The American Spectator : Covering Up for ACORN

Text Size

Covering Up for ACORN

By Matthew Vadum on 12.8.09 @ 6:08AM

The newly released "independent" review of the ACORN undercover prostitution video saga gives dirty meaning to the notion of whitewash.

The newly released "independent" review of the ACORN undercover prostitution video saga is a breathtakingly audacious work of fiction.

There is hardly a word of truth to be found anywhere in the document's 47 pages. The report unveiled yesterday by former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger is an all-you-can-eat buffet of lies and distortions that faults ACORN only for poor management practices.

No wonder those who organized the news teleconference yesterday kept the event so brief. The call lasted just 36 minutes, an amazingly brief period considering the level of public interest in ACORN's ongoing scandals and the complexity of the issues involved. Within that, the question-and-answer session was barely 23 minutes long.

Only five reporters were called upon and four of them lobbed softballs. One of the so-called reporters was actually politics professor Peter Dreier of Occidental College, a consultant to ACORN who wrote a report blaming the media for the group's woes. In "First They Came for ACORN," one of Dreier's over-the-top Huffington Post op-eds, the radical academic likened ACORN critics to Nazis.

Although I joined the electronic queue to ask a question, the teleconference was abruptly cut off after John Fund of the Wall Street Journal asked a series of tough questions.

Nonetheless the conference call was revealing.

It examined Harshbarger's report, which lays the blame for ACORN's myriad institutional shortcomings almost entirely on former chief organizer Wade Rathke. The document focuses on the hidden-camera videos in which James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles posed as pimp and prostitute. In those videos, ACORN employees across the nation offered the couple detailed advice on how to break the law and not get caught.

Harshbarger, a former president of the liberal group Common Cause selected by ACORN to aid in damage control, shrugged off the employees' behavior.

"While some of the advice and counsel given by ACORN employees and volunteers was clearly inappropriate and unprofessional, we did not find a pattern of intentional, illegal conduct by ACORN staff," he wrote.

In a conference call ACORN chief organizer Bertha Lewis gloated about how the report exonerated her group. Coming on the heels of her Oscar-worthy National Press Club speech in October in which she not only depicted ACORN as an innocent victim but also as a whistleblower that tried to nip the subprime mortgage crisis in the bud, Lewis told some brand new whoppers.

She said, "ACORN's leadership is pleased that this evaluation shows that even the low level employees did not engage in any illegal activity or seek to encourage it."

Reporters participated in listen-only mode in the teleconference Monday so the sounds of robust laughter did not disrupt the press event.

Anyone who watched the videos knows that ACORN employees bent over backwards to advise O'Keefe and Giles on how to defraud the U.S. government, obtain government money under false pretenses, engage in money laundering, smuggle illegal aliens into the country, and facilitate child prostitution.

The only reason the employees didn't participate in the schemes they devised was that O'Keefe and Giles never followed through. We'll never know with perfect certainty, but does anyone seriously believe that most of the ACORN employees shown in the videos didn't want to follow through?

One helpful staffer offered to help the couple claim the child tax credit for underage prostitutes from El Salvador. One worker offered the couple a discount on tax preparation fees for the prostitution business. One told them how to hide undeclared income by burying it in a tin can.

Page: 1 2 3 >

topics:
ACORN, Scott Harshbarger

About the Author

Matthew Vadum is an award-winning investigative journalist at a conservative watchdog group in Washington, D.C. Vadum is also author of Subversion Inc: How Obama's ACORN Red Shirts are Still Terrorizing and Ripping Off American Taxpayers.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (28) | Leave a comment

S.L. Toddard| 12.8.09 @ 7:43AM

mon⋅o⋅ma⋅ni⋅a
–noun
1. (no longer in technical use) a psychosis characterized by thoughts confined to one idea or group of ideas.
2. an inordinate or obsessive zeal for or interest in a single thing, idea, subject, or the like.

Dan Collins| 12.8.09 @ 8:22AM

Really? So, an organization that enjoys in many of its branches tax exemption and lives on Federal monies, that doesn't pay its taxes in other branches, that is purely partisan, that violates the law, that counsels people to violate the law, is to be tolerated in a (more and more nominal) democracy? And at the same time, such institutions as the Roman Catholic Church are to be threatened with removal of their tax exempt status for publicly opposing abortion?

Frankly, it is tolerance of the outrage that's pathological.

Big J| 12.8.09 @ 9:36AM

Give it up, Dan.

Each time Toddard sees an ACORN story, he drops the "monomania" bomb and scampers to another corner (thread) to spout his nonsense.

True to the form of a die-hard liberal, Toddard cannot be bothered with facts.

1FreeMan| 12.8.09 @ 9:47AM

As usual: Toddard has nothing constructive or intelligent to say.

I play this little game: I look at the daily stories and wonder where the Toddard Troll will go first. Then I open the stories and look in the comments for his brainless drivel. Usually I get it right. Too funny!

Go away Toddard. No one cares.

