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Posted on 09/17/2009 9:23:46 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The ongoing controversy over the community organizing group ACORN -- spurred by several undercover videos shot for a conservative blog known as biggovernment.com -- has emboldened Republicans to use the group's troubles as a political cudgel against Democrats.
"If the Democrats continue to ignore the apparent fraud taking place with taxpayer money, they will pay a price politically," predicted former Florida governor Jeb Bush (R) in an e-mail exchange with the Fix late Wednesday.
Bush's Republican colleagues are already moving to exact that political price.
Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is widely expected to run for president in 2012, announced on Wednesday that he had ordered all state funds going to the group frozen until a review of the organization had been completed.
Pawlenty's decision comes less than 48 hours after the Senate voted on a measure to restrict all federal funding devoted to ACORN -- a piece of legislation that drew wide bipartisan support with only seven senators (all Democrats) voting against it.
And, Republican leaders in the House continue to push the idea of bringing a similar bill up for a vote in the near future. "Simply put, ACORN should not receive another penny of American taxpayers' money," wrote House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) in a letter to his colleagues earlier this week.
The ACORN effect is even hitting the campaign trail. In New York's 23rd district special election, Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman is hitting state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R) for her alleged ties to ACORN.
The efficacy of these attacks remain to be seen -- John McCain attempted unsuccessfully to link President Obama to ACORN during the 2008 campaign--but it's clear from the reaction of the White House that leading Democrats understand that being seen as defenders of the community group is political suicide.
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
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More ACORN dirt on the way. We can finish them off in one month.
I hope so.
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