How many know about Acorns history?


The ACORN Obama Knows
By Michelle Malkin

If you don't know what ACORN (the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) is all about, you better bone up. This left-wing group takes in 40 percent of its revenues from American taxpayers -- you and me -- and has leveraged nearly four decades of government subsidies to fund affiliates that promote the welfare state and undermine capitalism and self-reliance, some of which have been implicated in perpetuating illegal immigration and encouraging voter fraud. A new whistleblower report from the Consumer Rights League claims that Chicago-based ACORN has commingled public tax dollars with political projects.

Who in Washington will fight to ensure that your money isn't being spent on these radical activities?

Don't bother asking Barack Obama. He cut his ideological teeth working with ACORN as a "community organizer" and legal representative. Naturally, ACORN's political action committee has warmly endorsed his presidential candidacy. ACORN head Maude Hurd gushes that Obama is the candidate who "best understands and can affect change on the issues ACORN cares about" -- like ensuring their massive pipeline to your hard-earned money. Let's take a closer look at the ACORN Obama knows.

Last July, ACORN settled the largest case of voter fraud in the history of Washington State. Seven ACORN workers had submitted nearly 2,000 bogus voter registration forms. According to case records, they flipped through phone books for names to use on the forms, including "Leon Spinks," "Frekkie Magoal" and "Fruto Boy Crispila." Three ACORN election hoaxers pleaded guilty in October. A King County prosecutor called ACORN's criminal sabotage "an act of vandalism upon the voter rolls."

The group's vandalism on electoral integrity is systemic. ACORN has been implicated in similar voter fraud schemes in Missouri, Ohio and at least 12 other states. The Wall Street Journal noted: "In Ohio in 2004, a worker for one affiliate was given crack cocaine in exchange for fraudulent registrations that included underage voters, dead voters and pillars of the community named Mary Poppins, Dick Tracy and Jive Turkey. During a congressional hearing in Ohio in the aftermath of the 2004 election, officials from several counties in the state explained ACORN's practice of dumping thousands of registration forms in their lap on the submission deadline, even though the forms had been collected months earlier." In March, Philadelphia elections officials accused the nonprofit advocacy group of filing fraudulent voter registrations in advance of the April 22nd Pennsylvania primary. The charges have been forwarded to the city district attorney's office.

Under the guise of "consumer advocacy," ACORN has received money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD funds hundreds, if not thousands, of left-wing "anti-poverty" groups across the country led by ACORN. Last October, HUD announced more than $44 million in new housing counseling grants to over 400 state and local efforts. The White House has increased funding for housing counseling by 150 percent since taking office in 2001, despite the role most of these recipients play as activist satellites of the Democratic Party. The AARP scored nearly $400,000 for training; the National Council of La Raza ("The Race") scooped up more than $1.3 million; the National Urban League raked in nearly $1 million; and the ACORN Housing Corporation received more than $1.6 million.

As the Consumer Rights League points out in its new expose, the ACORN Housing Corporation has worked to obtain mortgages for illegal aliens in partnership with Citibank. It relies on undocumented income, "under the table" money, which may not be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. Moreover, the group's "financial justice" operations attack lenders for "exotic" loans, while recommending 10-year interest-only loans (which deny equity to the buyer) and risky reverse mortgages. Whistleblower documents reveal internal discussions among the group that blur the lines between its tax-exempt housing work and its aggressive electioneering activities. The group appears to shake down corporate interests with relentless PR attacks, and then enters "no lobby" agreements with targeted corporations after receiving payment.

Republicans have largely looked the other way as ACORN has expanded its government-funded empire. But finally, a few conservative voices in Congress have called for investigation of the group's apparent extortion schemes. This week, GOP Reps. Tom Feeney, Jeb Hensarling and Ed Royce called on Democrat Barney Frank, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, to convene a hearing to probe potential illegalities and abuse of taxpayer funds by ACORN's management and minions alike.

Where does the candidate of Hope and Change -- the candidate of Reform and New Politics -- stand on the issue? Barack Obama, ACORN's senator, is for more of the same old, same old subsidizing of far-left politics in the name of fighting for the poor while enriching ideological cronies. It's the Chicago way.

I like the way Malkin throws in such terms as "left-wing,""radical," and "far left," without any effort to define those terms at all. Those are OPINION words which beg for definition.

And, there's the use of quotation marks around certain phrases which imply they are something else, such as "community organizer," and "consumer advocacy." "Consumer advocacy" my azz! He's up to something else and that's just a cover!

