on Funding for Acorn"</a>. Wall Street Journal. <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126057881607388239.html" class="external free" rel="nofollow">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126057881607388239.html</a>. Retrieved 12-12-2009.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Judge+Blocks+U.S.+Ban+on+Funding+for+Acorn&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Merchant&rft.aufirst=Nomaan&rft.au=Merchant%2C%26%2332%3BNomaan&rft.date=December+12%2C+2009&rft.pub=Wall+Street+Journal&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB126057881607388239.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li id="cite_note-103"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-103">^</a> <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/14/congress.acorn/index.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Preliminary report clears ACORN on funds</a> CNN; June 14, 2010</li>

<li id="cite_note-104"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-104">^</a> <a href="http://www.communityorganizationsinternational.org/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN International / Community Organizations International</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-105"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-105">^</a> <a href="http://www.calorganize.org/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE)</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-106"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-106">^</a> <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/97339544.html" class="external text" rel="nofollow">Milwaukee chosen to pilot program aimed at foreclosures</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-107"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now#cite_ref-107">^</a> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/25/similar-groups-acorns-place-republicans-foul/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">An ACORN by Any Other Name Still Smells Like an ACORN Critics Say</a></li>

</ol>

</div>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Bibliography">edit</a>] Bibliography</h2>

<ul>

<li>Delgado, Gary (1986). Organizing the Movement: The Roots and Growth of ACORN. Philadelphia: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_University_Press" title="Temple University Press">Temple University Press</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-87722-393-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-87722-393-9">0-87722-393-9</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Computer_Library_Center" title="Online Computer Library Center">OCLC</a> <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/12134922" class="external text" rel="nofollow">59256995 12134922 59256995</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Organizing+the+Movement%3A+The+Roots+and+Growth+of+ACORN&rft.aulast=Delgado&rft.aufirst=Gary&rft.au=Delgado%2C%26%2332%3BGary&rft.date=1986&rft.place=Philadelphia&rft.pub=%5B%5BTemple+University+Press%5D%5D&rft_id=info:oclcnum/12134922+59256995&rft.isbn=0-87722-393-9&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li>Swarts, Heidi J. (2008). Organizing Urban America: Secular and Faith-based Progressive Movements. Minneapolis: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Minnesota_Press" title="University of Minnesota Press">University of Minnesota Press</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8166-4839-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8166-4839-9">978-0-8166-4839-9</a>.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Organizing+Urban+America%3A+Secular+and+Faith-based+Progressive+Movements&rft.aulast=Swarts&rft.aufirst=Heidi+J.&rft.au=Swarts%2C%26%2332%3BHeidi+J.&rft.date=2008&rft.place=Minneapolis&rft.pub=%5B%5BUniversity+of+Minnesota+Press%5D%5D&rft.isbn=978-0-8166-4839-9&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now"> </li>

<li>Atlas, John (2010). Seeds of Change: The Story of ACORN, America´s Most Controversial Antipoverty Community Organizing Group. Nashville: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University_Press" title="Vanderbilt University Press">Vanderbilt University Press</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Number" title="International Standard Book Number">ISBN</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8265-1705-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8265-1705-0">978-0-8265-1705-0</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>[<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: External links">edit</a>] External links</h2>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.acorn.org/" class="external text" rel="nofollow">ACORN</a></li>

</ul>

<div class="printfooter">Retrieved from "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now</a>"</div>

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ACORN plays a prominet role role in ��green commie cabal diagram by AFP's Kerpin (echioes by beck?)

��

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<h2 style=" margin: 20px 0px 0px;">The Right Isn't Only Trying to Take Down ACORN, It's Got a 25-Year Project to 'Defund' the Left</h2>

<h5 style=" margin: 0px 0px 20px;">By Muriel Kane, Raw Story

Posted on October 31, 2009, Printed on March 15, 2011

http://www.alternet.org/story/143631/</h5>

When Michele Bachman <a href="http://washingtonindependent.com/61037/bachmann-in-st-louis-defund-the-left-beware-one-world-currency">crowed</a> in September that the exposure of alleged illegal activity by the anti-poverty group ACORN was just the start of a campaign to "defund the left," she may have revealed more about current Republican strategy than she intended.

