Family Security Matters » Publications » Exclusive: ACORN to Get Billions in Government Aid?

Not a member? Sign-up

Forgot your password?

SEARCH FSM

Ask Willa - Former CIA Operations Officer

IN THIS SECTION

View results

January 27, 2009

Exclusive: ACORN to Get Billions in Government Aid?

The Editors

The government “bailout” to “stimulate” the economy is turning out more to be a combination of stimulating government and pork-laden handouts to certain “deserving” groups. And it looks like ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) might be among those eligible to get a boost from taxpayer dollars to the tune of billions:

Incredibly, the Democrats’ bill makes groups like ACORN eligible for a $4.19 billion pot of money for “neighborhood stabilization activities.” Funds for this purpose were authorized in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act, signed into law in 2008. However, these funds were limited to state and local governments. Now House Democrats are taking the unprecedented step of making ACORN and other groups eligible for these funds.

During the last election, ACORN was being investigated by the FBI and state prosecutors for fraudulent voter registration practices in at least 14 states. The entire starting lineup of the Dallas Cowboys, for example, was registered to vote in Nevada, while 19-year-old Freddie Johnson of Cleveland was bribed 72 times in an 18-month period to fill out separate voter registration cards – on which he wrote the same information. “Sometimes, they come up and bribe me with a cigarette, or they'll give me a dollar to sign up. The ACORN people are everywhere, looking to sign people up. I tell them I am already registered. The girl said, 'You are?' I say, 'Yup,' and then they say, 'Can you just sign up again?' "

By the by, Barack Obama once worked for ACORN – he ran a unit and later represented them as an attorney. During the presidential campaign, his campaign also paid them $800,000 “for advance work.” ACORN also endorsed Obama for president, something which is against the rules for a non-profit organization.

Is this a conflict of interest? You be the judge.

What are taxpayers to think when their hard-earned dollars are being earmarked for a group being investigated for fraud? Is this sort of stimulus really going to create jobs and boost the economy?