Eric Cartman| 12.8.09 @ 5:04PM

putz
-noun
1.Weaselly dickhead who uses worn out definition ploy to try to undermine an important issue.
2. S.L. Toddard.
(http://www.subgenius.com/bigfist/pics10/LeMur_Collection/Lemur8/bd_dickHead.jpg)

Truth to Power| 12.8.09 @ 8:29AM

The Turd shows inordinate and obsessive zeal in tacking the monomania definition after every ACORN article. The reflexive desire to change the subject from the obvious abuses of the Democratic party makes me wonder about him. I just thought he was a pseudo-intellectual Constitution Party member. I will stick with that and just chalk this up to monomania envy. If he wishes to compete he needs to become fixated on something more relevant. I am still waiting for him to take Adams, Jefferson and Madison to task for misunderstanding the true intent of the founders and participating in undeclared wars. If it counts for anything I don't think the Turd is as crazy as Red Phillips. Red seems to forming a religion around his thinking where he and his band of brothers are some sort of redeemers. I get the feeling there are not many brothers.

owyheewine| 12.8.09 @ 9:21AM

Keep the heat on Matthew.

Road Kill| 12.8.09 @ 9:42AM

"The report unveiled yesterday by former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger is an all-you-can-eat buffet of lies "

The fox is managing the hen house. Should anything different be expected? The investigation by a couple of 'students' was just the tip of the iceberg, and there can be no end to speculation about how often this kind of advice is given. Inspite of Congress moving to limit ACORN funding Holder boldly announced that it should continue. Essentially, "they passed it, let them enforce it (Pres. Andy Jackson)." Which hen will he have for lunch today? There is no concern for law, justice, or even what is right, in Obama's administration.

It is sickening that Senator Reid accuses anti-Health Care Reform leaders of supporting slavery, when the Obama administration, and his stiff necked minions, seek to turn all citizens into slaves of the state. Public monies to support ACORN only adds more chains to the taxpayer's limbs. A slave rebellion is getting closer.

Ken (Old Texican)| 12.8.09 @ 10:02AM

Ladies and gentlemen,
Please...do not forget for a moment that our President is a "creature" of ACORN.
Reminds me of a song...
"""...I've got friends in lowww places..."

Road Kill| 12.8.09 @ 2:19PM

So Obama does have a place where he was spawned! It was in an ACORN office!

Pete| 12.8.09 @ 11:13AM

MV, Please stay after this. This is the only way (and Black Panther intimidation) they can win elections in 2010 and it must be taken away or marginalized.

Oldefarte| 12.8.09 @ 11:41AM

Ken (Old Texican) just about SUMS IT UP. What's irritating is that my [lifetime's] TAXES PAID have been funding this politically-partisaned excrement !!!!!!!!!!!

Ret. Marine| 12.8.09 @ 12:23PM

Anyone look into the possibility this Democrat is covering up the fact that he's a product of the same organization known as ACORN and he owes them for his election results? Hello, someone?

Mike Schroeder| 12.8.09 @ 12:56PM

And no mention of the fact that the two "students" who "exposed" ACORN with their fraud in fact edited and redubbed their videos?
Does it not bother a one of you that the "exposure" was in fact a "falsification"?

Big J| 12.8.09 @ 1:36PM

How's the weather in your world, Mike?

In spite of all the hot air spewed from Washington, it's awfully cold in mine.

ACORN - Under investigation in at least 14 states for voter / voter registration fraud.

ACORN - Caught on tape in several states endorsing illegal activity such as tax evasion, prostitution and exploitation of under-aged, illegal immigrants.

ACORN - Caught on video tape disrupting meetings, day to day operations and personally threatening banks and their executives, insisting they furnish high risk loans to unqualified applicants.

Wake up Mike, and repeat after me:

"ACORN is a criminal enterprise."

Ret. Marine| 12.8.09 @ 6:36PM

Nice try home boy, if this were the case the ticker on the far left side of the tape, you know the one with the little numbers numbers, were in sequence and is has already been proven that it is people like yourself in denial of the TRUTH. It must hurt REAL bad to be a demonrat party member. God you guys keep being exposed as liars, theives and adalecense that you are. I know one thing for sure it's going to hurt real bad when the time comes for your appearence before the big guy up stairs. GO ahead and convince yourself of your allusions, it's O.K.. really but forgive me ahead of time for the pitty party attitude when you respond with your hate as your kind usualy do. And of course anytime you want to intellectualy challange yourself, look up the word honesty before you do. Thank you very much!

wolflen| 12.8.09 @ 1:34PM

..so..your saying what...the resulting vids put words into ACORNS workers mouths and they didn't want to help the "students"...

magin your surprise when you see what is on the editors floor of the MSM..

Yosemeti Sam| 12.8.09 @ 11:15PM

The ACORN proponents will know another
word come 2010 elections - SCORN.