“Defunding the left is going to be so easy,” Bachmann told the audience at a conservative conference, ��and it��s going to solve so many of our problems.”

The Senate and House had just voted to cut off ACORN's federal funding in what CBS/AP <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/17/politics/main5318271.shtml">called</a> "a GOP-led strike against the scandal-tainted community organizing group" that followed the release of video showing ACORN employees apparently endorsing illegal activities, The bills passed by lopsided majorities, with many Democrats joining Republicans, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE58G6DE20090917">told</a> a news conference, "We have to have our own scrutiny of an organization with an allegation of this kind against it."

The initial Congressional defunding of ACORN was scheduled to expire at the end of October, however, causing Bachman to <a href="http://newsbusters.org/blogs/kevin-mooney/2009/10/16/acorn-could-remain-potent-well-funded-2010-elections">warn</a> a bloggers' conference at the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation, "This is the biggest trick or treat. On November 1 the prohibition will lift."

The Capital Research Center

The idea of starving the Democratic Party of donations by defunding the progressive non-profits that form a central pillar of its support is not new. It goes back to at least 1981, when the Heritage Foundation published a set of over 2000 policy recommendations for the Reagan administration. According to <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Defund_the_left">SourceWatch</a>, "One challenge, as Heritage saw it, was to counter the rise of its ideological opponents by whittling away their status as 'public interest' organisations and eliminating federal financial support for 'liberal' groups."

The Capital Research Center (CRC) was founded in 1984 by a former Heritage Foundation vice president to implement this agenda by uncovering the presumably questionable funding sources of progressive groups. CRC's central <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Capital_Research_Center%20">assumption</a> has always been that "a unified, sophisticated and well-funded philanthropic elite is dedicated to imposing on us the doctrine of 'progressive' philanthropy, doctrines that would reorder our political, economic and cultural priorities."

"As a non-profit community-based organizing group, ACORN has been on the CRC's radar for several years. According to Scanlon, ACORN, with some 150,000 dues-paying members organized into 65 city chapters, 'is better known for public disruption.' Its so-called community organizing 'has relied on in-your-face confrontation,' including a 1995 demonstration targeting then House Speaker Newt Gingrich. 'In 2002 it burst into the Heritage Foundation to harangue welfare reform expert Robert Rector. Dozen of city councils and state legislatures have had to face angry ACORN protesters demanding higher minimum wages and more welfare entitlements. Banks have been pressured to change their lending practices or face ACORN charges of discrimination before regulators.'”

Last May, Vadum <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIxbW-Ta7ME">told</a> Beck, "ACORN is an immense crime family ... that has tentacles all though the United States, and now it's trying to spread to India and Canada and other places. ... They're engaged in racketeering. ... They break the law constantly."

Vadum's latest entry at his CRC blog attempts to drag progressive filmmaker Brave New Films into his ACORN-related conspiracy theories. "Unwilling to admit it’s an ongoing criminal conspiracy to defraud the people of the United States of America, ACORN has retained Bolshevik Brave New Films to do some of its dirty work for it," Vadum writes. "The leftist propaganda factory headquartered in Culver City, Calif., has launched a new website, DeFOXamerica.com, which is an effort to shoot the messenger. Fox is the only television network that has taken much of an interest in covering the ACORN scandal which some commentators say is bigger than Watergate. ... It’s not known how much ACORN had to pay Brave New Films, a 501(c)(4) advocacy nonprofit, to shill for it."

[DeFox America's Video on the attacks on ACORN is the video on the upper right-hand side of the screen]

CRC and its allies

For an organization whose mission is to expose the funding sources and organizational ties of the left, the Capital Research Center is ironically protective of its own connections. As a non-profit organization, for example, it is not obliged to report the names of its donors, only its total revenue -- which <a href="http://tfcny.fdncenter.org/990s/990search/esearch.php">amounted</a> in 2007 to about $2.5 million.

</div>

ACORN

Attachments