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The Spectacle Blog

Congress Hears About ACORN's Extortion Racket

By Matthew Vadum on 3.19.09 @ 1:20PM

In recent months demands for ACORN to be investigated under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for repeated incidents of electoral fraud have been growing.

But voting-related fraud is just the tip of the iceberg.

ACORN runs a mob-style "protection" racket known within the radical direct-action group as the "muscle for the money" program, a lawyer told the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties today.

Lawyer Heather Heidelbaugh filed an unsuccessful lawsuit last year against ACORN, specifically, a court injunction in Pennsylvania against ACORN's voter registration efforts in last year's presidential campaign. (A transcript of the Oct. 29 hearing in Moyer v. ACORN is available here.)

Heidelbaugh says that ACORN, which I profiled in the November issue of Capital Research Center's Foundation Watch, has provided protest-for-hire services and extracted donations from the targets of demonstrations by shaking down those targets mafia-style. (Heidelbaugh's written congressional testimony is available here.)

The taxpayer-subsidized ACORN network, which owes millions of dollars in back taxes, also played a major role in the subprime mortgage mess that has undermined Americans' support for free market problem-solving and set off a worldwide chain of financial troubles.

And then there's ACORN's eight-year-long coverup of the million-dollar embezzlement by founder Wade Rathke's brother. When ACORN board members Marcel Reid and Karen Inman demanded to see the financial documents, they were expelled from the group.

What else is ACORN hiding?

View all comments (48) | Leave a comment

MT| 3.19.09 @ 1:31PM

Use RICO to stop ACORN.

k morgan| 3.19.09 @ 1:40PM

acorn are left-wing thugs!!!!!!

Harold Peterson| 3.19.09 @ 2:06PM

Unbelievable that our elected officials (and Judges) are such idiots as to take these cases as far as they do. I wish they'd show some common sense and save us all the $ they're spending to dignify these crooks. Give us "Patton" (no-nonsense) style politicians and we'll all be much better off.

Nick in Virginia| 3.19.09 @ 2:10PM

So explain to my why ACORN is scheduled to participate in the 2010 Census?

CH| 3.19.09 @ 2:12PM

Because Obama is thoroughly corrupt.

Robbins Mitchell| 3.19.09 @ 2:12PM

This bunch is trying to ACORNHOLE the entire country

ECM| 3.19.09 @ 3:25PM

Anyone wanna give me the over-under on whether anything punitive to ACORN comes out of this dog and pony show?

Admr. S.O.B. Buniontow VI| 3.19.09 @ 4:10PM

The opening statement is a fascinating read, particularly the "Money for Muscle" ventures by ACORN. The nexus is drawn between SEIU and ACORN. Of course, SEIU and Obama are inseparable.

Angel| 3.19.09 @ 4:12PM

OBAMACORN

Admr. S.O.B. Buniontow VI| 3.19.09 @ 4:12PM

The opening statement also mentions the use of census date by ACORN to identify "new" voters. How timely for the 2010/12 runs.

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 4:31PM

From your first link to the Moonie Times.

"Ms. Moncrief, who worked for years as a clerk at the ACORN office in the District before being fired for charging about $2,000 in personal expenses on an ACORN credit card, is not scheduled to testify. Ms. Heidelbaugh said the whistleblower will be present as a guest at the hearing.

ACORN's Mr. Whelan said Ms. Moncrief was never a part of the organization's management and was fired for stealing.

"Nothing she says has any credibility," he said. "

I suspect the rest of your claims are BS too. I'll get back with ya.

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 4:38PM

Matthew,

What kind of man writes such complete and utter nonsense? Yes, I visited all of the links.

You are either incredibly stupid (I doubt it) or sucking off the teat of wingnut welfare in the spread of complete BS.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Starry Night| 3.19.09 @ 4:44PM

It's the liberal BS artist, Jharp. Dude, don'tyou have a job? Probably not since you're a liberal. There have been several indictments against ACORN in states across the country, and many ACORN workers have already been convicted of voter-registration fraud and perjury. C'mon, harpy, we know you liberals are lying, cheating, thieving skunks. Just admit it so we can move on. Put your gun away, moron.

Violet| 3.19.09 @ 4:46PM

The liberal wingnut snarks about wingnut welfare. Clown.

Paquet| 3.19.09 @ 4:49PM

Acorn as such is nothing more than a brutus, filled with felons, thieves, amorally thugs, corrupt to the gills. Ayers and his associates are nothing more than communist (Obama). They will not get my attention if and when they ever knock on my door come census time, Either Saturday when he'll have his minions out to canvass the country for support for his stimulus plan. Anyone who believes in liberty and justice should not answer their doors or give eye contact or the time of day to the micreants, liberals too for that matter. Good luck prosecuting these thugs, Obama was their lawyer.

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 5:03PM

All right, Mr. Starry Night.

Please share with me the fraudulent votes cast as a result of ACORN.

And just last year there was an indictment AND A FELONY CONVICTION in the U.S. Senate (Stevens).

Does this mean the entire U.S. Senate is filled with crooks.

You are a stupid man.

Starry Night| 3.19.09 @ 5:14PM

Voter registration fraud, moron. Crooks? Obummer can't fill his cabinet because of all the corruption in the democrat party. Do any of you morons pay your taxes? You are a dirty, dirty party.

