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From a press release from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee:

Treasury Department Inspector General, J. Russell George agreed to comply with a request submitted by House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Maine) to conduct a review of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and of the IRS’s oversight of nonprofit organizations.

“The lack of an appropriate firewall between ACORN’s charitable activities and its political arm has raised significant questions regarding the appropriateness of their status as a taxable nonprofit corporation and their management of federal dollars,” Issa said.  “Cutting ties with ACORN is a good first step for the federal government, but since they have been the recipients of taxpayer dollars, we have an obligation to investigate to discover whether or not those dollars were misused in anyway.”

“I am heartened by the agreement of the Treasury Department’s Inspector General to examine the troubling financial questions that have been raised about ACORN,” said Senator Collins. “This is the first step in the right direction toward much-needed transparency. As I’ve noted before, at a time when so many American families are facing difficult economic situations, it is completely unacceptable that even one penny of taxpayer money be misused. We must bring all agencies and groups that use taxpayer funds into the spotlight of accountability.”

Last week, Senator Collins and Rep. Issa made a formal joint request that seven Offices of Inspectors General, including Treasury, probe the activities of ACORN, a community advocacy organization. […]

View all comments (19) |

Tim| 9.24.09 @ 1:43PM

Tedious Star Trek analogy:

Given the accelerating collapse of ACORN from a blazing star of Democrat patronage towards an inescapable singularity of corruption, I'm guessing that the people who know (your Barney Franks etc.) have been tipped off to reach minimum safe distance.
I would bet you my autographed Spock picture that we will find tax fraud, money laundering, kick backs and embezzlement.

Pingback| 9.24.09 @ 1:47PM

Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Breaking: Treasury I-G links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…amspec American Spectator 111 Show more Shortened Links Linking to the spectator.org page http://bit.ly/3w2YVM info http://bit.ly/x8h7P info   2 tweets Tweet The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Breaking: Treasury I-G Agrees to Probe ACORN spectator.org/blog/2009/09/24/breaking-treasury-i-g-agrees-t – view page – cached Treasury Department Inspector General, J. Russell George agreed to…

Barbara Espinosa | 9.24.09 @ 1:50PM

Maurice may thank heaven " For Little Girls"
I thank heaven every day since I met him for "Matthew Vadum". without him the nuts "acorn" may have taken over the world.

Barbara Espinosa | 9.24.09 @ 1:50PM

Maurice may thank heaven " For Little Girls"
I thank heaven every day since I met him for "Matthew Vadum". without him the nuts "acorn" may have taken over the world.

S.L. Toddard| 9.24.09 @ 1:51PM

Matt - here's the bill your work helped inspire, that should de-fund any company which has defrauded the gov't (which by definition will include the top ten largest war-profiteers/defense contractors):

Bill:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3571/show#

Text:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3571/text

I posted it in earlier - you must have missed it. What do you think? You loathe fraud, I know, so you must support this bill wholeheartedly, correct? After all, we cannot have corrupt, fraud-prone companies receiving federal money.

Walter ronten| 9.24.09 @ 3:10PM

a. None of the big defense contractors are non-profit/ non-political entities as some parts of ACORN claim to be. This is the basis of their Government funding.
b. ACORN gets grants for ostensibly public service, not contracts for acquisition of service or products as defense contractors do.
c. Any company convicted of fraud can be - depending on severity of the crime - disbarred from participation in Federal acquistions in addition to any penalties resulting from the conviction.
d. When did Lockheed-Martin ever promote underage prostitution and human trafficing?

S.L. Toddard| 9.24.09 @ 3:24PM

a. Irrelevant. The legislation does not propose to de-fund only non-profits, but all companies who have defrauded the American people, or submitted fraudulent forms.

b. Irrelevant. The legislation does not propose to de-fund only non-profits, but all companies who have defrauded the American people, or submitted fraudulent forms.

c. Irrelevant. The proposed legislation *compels* de-funding of companies who have defrauded the American people, or submitted fraudulent forms. They may not be funded.

d. Irrelevant. Lockheed-Martin has defrauded the American people. That is the issue here, not ACORN-specific criticisms. Congress has passed legislation that compels de-funding of companies guilty of fraud, which will compel the de-funding of ACORN along with numerous war profiteers guilty of fraud.

