House Votes to Defund ACORN

Senate Has Already Taken Same Action Against Scandal-Plagued Community Organizing Group Stung by Undercover Video

(CBS/AP)  The House voted Thursday to deny all federal funds for ACORN in a GOP-led strike against the scandal-tainted community organizing group that comes just three days after the Senate took similar action.

"ACORN has violated serious federal laws, and today the House voted to ensure that taxpayer dollars would no longer be used to fund this corrupt organization," said second-ranked House Republican Eric Cantor of Virginia.

The vote, on a provision attached to a student aid bill, was 345-75, with Democrats supplying all the "no" votes.

On Monday the Senate voted 83-7 to deny housing and community grant funding to ACORN, which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.

"The votes were on different bills, so it could be a while before such a cut-off gets a final vote" to get through Congress, notes CBS News Correspondent Bob Fuss. President Obama would then need to sign the bill for it to become law.

Republicans accelerated their attacks on the liberal-leaning group a year ago when ACORN, in conducting a massive voter registration drive, was accused of submitting some false registration forms.

On a hidden-camera video released on Monday, two ACORN employees are seen apparently advising a couple that was posing as a prostitute and her pimp to lie about her profession and launder her earnings. The video was the latest in a series that has already led to the firing of four ACORN employees in Baltimore and Washington. It was created by James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles and posted on BigGovernment.com, where O'Keefe identifies himself as an activist filmmaker.

ACORN spokesman Scott Levenson blasted the video shot at the organization's Brooklyn office, saying the group believes the voices of the couple were dubbed over to alter the conversation and make the interaction appear more objectionable than it may have been.

ACORN said Wednesday that it is ordering its own independent investigation of the incidents, while stressing that they were isolated cases.

The Census Bureau, meanwhile also has severed its ties with the group for the 2010 national census.

Republicans have urged federal officials to go further by launching a comprehensive investigation of how ACORN spends and manages federal money.

"As long as taxpayers are subsidizing ACORN and its affiliates, we need to use every measure possible to ensure that those dollars are being spent and managed appropriately," said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., sponsor of the measure that passed the House.

[hologram5]

by salmoc44 September 17, 2009 4:55 PM EDT
"You do know Obama is using Blackwater and Halliburton in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan right? All they did is change their names."

Yes I do. And, it's an outrage way bigger than anything concerning ACORN.
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Most of this garbage is nothing more than a DISTRACTION from the REAL issues. Such as audit of the fed reserve, the health care reform, the war crime investigation, all that. Kind of funny huh? WE need to quit fighting amongst eachother and fight the common enemy. It is the ones trying to control EVERY aspect of our private lives.

[jimmyc1955]

How does a small organiztion get $54 million in funding and remain small? I don't think your being honest here.

[wmsshields]

Now I hope to see an examination of the president's acitivies within ACORN over the years, just to see how, why, and to what extent he influenced their policies. Should be very revealing. But I do not think any of the MSM have the balzz to do this.

[credibility2]

Acorn is a joke. Obama worked closely with them when he was in the hood in Chicago. Acorn has always been this way, nothing new. Obama knew how they operated and supported their criminality, since he felt whatever means it would take for the downtrodden to get the upper hand of the man was a very good thing.

[coolafella]

ACORN claims on its website to be "working together for social justice and stronger communities". How? By instructing and assisting unemployed people to illegally obtain home loans that they clearly have no ability to make mortgage payments on, eventually leading to the collapse of our banking system; by instructing and assisting criminals in child molestation, abuse and slavery to be carried out in our communities.... and most importantly of all, by registering dead people and having them vote in the primaries, by turning in completed caucus sheets before the polls even closed and the caucuses even opened. Thank you Acorn for taking down our country. Maybe socialism isn't all its cracked up to be.

[factsplease1]

This is all a set up to take away from the important health insurance issues. The news stories forgot to mention that this "news team" went to 10 other Acorn offices and literally got "thrown out"before they found this one to co-operate with them. Such petty crap compared to Blackwater, Haliburton. Only in America!!!