Of course, the true believers and those frightened out of their wits will lap it up without question.

But, let me ask this about filing fraudulent voter registrations. IF such activity reveals just how easy it is to falsify voter registration and causes the states to tighten their oversight of it, is that a bad thing?

Sometimes, when the system is unresponsive to complaints, radical action is necessary. Our Founding Fathers sure thought so, didn't they?

Michelle Malkin of the "terrorist scarf" issue?

quote:

But, let me ask this about filing fraudulent voter registrations. IF such activity reveals just how easy it is to falsify voter registration and causes the states to tighten their oversight of it, is that a bad thing?

The former (fraud) is a bad thing while states tightening controls and safeguards is not ... and as some states have tightened oversight and control of voter registration, the only complaining I've heard has been from the left.

For every bogus voter registration that goes undetected, a legitimate voter is effectively disenfranchised.

Did she post any lies about acorn, nope.

So, fraud is ok as long as states tighten the regs

Now that the meesenger has been shot, what do people think about those groups which are leftist getting all that taxpayer cash to promote their agendas and commit fraud.

btw, if a righty groups is doing the same they too need to be off the dole and investigated.

quote:

Sometimes, when the system is unresponsive to complaints, radical action is necessary. Our Founding Fathers sure thought so, didn't they?

Ok, so commiting fraud and breaking laws and abusing the taxpayer is just fine, 'ey the Fed isnt listening to me! I have to commit fraud to make my voice heard'...utter BS!

quote:

Originally posted by stillkit:
I like the way Malkin throws in such terms as "left-wing,""radical," and "far left," without any effort to define those terms at all. Those are OPINION words which beg for definition.

And, there's the use of quotation marks around certain phrases which imply they are something else, such as "community organizer," and "consumer advocacy." "Consumer advocacy" my azz! He's up to something else and that's just a cover!

Of course, the true believers and those frightened out of their wits will lap it up without question.

But, let me ask this about filing fraudulent voter registrations. IF such activity reveals just how easy it is to falsify voter registration and causes the states to tighten their oversight of it, is that a bad thing?

Sometimes, when the system is unresponsive to complaints, radical action is necessary. Our Founding Fathers sure thought so, didn't they?

You're really reaching when you want the words "radical", "left-wing", and "far -left" defined. Obama knows what ACORN is and what they do. I didn't see him distancing himself from them and I doubt he even could.

quote:

I like the way Malkin throws in such terms as "left-wing,""radical," and "far left," without any effort to define those terms at all. Those are OPINION words which beg for definition.

You must have missed the "radical religious right" and "extremist right" and the "radical right wing." how about "Far right religious nuts?"

Or "NeoCons?"

These words don't beg for definition or opinion. After all, remember the Obama speech. They are "Just words."

Excellent commentary by Ms. Malkin.



It doesn't matter how you slice it, ACORN is dangerous, and so are all those who associate with them. . . like BO.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SgtSchaeffersMom,

quote:

Originally posted by SeaWitch1220:
Michelle Malkin of the "terrorist scarf" issue?

Hey I saw that evil Rachel Ray doing those terrorist fist jabs at the local DD the other day while she was sipping her vanilla iced coffee

Actually a bunch of my students gave me the evil terrorist fist jab on the last day of school (and one was even wearing a gray/white scarf)...we are surrounded by terrorists indeed. I am sooooo...happy that Michelle is keeping us all safe.

If this is a concern to you perhaps you should read up on Barack's political mentor William Ayres. Former member of the SDS and terrorist.
Don't tell me that Barack was not aware of this guys backround or political ideals. No one can be that stupid.

quote:

Originally posted by spyglassA1:
If this is a concern to you perhaps you should read up on Barack's political mentor William Ayres. Former member of the SDS and terrorist.
Don't tell me that Barack was not aware of this guys backround or political ideals. No one can be that stupid.

This is what is SO pathetic. Ayers was NOT Obama's political mentor. He served on a board with him for pity sake. You just gotta laugh because THIS is all the right has...

quote:

Originally posted by SeaWitch1220:

quote:

Originally posted by spyglassA1:
If this is a concern to you perhaps you should read up on Barack's political mentor William Ayres. Former member of the SDS and terrorist.
Don't tell me that Barack was not aware of this guys backround or political ideals. No one can be that stupid.

