The Acorn/Obama Rhetoric
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
Obama campaign tries to downplay 'supposed' connections between their
candidate and ACORN:
"Barack Obama Never Organized With ACORN" (Barack Obama For President
Website, http://fightthesmears.com/articles/20/acornrumor, Accessed
10/4/08)
"[L]ies About His Supposed Connection To ACORN." (Barack Obama For
President Website, http://fightthesmears.com/articles/20/acornrumor,
Accessed 10/4/08)
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080519/RNCLOGO )
THE ACORN/OBAMA RECORD
Obama Formerly Represented ACORN, Taught Classes For Future Leaders Of
ACORN, And They Endorsed His 2008 Presidential Campaign:
Obama Directed Project Vote And Later Taught Classes For "Future
Leaders Identified By ACORN And The Centers For New Horizons." "He [Obama]
says he is drawn to politics, despite its superficialities, as a means to
advance his real passion and calling: community organization. ... In 1992
Obama took time off to direct Project Vote, the most successful grass-roots
voter- registration campaign in recent city history. Credited with helping
elect Carol Moseley-Braun to the U.S. Senate, the registration drive, aimed
primarily at African-Americans, added an estimated 125,000 voters to the
voter rolls -- even more than were registered during Harold Washington's
mayoral campaigns. 'It's a power thing,' said the brochures and radio
commercials. ... Obama continues his organizing work largely through
classes for future leaders identified by ACORN and the Centers for New
Horizons on the south side." (Hank De Zutter, Op-Ed, "What Makes Obama
Run?" ChicagoReader, 12/8/95)
Obama Was Part Of Team Of Lawyers Who Represented ACORN In A Suit
Against The State Of Illinois. "Obama was part of a team of attorneys who
represented the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
(ACORN) in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois in 1995 for failing to
implement a federal law designed to make it easier for the poor and others
to register as voters." (Mike Robinson, "Obama Got Start In Civil Rights
Practice," The Associated Press, 2/20/07)
ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorsed Obama. "[A]CORN's political
action committee endorsed Barack Obama for President. ... The endorsement
reflects a belief that Obama -- who worked as a community organizer on the
South Side of Chicago -- understands that change must come from the
ground-up, as part of a working coalition, rather than from position
papers." (Katrina Vanden Heuvel, Op-Ed, "ACORN: Obama Gets It," The Nation,
2/23/08)
Obama's Campaign Paid Over $800,000 To ACORN For Get-Out-The-Vote
Efforts, But "Mistakenly Misrepresented" Their Work To The FEC:
Obama's Campaign "Paid More Than $800,000" To ACORN For Get-Out-The
Vote Efforts; The Campaign Originally "Misrepresented" The Group's Work To
The FEC. "U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign paid more than
$800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community
Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat's campaign says it
mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports. An Obama spokesman said
Federal Election Commission reports would be amended to show Citizens
Services Inc. -- a subsidiary of ACORN -- worked in 'get-out-the-vote'
projects, instead of activities such as polling, advance work and staging
major events as stated in FEC finance reports filed during the primary."
(David M. Brown, "Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending,"
Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 8/22/08)
While Serving On The Board Of Directors Of The Woods Fund, ACORN
Received Thousands Of Dollars Of Grants From The Organization:
The Chicago ACORN Received Grants Of $45,000 (2000), $30,000 (2001),
$45,000 (2001), $30,000 (2002), And $40,000 (2002) From The Woods Fund.
(Donors Forum Website, ifs.donorsforum.org, Accessed 6/10/08)
-- NOTE: From 1993 To 2002, Barack Obama Served On The Board Of Directors
For The Woods Fund. (Tim Novak and Fran Spielman, "Obama Helped Ex-Boss
Get $1 Mil. From Charity," Chicago Sun-Times, 11/29/07)
WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE?