Aren’t you in favor of this legislation as well? I thought all ACORN opponents were just steamed about fraud. Remember – this anti-ACORN obsession predates the child-prostitution investigation.

Deborah D | 9.25.09 @ 7:31AM

Blah, Blah, Blah. Change the subject much? Why don't you contact writers for Huffington Post instead of Mr. Vadum. He's doing what he's interested in. I'm sure the NY Times or the Wa Po will do your bidding soon enough.

Johnno| 9.24.09 @ 2:22PM

Democrats are rushing to erase ties between ACORN and Big Labor now. Filthy b@stards. Out in 2010 and 2012!!

Job well done, Matt.

Pingback| 9.24.09 @ 2:36PM

Bloodthirsty Liberal » Cheap Suit links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…Proceedings Code §§ 10-402(a) and 10-410, which requires two party consent to all electronic surveillance. Violation of the law is a felony, and entitles parties whose rights were violated to sue.” Counterpoint: Treasury Department Inspector General, J. Russell George agreed to comply with a request submitted by House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and…

Johnno| 9.24.09 @ 2:38PM

Democrats are cutting their losses by cutting ACORN loose. They know that an investigation of ACORN corruption would quickly include the leadership of their disgusting party.

Obama is dirty.

wbfrank| 9.24.09 @ 2:47PM

...and the shredding machines at ACORN and places in the Democratic Party controlled government are starting to smoke from overuse.
And why should anyone trust this government in this investigation? Especially Obama who is joined at the hip with ACORN?
If no one has noticed BHO has surrounded HimSelf with people who think and act like he does. And his own Shadow Government to boot!
About ACORN: give ALL taxpayer monies back!

Pete| 9.24.09 @ 3:10PM

"Give ALL taxpayer monies back!"

While I totally agree in concept, that money was long ago embezzled/spent by ACORN's "directors." Getting any of that money back would be like getting the fraud portion (~75%) of the "stimulus" package back. It just won't happen. These swine will move on to their next ruse - by all accounts, that appears to be "climate change." Where are the cries of "special interests!" here? These asses (clever, criminal asses) are trying to bilk money out of us all to create an entirely new industry (based on non commercially viable technology) out of thin air so they and their buddies can profit. It is grotesque.

COnservative Bob| 9.24.09 @ 4:35PM

I see your raise and raise you back 2….
Why such a short list how about Fanny and Freddie and the UAW and AFL CIO and SEIU and GE and the Teamsters and the AFT and the AEA. Let US not forget the Friends of the Earth, Green Peace the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation the American Humane society, the Brady campaign, Handgun Inc.
All of these groups receive funding from government agencies.
In addition to the offending businesses and institutions let us also remove from office any elected or appointed official who can be shown to have participated in any such fraud.
I do not care what party or what institution, or organization or what level of government all the way done to the smallest local board….
I am all for it lets clean house from top to bottom, if you use fraud and deception to get money from the government or to influence government to spend money in advancement of your cause or purchasing your product or service you face criminal prosecution and the politician involved get enhanced sentences because of their privileged position let’s say 1.5 to 1 so if the bribing CEO gets 10 years the politician gets 15.
When can we start?

jr| 9.24.09 @ 5:15PM

Careful, don't get too excited and your wires come loose. This might take time -- like years. And if the Treasury IG gets real, he might have to look for another job inasmuch as W put him there. Do not go near Fort Marcy Park.

Deborah D | 9.25.09 @ 7:28AM

Under normal circumstances, this would be a reason for great joy and celebration -- but, I don't trust anyone in this administration to actually do a real investigation into one of their bread-and-butter organizations. I hope I'm wrong -- regardless, congratulations, Mr. Vadum, your tireless work has born some fruit. Please continue, sir. Your country needs you.

More Blog Posts by Matthew Vadum

http://spectator.org/blog/2009/09/24/breaking-treasury-i-g-agrees-t

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