This is what is SO pathetic. Ayers was NOT Obama's political mentor. He served on a board with him for pity sake. You just gotta laugh because THIS is all the right has...

No. There's still Tony Rezko. Didn't Obama do his homework before going into cahoots with these men? Rezko is the exact kind of Chicagoan to boost somebody into power real easy. As long as you don't forget him in the process. Obama WORKED for ACORN. Didn't he do his homework on them too before working for them? And then he stayed with them for what? 8 years? You know he had to know what they were up to. Odds are that Rezko is mixed up with them too. If this is what could be our president, I'll transfer to my companies Canadian rail line for a while until he's gone.

quote:

Originally posted by seawolffortwayne:
No. There's still Tony Rezko. Didn't Obama do his homework before going into cahoots with these men? Rezko is the exact kind of Chicagoan to boost somebody into power real easy. As long as you don't forget him in the process. Obama WORKED for ACORN. Didn't he do his homework on them too before working for them? And then he stayed with them for what? 8 years? You know he had to know what they were up to. Odds are that Rezko is mixed up with them too. If this is what could be our president, I'll transfer to my companies Canadian rail line for a while until he's gone.

No, there isn’t “Rezko”. Obama’s link with Rezko is as tenuous if not more tenuous than his link with Ayers. Where is your censure of John McCain, who was not just associated with one of the Keating 5, but actually WAS one of the Keating 5?

What about ACORN? Did you actually read their web site and see what their goals are? Try it. He was a LAW STUDENT when he joined ACORN.
From their website:

quote:

ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities.
Since 1970, ACORN has grown to more than 350,000 member families, organized in 850 neighborhood chapters in over 100 cities across the U.S. and in cities in Argentina, Peru, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Canada.
ACORN's accomplishments include successful campaigns for better housing, schools, neighborhood safety, health care, job conditions, and more.
ACORN members participate in local meetings and actively work on campaigns, elect leadership from the neighborhood level up, and pay the organization's core expenses through membership dues and grassroots fundraisers.
ACORN has constantly challenged the traditional notions of what a community organization is, and its family of organizations includes two radio stations, a voter registration network, a housing corporation, and several publications.

You should be REALLY careful about trying to make political figures responsible for the actions of organizations they belong to. That is a rock the Republicans should be VERY careful of turning over. All kinds of creepy crawly things are going to wiggle out…

“I can remember being one of a small group of people who came to Bill Ayers’ house to learn that Alice Palmer was stepping down from the senate and running for Congress,” said Dr. Quentin Young, a prominent Chicago physician and advocate for single-payer health care, of the informal gathering at the home of Ayers and his wife, Dohrn. “[Palmer] identified [Obama] as her successor.”

Obama and Palmer “were both there,” he said.

The Chicago Three: Obama, Ayers & Rezko

Obama's 'Weatherman' Connection

Obama was starting his political career -- making a visit to the Ayers home while running for a state Senate seat, and then agreeing to being on panels with him and serve on a foundation board together -- it was no big deal, or any deal, to any local political reporters or to the editorial boards of the Sun-Times or Tribune.

quote:

Originally posted by SeaWitch1220:

quote:

Originally posted by seawolffortwayne:
No. There's still Tony Rezko. Didn't Obama do his homework before going into cahoots with these men? Rezko is the exact kind of Chicagoan to boost somebody into power real easy. As long as you don't forget him in the process. Obama WORKED for ACORN. Didn't he do his homework on them too before working for them? And then he stayed with them for what? 8 years? You know he had to know what they were up to. Odds are that Rezko is mixed up with them too. If this is what could be our president, I'll transfer to my companies Canadian rail line for a while until he's gone.

No, there isn’t “Rezko”. Obama’s link with Rezko is as tenuous if not more tenuous than his link with Ayers. Where is your censure of John McCain, who was not just associated with one of the Keating 5, but actually WAS one of the Keating 5?

What about ACORN? Did you actually read their web site and see what their goals are? Try it. He was a LAW STUDENT when he joined ACORN.
From their website:

quote:

ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities.
Since 1970, ACORN has grown to more than 350,000 member families, organized in 850 neighborhood chapters in over 100 cities across the U.S. and in cities in Argentina, Peru, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Canada.
ACORN's accomplishments include successful campaigns for better housing, schools, neighborhood safety, health care, job conditions, and more.
ACORN members participate in local meetings and actively work on campaigns, elect leadership from the neighborhood level up, and pay the organization's core expenses through membership dues and grassroots fundraisers.
ACORN has constantly challenged the traditional notions of what a community organization is, and its family of organizations includes two radio stations, a voter registration network, a housing corporation, and several publications.