[Stevenapoli7]

So CBS finally reports on the story. It took an act of congress to get them to do it.

[RickChicago1]

CABLE NEWS RACE
THURSDAY NITE, SEPT 10
FOXNEWS O'REILLY 3,609,000
FOXNEWS BECK 3,340,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,986,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 2,522,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 2,362,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 2,040,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,573,000
MSNBC MADDOW 1,164,000
CNN KING 965,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 882,000
MSNBC SCHULTZ 734,000
CNN COOPER 691,000

TOTAL FOX NEWS 17,129,000
TOTAL THOSE ON THE LEFT 6,029,000

Go watch FOX news for a week. That what America is doing by a 3 to 1 margin. The left will never tell you that but will want ou to continue to assume that your part of a "cool" club. By the way what ever happened to investigative journalism on CBS,NBC,ABC?
The leftist stranglehold on media is in trouble. They however will continue to lie about how America is with them and that they are for the "people".

What really happened is that Dem. "feel good" housing policies shoved down the throats of the mortgage industry which led us to this point. ACORN and the rest of the left thought that it was "unfair" that some could get houses and others could not qualify so they FORCED the free market. So even though these people (including illegal immigrants got 300k- 400K houses eve while they could not have qualified to get a used car loan. So we all had to take a financial bath once again to support leftist thinking. During this time of economic trouble that emerged last year America did not look to hard at a man with a paper-thin resume, radical friends and associations going back 20 years and a warm feel good policy that like most Lefty things feel good but just don't bear up to too much investigation before they start to fall apart. This man who is going to make Carter's time in office look like the GOOD OLD DAYS. (remember Carter's time in the Oval Office ?? 15% unemployment 18% mortgage rates and a crumbling economy)

That OK in 12 months we will end the Leftist take over of America. Now that Acorn will not be doing Voter Registration drives Mickey Mouse and others wont be voting. Then America will remove this national embarrasement.

[rafterman1]

That OK in 12 months we will end the Leftist take over of America. Now that Acorn will not be doing Voter Registration drives Mickey Mouse and others wont be voting. Then America will remove this national embarrasement.
----------------------
by RickChicago1 September 18, 2009 6:30 AM EDT

What has the right done to earn your way back to power? Say "no" constantly , offer no solutions yourself and complain about birth certificates? America saw your act for 14 years and had enough. You neocons are hilarious if you think you're going to even get a sniff of power again for the next 10 years because you and your Republican media outlet Fox can generate fake controversies and hypocritical "outrage".

[kevjustice]

The average age of O'reilly viewers is 71. Brain cells die as people age. 'Nuff said.

[falconheights]

This is an insignificant amendment that was attached to a student aid bill. ACORN does not currently receive any federal grants, and it does not apply for federal grants. The amendment is empty political posturing that changes nothing.

In contrast, the student aid bill to which it is attached is extremely important. It increases direct federal lending for students and eliminates subsidies for private lenders. It is also a historic investment in community colleges.

Why is CBS indulging in this ACORN nonsense instead of focusing on what really matters?

[chefjas1960]

Falcon,
Nonsense? I guess you have the dough to hand out to groups like Acorn, I don't. I'll keep mine and you can double yours, k?

[stryker54]

when will everyone stop bickering about party affiliation? ever hear 2 wrongs don't make it right? we need to start eliminating corruption sometime, now is as good as any. many wrongs have been done over the history of our nation. when will we learn from our mistakes and move forward without making them again, or do nothing because the other party got away with something else, you know *** for tat. another 100 years and everything will be the same, just a higher number of misdeeds.

[anotherpatriot]

Dems and Repubs -- this is a good thing. I know this is mostly a dem organziation and many have said that the repubs should look at the stake in their own eye... but come on - this is TAXPAYERS MONEY!! Yours and mine -- there are, last I heard - 5 videos from different states/offices showing really horrible, criminal advice. There's something wrong with the culture of that organization if there are that many offices giving similar bad/illegal advice!! Imagine if the organization had been H&R block - they would be done.. and that's not even a taxpayer funded organization!! Let's hold higher standards. And if their are organizations that support Repubs that show similar corruption.. let's go after them TOO -- not instead of.