James Terry, The Chief Public Advocate Of The Consumers Rights League,
Testified About ACORN's Pattern Of Fraud Before The Joint Oversight
Committee:
The Chief Public Advocate Of The Consumers Rights League, James Terry,
Testified Today In Congress About How "ACORN's Pattern Of Fraud Can No
Longer Be Dismissed As A Series Of Unfortunate Events." "James Terry, Chief
Public Advocate for the Consumers Rights League, today testified at a joint
House Administration and House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on
'Federal, State and Local Efforts to Prepare for the General 2008
Election,' where he highlighted 'corruption at every level of ACORN
including embezzlement, cover- ups, misuse of taxpayer funds and voter
fraud.' An excerpt of his testimony follows: James Terry, Chief Public
Advocate, Consumers Rights League: 'ACORN routinely says it will clean up
its act. Yet, given its decade-long history of voter fraud, embezzlement,
and misuses of taxpayer funds, ACORN's pattern of fraud can no longer be
dismissed as a series of 'unfortunate events.'" ("CRL Testimony On ACORN's
Voter Fraud," The Wall Street Journal, 9/25/08)
-- Terry Stated "It Is Fair To Question How Many Fraudulent Registrations"
Submitted By ACORN May "Lead To Fraudulent Votes," And Also Pointed Out
That ACORN May Be "Willing To Undertake" Other Actions "To Influence
The Election." James Terry: "Furthermore, as this mega organization
with a decades long history of violating the law is turned to get out
the vote efforts, we believe it is fair to question how many fraudulent
registrations may lead to fraudulent votes or what other activities
they are willing to undertake to influence the election." ("CRL
Testimony On ACORN's Voter Fraud," The Wall Street Journal, 9/25/08)
Some Of The Highlights Of ACORN Suspicious Activity In 2008:
Many Voter Applications, Submitted By ACORN, Appear To Be Fraudulent
And Are Being Withheld By Seminole County's Elections Supervisor Until They
Are Proven Legitimate. "Local elections officials are looking into
potential election fraud and some of the information is pointing to a
Democratic-leaning voter's group. ACORN ... has been registering thousands
of new voters for this year's election, but in Seminole County, some voter
applications are being withheld until it's proven they're legitimate. ...
Seminole County's elections supervisor is holding up dozens of voter
registration applications because they appear to be fraudulent: wrong
addresses, bad signatures and more. ... Many of the applications with
suspect information were turned-in by the activist group ACORN."
("Elections Officials Look Into Voter Fraud," WESH Orlando, 9/23/08)
"ACORN Admits That They Had A Case Of Voter Fraud Happen This Week In
Seminole County," Florida. "ACORN admits that they had a case of voter
fraud happen this week in Seminole County, but say they have since fired
that employee and the faulty registration has been thrown out." (Susie
Hassan, "ACORN Blamed For Florida Voter Fraud," WZVN-HD ABC News, 9/25/08)
In Clark County, Nevada, ACORN Allegedly Submits 2,000 To 3,000
Fraudulent Applications Each Week. "ACORN, which stands for the Association
of Community Organizations for Reform Now, claims to have collected 60,000
new voter registrations in Clark County since February. The group, which
works to promote the interests of lower-income people, is aiming for
100,000 by Labor Day. ... The group has drawn accusations of voter fraud
and criminal investigations in several states. Last year, authorities in
Washington state brought felony charges against ACORN workers for filing
false voter registrations. Some ACORN workers pleaded guilty and went to
jail, while the organization paid $25,000 and agreed to have its
registration efforts monitored in a settlement with Washington state
authorities. [Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry] Lomax said while he
supports the goal of getting more people registered to vote, he sees
rampant fraud in the 2,000 to 3,000 registrations ACORN turns in every
week." (Molly Ball, "New Voter Sign-Ups Up," Las Vegas Review-Journal,
7/7/08)
Nevada State Officials Are Teaming With Federal Authorities To
Investigate Voter Fraud, Particularly Applications Submitted By ACORN.