You should be REALLY careful about trying to make political figures responsible for the actions of organizations they belong to. That is a rock the Republicans should be VERY careful of turning over. All kinds of creepy crawly things are going to wiggle out…

I believe that you really should read outlaws93 reply about Snobamas dealings with the weathermen. Politico is pretty reliable. More so than the huff and puff post or youtube.

As for ACORN, you use their website for their info. But they failed to mention that they are under investigation by congress and other state AGs. You even state that he was a member. Law student or not, it doesn't take long to smell a disagreeable odor in a business that sends red flags waving that it's time to go. But he DIDN'T go did he? You talk about the Keating 5. Did you notice that McCain was the ONLY republican of the five in that scandal? The other 4 were DEMOCRATS! Alan Cranston (D) California, John Glenn (D) Ohio, Dennis DeConcini (D) Arizona, and Donald W. Riegle (D) Michigan. Bill Clinton appointed DeConcini to the Board of Diectors of the Federal Home Mortgage Loan Corporation (FHMLC) in 1995. The FHMLC is a derivitave of the FHLBB that ivestigated the "Keating 5" and A democratic president handed a seat on the board to one of them. Let's see if we've got this right. 4 of the Keating 5 were democrats. 2 democrats served out their terms under censure (Cranston and Riegle). 1 (Glenn) was re-elected for 1 more term more to his appeal as a fromer astronaut and the disfavor in Ohio to the Lt. Governor he beat. And the other (DeConcini) got an appointment by a democrat president that faced impeachment. Wow the democratic party is un blemished huh? McCain DID recieve $112K in campaign contributions from Keating, but his wife and father-in-law invested $359,100 into a Keating shopping center too. The Senate Ethics Committee dropped their charges against McCain because they had NO EVIDENSE to bring charges against him. He did get punished when it all went down the first time. Have you ever heard of DOUBLE JEAPORDY? Not on the game show but reconvicting someone of a crime that they already recieved punishment for? That is exactly what you're trying to do here. He was threatened with censure also and ran the guantlet to be acquitted for no evidense. Obama hasn't even been asked about his involvemnet with these people by congress. Yet.

quote:

I believe that you really should read outlaws93 reply about Snobamas dealings with the weathermen. Politico is pretty reliable. More so than the huff and puff post or youtube.

There has never been any argument that Obama knew both Rezko and Ayers. From the POLITICO article regarding Ayers:

"There’s no evidence their relationship is more than the casual friendship of two men who occupy overlapping Chicago political circles and who served together on the board of a Chicago foundation."

From factcheck.org on Rezko:
Obama has a relationship with Rezko that dates back many years, but there’s no indication Obama did anything improper. Shortly after finishing law school, Obama, who had turned down a job offer from the developer, went to work at a law firm where he represented some community groups that partnered with Rezko to apply for housing rehabilitation loans. As a state legislator, he wrote letters to city and state officials in support of Rezko’s efforts to build apartments for the elderly with government money; the senator asserts that this was a project the community wanted. Obama got together with Rezko a couple of times a year, he has said.

quote:

As for ACORN, you use their website for their info. But they failed to mention that they are under investigation by congress and other state AGs. You even state that he was a member.

Okay, let’s see what we REALLY have here…First, Obama GRADUATED from law school in 1991. The first allegations of “voter fraud” that I could find occurred in 2004. He was no longer a member of ACORN at that time, but did still support the actions of the organization. This is what happened with the ACORN 2004 allegations: http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/1214-09.htm

In Kansas City in 2006 four people were indicted on charges of voter fraud. ACORN officials in Kansas City said they turned in the four people who were indicted.
"We're very happy that they were indicted," said Claudie Harris with ACORN. How underhanded of them eh?

Now, in Seattle in 2007, seven people associated with an ACORN voter registration drive were indicted on charges of voter fraud. (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003808207_votefraud27m.html)This comes from that article:
The defendants faked cards as an easy way to get paid, not as an attempt to influence the outcome of elections, said King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg. None of the phony registrations led to illegal voting.


