Conyers Kills ACORN Probe

American Spectator ^ | 5.7.09 @ 4:01PM | By Matthew Vadum

[Behind Liberal Lines]

[T]he House Judiciary Committee chairman's May 4 statement exonerating ACORN couldn't have come out at a worse time. "Based on my review of the information regarding the complaints against ACORN, I have concluded that a hearing on this matter appears unwarranted at this time," Conyers said in a statement aired that night on CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight."

Just hours earlier his fellow Democrats in Nevada, Secretary of State Ross Miller and Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto dropped a bombshell. ACORN and two former senior ACORN employees in the state, they announced, had been charged with a total of 39 felony counts related to voter registrations.

****

When on Wednesday this reporter asked Conyers spokesman Jonathan Godfrey to explain the decision not to move forward with a probe, he declined to do so and instead emailed the same statement that was aired on CNN earlier in the week.

It's unclear what exactly crystallized Conyers's thinking, but his reversal is all the more puzzling given the enthusiasm the 23-term congressman showed for holding an ACORN hearing mere weeks ago.

****

It was always hard to believe that the ultra-liberal Conyers, who is very sympathetic to ACORN's policy goals and who as recently as October called the radical group "a longstanding and well regarded organization that fights for the poor and working class," really wanted to investigate his longtime ally in the leftist movement.

Conyers, who received a 100% rating from ACORN in its 2006 legislative scorecard, showed how truly in sync he was with ACORN when he spoke at the group's national convention last June 22.

[KoRn]

Congressional democrat co-conspirators....

[j_tull]

More arrests today in Penn. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2246394/posts

I hope deny deny deny keeps up. And I hope the Bush prosecutors keep making arrests until 0bummer pulls a BJ Clinton and fires them all.

[Lancey Howard]

It's unclear what exactly crystallized Conyers's thinking...

Oh please, lol.

[gunner03]

No, it’s going to be up to some dedicated state attorneys general and local grassroots organizations, as well as the GOP to expose these people. They are so brazen and open about it that it shouldn’t be too hard.

Do you really think the GOP will say anything? They’re part of the problem, not the solution.

[Fishtalk]

Good question.

I am making an assumption here, a dangerous thing you understand.

But since the Dems are the party in power right now, this gives Conyers the power to say YAY or NAY to investigations via the judicial committee. This is how it works in Delaware at any rate...the majority party gets the final say in these type of things.

Which is why my ire rises when I think of how much the blow-dried pubs could have accomplished when they had the reigns. Instead we had Bush mucking around with no-child-left-behind. Bush brought up the matters of Freddie May and Fannie Mac, the Dems screamed liked banshees. The pubbies like our candidate McCain COULD have followed through but hey, cocktail party invites, friends across the aisle, hairs that remain in their places, tans and polished nails...we must have our priorities.

So many of the things we wrestle with today are bigger, meaner and more dangerous all because we did NOT act when we could have.

I like your idea about impeachment. I must ask if the pubbies didn’t do diddly-squat when they had power what on earth makes you think they’d take on impeachment when they are in the pitiful minority?

Wishful thinking methinks.

[americanophile]

This is just disgusting. It's a naked political cover-up...and Congress and the MSM is more than happy to sweep it under the rug. I remember Bill Bennet writing a book called: ‘The Death of Outrage,’ and that's exactly what we have. Corruption of the highest magnitude - corruption of our representative process; representation being the fundamental impetus for our republican revolution and the basis of our system of popular sovereignty...yet no one gives a sh#t.

[ichabod1]

I think Rush actually has challenged people to name any policy positions or persons supporting policy positions that would be to the left of Zero’s positions. Can’t do it.

Suspension of habeas corpus, forcible shuttering of opposition news outlets (talk radio), wage and price controls, Newspaper and MSM bailouts with govt and union ownership, revival of the Wilsonian sedition laws, federal dissolution of state legislatures, jailing of opposition figures including congress people... Personal loyalty oaths to Obama in order to serve in military or govt jobs, declaration of himself as president for life... See, I can think of more extreme measures he could take.

[Truth29]

This is just the corrupt taking care of the corrupt. Just like the going nowhere Ethics Committee investigation into Conyers' 4 rent controlled apartments in NY and his not reporting the income from his Caribbean villa.

[HonestConservative]

It is unclear?

I think its damn clear.

[arthurus]

And if this Congress went ahead with a “probe” of ACORN, just what might the “findings” be? It is better that it desn’t happen. We really don’t want ACORN being given Medals of Freedom and another $5 billion.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

So where are the Republicans? If this were a Republican administration doing this the dementedcraps would be screaming for an independent counsel and about conflict of interest. Where are the Republicans? We have to rely on Hannity etc. to have any voice at all.

Well, at least the criminal cases involving these criminals are ongoing and can't be suppressed by the crooks in Congress. Acorn is no different than DU or the Huffington post in their partisanship. For them to receive taxpayer money is akin to having Synagogues collect money for the Nazis. This is egregious. As the statement goes, all that is required for evil to win is for good men and women to do nothing.

[dr_who]

Democrats may be shooting themselves in the foot. I wonder what Arlen Specter thinks about it.

[WOBBLY BOB]

**Lawmakers Slow to Comply With New Filing Requirement**

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2221701/posts

Some of those who failed to report their PAC connections by the March 29 deadline were either direct sponsors or co-sponsors of the 2007 lobbying and campaign finance law. For example, the bill’s primary sponsor in the House, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., did not file a report revealing his relationship with the America Forward Leadership PAC until after his office was contacted by CQ MoneyLine. His fund raised more than $270,000 during the 2008 election cycle.

[americanophile]

I continue to be dumbfounded by the silence of elected Republicans...I was for 8 years under Bush and continue to be now. Enablers all.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Perhaps you heard about the effort in Congress to pass so-called
“Hate Crimes” legislation that is a stepping-stone to regulating
the speech of people who support family values.

I just signed a petition to stop such “hate speech” laws from
going into effect. Congress is getting ready to vote on this
issue and I understand this bill could be passed quickly unless
citizens rise up.

Please join me. Go here to sign:

http://www.libertyaction.org/292/petition.asp?PID=20866570&P=1&NID=1

[whatshotandwhatsnot]

A 23 termer looking for his 24th. With ACORNs help.

[St. Louis Conservative]

Yes, I think they will do something, actually.

[vadum]

What a great post this is! ;)

[vadum]

bump

[vadum]

bump