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 5:20PM

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 5:03PM said

"Please share with me the fraudulent votes cast as a result of ACORN. "

Starry Night| 3.19.09 @ 5:14PM says

"Voter registration fraud, moron"

Good grief. Please tell me you're not that stupid that you can't understand a simple question.

Turn off the dropouts Hannity and Limbaugh, get yourself enrolled into a decent University, and learn.

Your stupidity is hurting our country.

Admr. S.O.B. Buniontow VI| 3.19.09 @ 5:24PM

Caution: please don't feed the ACORN-bots like jharp.

Starry Starry Night| 3.19.09 @ 5:28PM

Aye aye, Sir. Is there any way we can make him walk the plank? LOL

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 5:30PM

Admr. S.O.B. Buniontow VI| 3.19.09 @ 5:24PM

"Caution: please don't feed the ACORN-bots like jharp."

I think that is sound advice. It's better to simply let folks think Starry Night is a moron than to post idiotic responses and remove all doubt.

Fragrant Flowers| 3.19.09 @ 5:31PM

I hope they prosecute ACORN so demos can't steal any more elections--like Al Frankenstein is trying to do. Evil little clown.

Sweet Thing| 3.19.09 @ 5:35PM

Perhaps this ACORN scandal will ruin Obumbler or TOTUS--Teleprompter Of The United States.

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 5:40PM

Fragrant Flowers| 3.19.09 @ 5:31PM

"I hope they prosecute ACORN"

For what? You blithering idiot.

Liberal Moron Harpy| 3.19.09 @ 5:46PM

LOL!!

MT| 3.19.09 @ 6:07PM

Use RICO to destroy ACORN!!

Bill Bailey| 3.19.09 @ 6:16PM

jharp: Are you on ACORN's payroll?

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 6:18PM

Bill Bailey| 3.19.09 @ 6:16PM

jharp: Are you on ACORN's payroll?

No. But I do plan on giving them a donation. I like their work. A lot.

ECM| 3.19.09 @ 6:23PM

The nice thing about that, jharp, is that you have the option of giving that donation--the rest of us are being forced to contribute to it against our wills.

SSN| 3.19.09 @ 6:33PM

I bet he likes their work--it's the only way his loser libs win elections.

jharp| 3.19.09 @ 6:34PM

"the rest of us are being forced to contribute to it against our wills."

Yeah, that's kind of a bummer. I felt the same way about the trillion dollar Iraq goodwill mission.

Oh well, elections have consequences and to the victors go the spoils. How sweet it is!

Sweet Thing| 3.19.09 @ 6:35PM

Repubs have tied demos in generic polling--first time in 3 years! Uh oh, demos are going to get a beatin' in 2010!!

Jeremiah| 3.19.09 @ 6:57PM

Uh oh, demos gonna get a beatin' soon. Not soon enough!!

tonypal| 3.19.09 @ 11:52PM

jharp:

Remember when GW was President and liberals lectured conservatives not to gloat? I guess that's gone the same way as "dissent is patriotic."

Bill Bailey| 3.20.09 @ 1:37AM

Do not feed the trolls. Ignorant Marxist a**holes like jharp exist to waste our time. Don't give them the satisfaction.

Basil Plumley| 3.20.09 @ 12:54PM

@ Bill Bailey

I disagree in part. I like to see nitwits like Jharp, Bob, Interloper, et al., blow up on this site. I think we owe it to the lurkers for the entertainment value.
Perhaps, they weren't spanked by their parents growing up. It is our job as in loco parentis to instill these brats with some discipline and pride.

Always notice the trolls never bring facts or logic to the argument. They always bring knives to the gunfight. Remember ...... in their universe, they rule.

Ken| 3.20.09 @ 2:29PM

No, it's in their minds that they rule.

Starry| 3.20.09 @ 2:52PM

Basil; discipline, maybe; pride--never! How could they be proud of their stupid lieralism?

Starry| 3.20.09 @ 2:53PM

lieralism = liberalism

Basil Plumley| 3.20.09 @ 10:28PM

@ Starry

Mea culpa, I assumed that if they had pride, they would NOT be liberals. Liberalism=lazy thinking.

Starry| 3.21.09 @ 1:18AM

Oh, I get it. A little thick here.

rjjrdq| 3.22.09 @ 1:25AM

Where are the Repubs on this? Are they going to just sit by while these thugs conduct the census?

Bill| 3.28.09 @ 7:49AM

stop giving ACORN all that money,closes them all down, put them all in jail.

Paula| 4.1.09 @ 9:56AM

We need to throw BO out of office, shut down acorn and file charges of treason against everyone attempting to change our Constitution. This administration is committing high crimes against this country.

kathleen| 4.3.09 @ 8:54AM

O man, I can't wait for the day when Ob'mammy's entire election let alone his bigoted and racist administration is wiped from the annuls of American history. he's a facist that wants to get rid of those that don't agree with him.

Joe| 4.8.09 @ 11:04PM

Wow, that JHarp character is all over the place. He is trying to get banned on every conservative website. He's going for the Guinness record of being the most banned idiot ever,

Joan Gufey| 8.4.09 @ 3:41PM

how do I organize to vote SEIU 1199P out of our organization????

vic| 9.14.09 @ 10:10PM

It's about time our elected officials actually listened to us (the voters) and did someting we wanted. Thank you senators! You get my vote and support! Acorn is a fraud and no funding should ever be given.