"Nevada state and federal authorities on Thursday announced the formation
of a task force that will aggressively pursue allegations of election
fraud. The secretary of state, attorney general, U.S. attorney's office and
Federal Bureau of Investigation plan to work together as the election
approaches and on Election Day to ensure a free and fair election in
Nevada, where record turnout is anticipated. 'This is part of an effort to
work proactively,' Secretary of State Ross Miller, the state's chief
elections official, said of the combined effort, which he said would
'ensure there is integrity in the system.' Miller said investigators are
already looking into allegations of fraud in voter registration, though he
declined to go into specifics of an investigation he suggested was being
handled by the FBI. Clark County officials have said they suspect fraud is
occurring in the thousands of voter registrations being submitted by the
Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, which
works to get low-income people to vote. ACORN, whose officials have faced
fraud charges in other states, says the group's workers are trained to
follow the law." (Molly Ball, "Election Fraud Task Force Formed," Las Vegas
Review-Journal, 8/1/08)
In New Mexico, Dona Ana County Officials "Received Complaints About
Misleading Voter Registration Activities." "The Dona Ana County Bureau of
Elections has received complaints about misleading voter-registration
activities and wants to make sure the public knows the truth about
registering. Elections Supervisor Lynn Ellins said in a news release from
the county that the 'most disturbing' complaint is from people who say they
are being told they must re-register to vote under a new law passed by the
state Legislature. 'This is simply not true,' Ellins said. 'Any voter who
is registered and in good standing has no obligation to re-register.'"
(Heath Haussamen, "Complaints In Dona Ana County," The New Mexico
Independent, 6/11/08)
Dona Ana County Spokesman Jess Williams Said That ACORN Is Responsible
For Many Of The Complaints About The Voter Re-Registration Scheme. "County
spokesman Jess Williams said many of the complaints are about the
Association of Community Organizations for Reform, more commonly known as
ACORN. The group has been actively trying to register voters in Dona Ana
County in recent months. It has also received national attention in recent
years for allegations in other states of voter fraud and shoddy work ... "
(Heath Haussamen, "Complaints In Dona Ana County," The New Mexico
Independent, 6/11/08)
In New Mexico, 1,100 Fraudulent Voter-Registration Cards Were Reported
And ACORN Acknowledges That Some May Have Come From Its Group. "Such is the
situation for Bernalillo County, which reported, the day before Obama's
Espanola rally, that it had received 1,100 fraudulent voter-registration
cards. While there is no information, yet, on where those cards came from,
Matthew Henderson, ACORN's New Mexico head organizer, acknowledges some
could have come from his group. ACORN, he says, has registered 75,000 New
Mexicans during this election cycle." (Mark Sanders, "Attempts To Rock The
Vote, Rock The Boat," Santa Fe Reporter, 9/24/08)
Ninety Voter Registration Forms That Included Social Security Numbers
And Dates Of Birth Were Stolen From ACORN's Las Cruces Office. "Ninety
completed voter-registration applications that included Social Security
numbers and dates of birth were stolen over the weekend from the Las Cruces
office of an independent voter-registration group. As a result, ACORN plans
to send letters to those whose applications were stolen to inform them of
the situation." (Heath Haussamen, "Completed Voter-Registration Forms
Stolen From Group," "Heath Haussamen On New Mexico Politics" Blog,
haussamen.blogspot.com, 6/24/08)
In North Carolina, Durham County's Elections Director, Mike Ashe, Has
Asked That Approximately 80 Voter Registration Forms Submitted by ACORN Be
Investigated For Suspicions Of Fraud. "A Durham official is asking state
elections administrators to check approximately 80 voter registration forms
for possible fraud. ... Mike Ashe, Durham County's elections director, said
the forms were among about 4,000 submitted to his office over the past four
to six weeks by a national left-wing group called Acorn ... Ashe's staff
also learned this week of irregularities with a handful of other
registrations. It was not clear who was responsible for these problems. ...
'This is serious, obviously,' Ashe said." (Matthew E. Milliken, "Elections
Chief Asks For Voter Fraud Probe," The Herald [NC] Sun, 9/19/08)
In Cuyahoga County, OH, ACORN Is Under Investigation By Election
Officials Due To "Many Suspicious" Voter Registration Cards. "A national
organization that conducts voter registration drives for low-income people
has curtailed its push in Cuyahoga County after the Board of Elections
accused its workers of submitting fraudulent registration cards. The board
is investigating the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.