[wtcmedic-911]

Finally they got thier funding pulled. Its nothing but a clearing house for Urban do nothings looking to get something for nothing. I live here in brooklyn and know of it well.

[hungry1968-16]

They should have NEVER gotten the funding in the first place.

See my post at 7:59.

[kevjustice]

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: Your mission neocons, should you decide to accept, is to shut down ACORN. They have registered to vote many minorities, low-income people, etc. We neocons do not want these people voting. This tape will self destruct in 20 seconds.

[nearl451]

The fact of the matter is that conservative "gothca" groups have been trying for years to catch ACORN in a proven ethics issue.

Fact is that this activity is not widespread, but has lots of emotional value.

Another sideshow (which by the way isallthey have at this point) to distract from any real issue that affects the American people.

Anytime you see Cantor and Issa touting an issue it is to distract.

Whatever.

[jclark7613]

It's so funny that the GOP thinks it's a win for them...it's a win for everyone....That the article of FauxNews right now GOP wins...I just enjoy reading those insane people comments on that site....just to funny the thing they write.. ACORN was wrong but the GOP are like robots.... can someone you break loose and think for yourselves. 167 Dem voted ya....

[pigsinlipstick]

ACORN IS A JOKE THE SAME AS THE CZAR'S THING,

REPUBLI'CON's USE THESE LITTLE PIECES OF BS TO

DIVIDE PEOPLE, ACORN WAS AND IS NOTHING

THEY ONLY HAVE 500-700 PEOPLE WORKING FOR THEM WORLD WIDE,

THEIR MAIN GOAL IS TO HELP POOR PEOPLE VOTE AND GET HOUSING,

THE ONLY BIGGER JOKE THEN ACORN IS THE REPUBLI'CON' PARTY

[kevjustice]

Most people do not even know what ACORN is. Most people care more about health care, the economy,crazy wars,etc. But for neocons this is their top story. That tells you where their priorities are.

[hungry1968-16]

by jumkey September 17, 2009 7:48 PM EDT
Just a little witchhunt.

It's what the Republicans do best.







What's funny to me is that no liberals or democrats that I know, care about this nonsense AT ALL.

The conservatives are championing this as some sort of major victory, beating their chests, blowing their own horns, while the moderates, independents, and liberals are yawning.




The 3 biggest questions / concerns that I have are:

1 - Why was ACORN getting federal funding while the republicans held the WH, congress, and senate?

2 - Why didn't the WH, congress, and senate investigate them if they were legitimately doing something illegal or corrupt?

3 - Why are we STILL relying on "non-profits", charity groups, and private corporations to carry out government functions, instead of using trained, professional, non-partisan, public employees? The right always wants to "downsize" government, but these groups are what naturally fill the void. Is this REALLY the best way to go?

[hungry1968-16]

by One_Majesty September 17, 2009 6:54 PM EDT
rafterman1, ACORN is a disgrace. A very racist group.
About 99% black and 99% democrat. This is a true comment.
If you are offended. You are offended by the truth.







Post the proof of those stats.

[hungry1968-16]

by One_Majesty September 17, 2009 6:30 PM EDT
salmoc44, This is just more of the kind of people Obama has a history with. One of the reasons Obama is a complete failure. You want to talk about the way republicans vote, lets talk about the way the democrats vote. First of all , the blacks voted for Obama because he looks black. Then many of the the democrats voted for Obama because he would be the first black looking president. The democrats want to talk about racism, racism is what got Obama elected. I suggest that before you play the race card, to take a good look in the mirror.






I don't know about anyone else, but this white male voted for Obama, and it wasn't because he was black or looked black.

He was the best choice amongst the democrats, and the ONLY choice when pitted against McSame.