And finally, ACORN comes into play in the attorney firing scandal:

quote:

There are new developments in the scandal over the Bush administration's firing of eight U.S. Attorneys. One of the dismissed prosecutors has revealed that he was pressured by Republican officials to target the advocacy group ACORN for voter fraud. ACORN was working on a voter registration drive in low-income and largely minority neighborhoods in New Mexico. David Iglesias told Newsweek that he found no case worth bringing against ACORN. But that apparently did not please the White House. Last week Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's ex-chief of staff D. Kyle Sampson testified that during the run-up to the mid-term election White House adviser Karl Rove complained that Iglesias and two other U.S. Attorneys had not done enough to prosecute so-called voter fraud.

quote:

You talk about the Keating 5. Did you notice that McCain was the ONLY republican of the five in that scandal? …{edited for brevity}

I think if we started to roll out a laundry list of underhanded behavior by politicians, neither party is going to come out smelling like a rose and I, certainly, was not comparing party scandals. I’m saying that if the Republicans want to start pointing fingers over tenuous associations, they are NOT going to come out on top of the debate.

quote:

Originally posted by SeaWitch1220:

quote:

I believe that you really should read outlaws93 reply about Snobamas dealings with the weathermen. Politico is pretty reliable. More so than the huff and puff post or youtube.

There has never been any argument that Obama knew both Rezko and Ayers. From the POLITICO article regarding Ayers:

"There’s no evidence their relationship is more than the casual friendship of two men who occupy overlapping Chicago political circles and who served together on the board of a Chicago foundation."

From factcheck.org on Rezko:
Obama has a relationship with Rezko that dates back many years, but there’s no indication Obama did anything improper. Shortly after finishing law school, Obama, who had turned down a job offer from the developer, went to work at a law firm where he represented some community groups that partnered with Rezko to apply for housing rehabilitation loans. As a state legislator, he wrote letters to city and state officials in support of Rezko’s efforts to build apartments for the elderly with government money; the senator asserts that this was a project the community wanted. Obama got together with Rezko a couple of times a year, he has said.

quote:

As for ACORN, you use their website for their info. But they failed to mention that they are under investigation by congress and other state AGs. You even state that he was a member.

Okay, let’s see what we REALLY have here…First, Obama GRADUATED from law school in 1991. The first allegations of “voter fraud” that I could find occurred in 2004. He was no longer a member of ACORN at that time, but did still support the actions of the organization. This is what happened with the ACORN 2004 allegations: http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/1214-09.htm

In Kansas City in 2006 four people were indicted on charges of voter fraud. ACORN officials in Kansas City said they turned in the four people who were indicted.
"We're very happy that they were indicted," said Claudie Harris with ACORN. How underhanded of them eh?

Now, in Seattle in 2007, seven people associated with an ACORN voter registration drive were indicted on charges of voter fraud. (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003808207_votefraud27m.html)This comes from that article:
The defendants faked cards as an easy way to get paid, not as an attempt to influence the outcome of elections, said King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg. None of the phony registrations led to illegal voting.


And finally, ACORN comes into play in the attorney firing scandal:

quote:

There are new developments in the scandal over the Bush administration's firing of eight U.S. Attorneys. One of the dismissed prosecutors has revealed that he was pressured by Republican officials to target the advocacy group ACORN for voter fraud. ACORN was working on a voter registration drive in low-income and largely minority neighborhoods in New Mexico. David Iglesias told Newsweek that he found no case worth bringing against ACORN. But that apparently did not please the White House. Last week Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's ex-chief of staff D. Kyle Sampson testified that during the run-up to the mid-term election White House adviser Karl Rove complained that Iglesias and two other U.S. Attorneys had not done enough to prosecute so-called voter fraud.

quote:

You talk about the Keating 5. Did you notice that McCain was the ONLY republican of the five in that scandal? …{edited for brevity}

I think if we started to roll out a laundry list of underhanded behavior by politicians, neither party is going to come out smelling like a rose and I, certainly, was not comparing party scandals. I’m saying that if the Republicans want to start pointing fingers over tenuous associations, they are NOT going to come out on top of the debate.

Seawitch, I would say you're flip flopping now. You, not me or anyone else, brought up the Keating 5 again. That was in response to Obamas involvement with Rezko, the Weathermen, and ACORN. Yes you were comparing the laundry. It really doesn't matter when Obama was employed by ACORNbut that he was and must have seen what they were up to. As a law student he should have been very observant of his employer but he wasn't. They have also warmly endorsed him. It doesn't matter WHEN they were indicted by congress but that they ARE being indicted. Yes there is a comparison there too. The Keating 5 happened and McCain was impl