Results of the inquiry could be turned over to the county prosecutor. Board
employees said ACORN workers often handed in the same name on a number of
voter registration cards, but showing that person living at different
addresses. Other times, cards had the same name listed, but a different
date of birth. Still another sign of possible fraud showed a number of
people living at an address that turned out to be a restaurant. ... Board
employees are unsure how many of the cards are fraudulent. But the voter
registration department received so many suspicious cards that it began
compiling a binder with evidence. The binder grew to be an inch-thick."
(Joe Guillen, "Cuyahoga Board Probes ACORN Voter Registration Drive," The
[Cleveland, OH] Plain Dealer, 8/27/08)
-- "'I'm Obviously Very Concerned,' Board Chairman Jeff Hastings said.
'This Goes To The Essence Of Our Democracy.'"(Joe Guillen, "Cuyahoga
Board Probes ACORN Voter Registration Drive," The [Cleveland, OH] Plain
Dealer, 8/27/08)
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Election Officials Accused ACORN "Of
Filing Fraudulent Voter Registrations" But The Group Blames The Post
Office. "Philadelphia elections officials are accusing the nonprofit
advocacy group 'Acorn' of filing fraudulent voter registrations in advance
of the April 22nd Pennsylvania primary. Acorn, which advocates on behalf of
low-income residents in the city, has mounted a voter registration drive in
the past few months. But city election commissioners are complaining that
many of the submitted registrations appear to be faulty, and they have
forwarded the matter to the district attorney's office for further
investigation. ... The city officials say many of the addresses listed on
the registrations are invalid, but Acorn blames the post office for not
adequately servicing low-income communities." (Mike Dunn, "Phila. Probing
Advocacy Group's Voter Registrations," KYW Newsradio, http://www.kyw1060.com,
3/12/08)
One Pennsylvania ACORN Worker Is Facing "19 Counts Of Perjury, Making
False Statements, Forgery And Identity Theft" Related To Voter Registration
Forms. "A former temporary worker for a national community action group
recently questioned by Dauphin County investigators about bogus voter
registration forms is now a wanted man. Luis R. Torres-Serrano, 37, of the
200 block of South 15th Street, is accused by authorities of submitting
more than 100 fraudulent voter registration forms he collected on behalf of
the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now to county
election officials. ... Torres-Serrano is charged with 19 counts of
perjury, making false statements, forgery and identity theft in connection
with the voter registration forms, authorities said." (Reggie Sheffield,
"Former Temp Worker Accused Of Bogus Voter Registrations,"[Harrisburg, PA]
Patriot News, 7/24/08)
Milwaukee Election Officials Launched An Investigation Against ACORN
For "Making People Up Or Registering People That Were Still In Prison."
"Criminal investigations could be launched against at least six voter
registration workers who tried to add dead, imprisoned or imaginary people
to the voter rolls, according to the Milwaukee Election Commission and the
organization that employed them. Officials are reviewing some 200 to 300
fraudulent voter registration cards, Sue Edman, the commission's executive
director, said Wednesday. ... In about 12 cases, deputy registrars paid by
ACORN were 'making people up or registering people that were still in
prison,' said Carolyn Castore, ACORN's state political director. And in
other cases, workers used the same address for numerous voters or used
driver's license numbers that did not fit the voters' birth dates, Edman
said. But most of the fraud involved submitting duplicate cards for voters
who were already registered, and forging the voters' signatures, Castore
said." (Larry Sandler, "Fake Names Get Voter Registration Workers
Investigated," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/7/08)
All Voter Fraud Instances Under Investigation By Milwaukee Officials
Are Linked To "Two Liberal Groups" - ACORN And The Community Voters
Project. "Milwaukee's election chief on Wednesday turned 32 more voter
registration workers in to the district attorney's office for possible
prosecution, saying they tried to submit falsified registration cards. That
brings to 39 the number of registration workers under scrutiny, and the
number could grow, Election Commission Executive Director Sue Edman said.
An organization warned the commission staff late Wednesday afternoon about
some questionable cards in the latest batch collected by its workers, Edman
said. All of the workers targeted for investigation were paid employees of
two liberal groups running voter registration drives, the Association of
Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and the Community Voters
Project." (Larry Sandler, "More Voter Registration Workers Under Scrutiny,"
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/21/08)
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