PHOTO In a video made by undercover conservative
activists, an employee of the anti-poverty and
housing rights group ACORN (right) advises a
woman posing as a prostitute about how to
avoid paying taxes and secure a home loan. (CBS)
Posted on 09/15/2009 8:37:36 PM PDT by LibFreeUSA
ACORN calls itself the nation's largest grassroots community organization, with more than 400,000 members.
It helps low-income Americans find affordable housing and it receives tens of millions in government funding. But, as CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers reports, that may be coming to an end, thanks to undercover videos that have sparked a huge scandal.
The videos reportedly recorded late July and early August appear to show ACORN employees in several big cities including Baltimore, Washington and New York, advising a couple posing as a pimp and prostitute.
The employees are heard telling the couple how to avoid paying taxes and how to qualify for a mortgage on a home the couple plan to use as a brothel.
"And if anyone asks you your business is a performing artist, which you are, okay, so you are not lying," says one of the ACORN workers caught on the tape. "Performing artist. So stop saying prostitution. Got it."
ACORN says the workers caught on tape were fired but contends the videos were illegally obtained, doctored and deceptive and is threatening legal action against the undercover filmmakers posing as the couple.
"We are experiencing the modern-day version of McCarthyism - 'Are you now or have you ever been associated with ACORN?'" said Bertha Lewis, ACORN's CEO.
But long-term damage to the reputation of the poverty rights organization may already be done. Monday night the Democratic-controlled Senate voted 83-7 to deny ACORN access to millions of dollars in federal housing funds.
"I don't believe it was accidental that this video caught ACORN employees delivering the same message in different cities," said Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb. "They magnify a troubling, systemic and a criminal pattern."
Last week the Census Bureau severed its ties with the organization, meaning ACORN workers won't be part of the 2010 census count. And now House Republicans are asking the IRS to cut ties to ACORN as well.
ACORN's brand of community activism was born out of the civil rights era to organize the poor and give them a bigger political voice. Last year ACORN registered 1.3 million new voters and helped hundreds of thousands of families to buy or keep homes, but critics point out it also faces fraud charges in nearly two dozen states.
"It has no business trying to organize voter registration because it has shown time and time again that it cannot be trusted to do that," said Steve Staneck, a research fellow at the conservative Heartland Institute.
According to a Web site for tracking government grants, ACORN has received 53 million tax dollars since 1994. Some are now questioning exactly where those millions wound up.
Wow CBS called it a “scandal.” That’s a new one.
“May” is the operative word here.
I love how they label these reporters as “conservative activists”, which means then that all the reporters in the State Run Media can be labeled “liberal activists”.
just out of curiosity.. how did these two manage to travel all over like this> were they funded? (you know the left is going to dig into it)
I guess they’ll have to go back to shaking down the banks for their cut of the TARP money.
“ACORN benefactors slink away, hoping to be un-noticed..”
CBS is just trying to cover their A**.
When ACORN is brought down for good (or let’s not waste any time now). Let’s start to IDENTIFY and REVEAL who are all the MAJOR ACORN operatives in the organization now, so we can keep track of them when they try to re-organize under a different cover organization - which they are bound to do once this ship is sunk for good.
They funded themselves. Hannah used up her savings account to do this.
Maybe they have trust funds and decided to put them to good use. You ever see anything as compelling coming from Alexandra Pelosi, Rory Kennedy or Anderson Cooper?
They were on Hannity’s show today and said that the total amount was $1300.00, and they would be posting itemized receipts on their website Biggovernment.com. They have already been accused of being financed by FOX News with millions of dollars. LOL.
I want to know:
WHO AT THE WHITEHOUSE SENT THE MEMO THAT IT WAS TIME FOR THE COVERUP?
• NYT: Conservatives Draw Blood From Acorn, Favored Foe
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 7:31:22 PM • by markomalley • 37 replies • 687+ views
• ACORN Misconduct on Tape - CBS News
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 7:49:47 PM • by balls • 12 replies • 491+ views
CBS News ^ | 09/15/2009 | CBS News
• MSNBC Spins ACORN Story … And Lack Of Coverage – Update- ABC Too
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 7:51:03 PM • by Biggirl • 8 replies • 282+ views
http://radioviceonline.com/live/ ^ | September 15, 2009 | Jim Vicevich
• Videos Put ACORN Under Pressure (NPR!)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 7:55:00 PM • by Drango • 12 replies • 300+ views
NPR ^ | 9/15/09 | Pam Fessler
• Acorn Faces More Funding Pressure Over Video Incidents
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 7:59:22 PM • by GOP_Lady • 9 replies • 175+ views
The Wall Street Journal ^ | 09-16-09 | JAKE SHERMAN
It's one heck of a lot more than that. Acorn is on every "approved" government list out there. Just you go try and get on one of those lists to provide mortgages, mortgage counseling, debt counseling etc.
I’ll believe it when they close up their filthy criminal offices and not a moment before.
Now where is Pres. Bobble Head going to get his first wave of troops for his private army that "is just as strong, just as powerful, just as well funded as our military"?
"Cmon boys, Slitherin's ACORN loan has been approved!"
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