CommieBlaster| 12.9.09 @ 5:25AM

ACORN and SEIU are Communist organizations. See the proof, all the latest news and the deep, deep ties to Obama here: http://www.commieblaster.com/acorn/index.html

Eliot Bernstein| 12.9.09 @ 5:51AM

Proskauer Rose is an independent report??? Real reporting going on here. Why not report that Proskauer who did this report was found dead center in the Sir Robert Allan Stanford fraud, whereby resigned Proskauer partner Thomas Sjoblom was teaching Stanford employees how to lie to the FBI and SEC in a Miami airport hanger. Proskauer has the most Madoff clients, the clients are now being investigated. Proskauer was sued in a Global Class Action for the entire 7 Billion in the Stanford Fraud. Proskauer is being sued in a 12 count 12 TRILLION dollar lawsuit, that has been legally related to an inside Whistleblower case in Shira Scheindlin's federal court, whereby the Whistleblower has revealed that the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division First Department was WHITEWASHING COMPLAINTS for US Attorneys, DA's, ADA's, Favored Law Firms and Lawyers. In fact, former President of the New York State Bar Association Steven C. Krane of Porksour was found handling complaints at the First Department against his law firm, partners and himself while an officer of the First Department and then ordered for investigation for the Appearance of Impropriety and Conflict of Interest.
Where there is Proskauer, there is crime, I would not trust this report at all and in fact would investigate Proskauer's involvement in ACORN. Did Obama stop by Proskauer on his way to the White House???
Case # 07 Civ. 11196 (SAS) Eliot I. Bernstein, et al. v. Appellate Division First Department, Department Disciplinary Committee et al.
08-4873-cv United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Docket - Bernstein, et al. v Appellate Division First Department Disciplinary Committee, et al. - TRILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT
Cases @ US District Court - Southern District NY
(07cv09599) Anderson v The State of New York, et al. - WHISTLEBLOWER LAWSUIT
(07cv11196) Bernstein, et al. v Appellate Division First Department Disciplinary Committee, et al.
(07cv11612) Esposito v The State of New York, et al.,
(08cv00526) Capogrosso v New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, et al.,
(08cv02391) McKeown v The State of New York, et al.,
(08cv02852) Galison v The State of New York, et al.,
(08cv03305) Carvel v The State of New York, et al., and,
(08cv4053) Gizella Weisshaus v The State of New York, et al.
(08cv4438) Suzanne McCormick v The State of New York, et al.
Related cases by judge
(08 cv 6368) John L. Petrec-Tolino v. The State of New York
Case No. 07 Civ. 9599 (SAS-AJP) Christine C. Anderson v. the State of New York, et al.
----
Eliot I. Bernstein
Inventor
Iviewit Holdings, Inc. – DL
Iviewit Holdings, Inc. – DL
Iviewit Holdings, Inc. – FL
Iviewit Technologies, Inc. – DL
Uview.com, Inc. – DL
Iviewit.com, Inc. – FL
Iviewit.com, Inc. – DL
I.C., Inc. – FL
Iviewit.com LLC – DL
Iviewit LLC – DL
Iviewit Corporation – FL
Iviewit, Inc. – FL
Iviewit, Inc. – DL
Iviewit Corporation
2753 N.W. 34th St.
Boca Raton, Florida 33434-3459
(561) 245.8588 (o)
(561) 886.7628 (c)
(561) 245-8644 (f)
iviewit@iviewit.tv
www.iviewit.tv
http://iviewit.tv/wordpress

gerald stephens| 12.9.09 @ 5:54AM

BEGIN NOW...

MOBILIZE for...

MASSIVE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

Gerald Stephens
Hartford, CT

Tom| 12.9.09 @ 1:30PM

ACORN needs a little RICO

Chris Strunk| 12.18.09 @ 1:05PM

The clerk clocked in my request for pre-motion conference to intervene as a Defendant-intervener as of right and with 28 USC 1407 multi-district litigation:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2414.....888-121509

Hearing scheduled for Tuesday AM 12/22/09 at EDNY

Paul| 12.30.09 @ 2:39PM

If you really want to know who is blocking every attempt to stop Acorn then look no farther than Rep Conyers, Maxine Waters, Barney Frank and Chuck Schumer. They have supported Acorn and blocked every attempt to stop their funding and or prosecution by members of the house and senate. I just pray they are kicked out in the next round of elections this Nov. This same group is the ones that kept telling us everything was just fine in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mack and the whole banking system. Then they got us again with Tarp. When will we learn? Then we have the people around Obama like the Rathke brothers and Andy Stern and George Soros and many others. I believe this is the most corrupt administration this country has ever seen in tactics and programs and direction as well as the people he has surrounded himself with. Socialists, communists, Marxist and criminals, surround this man who holds the highest office we have. He is moving as fast as he can to effect his plans for us. Do not listen to what he says, but watch what he does. He talks a great lie.

lay123| 4.2.10 @ 3:05AM

www.in-watch.com

www.us-bapeoutlet.com| 4.2.10 @ 5:10AM

www.us-bapeoutlet.com

karen| 4.2.10 @ 7:07AM

Not only are www.herveleger-outlet.comsuitable attire for most occasions they are also a very comfortable form of for men. The fabric they are usually made from is flexible and comfortable with plenty of ‘give’ in the cheapwww.us-chaneloutlet.com if you need to stretch, zcount jordan shoes they have a collar to protect your from the sun if you are likely to be spending time outdoors and they have buttons at the if the weather should turn a bit chilly.