The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Obama Restores Cash-Strapped ACORN's Funding As Reward For HealthCare Support

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The Spectacle Blog

Obama Restores Cash-Strapped ACORN's Funding As Reward For HealthCare Support

By Matthew Vadum on 3.20.10 @ 9:17PM

President Obama has quietly moved behind the scenes to restore full funding to the radical group ACORN, which was his former employer and legal client.

In a move ignored by the media, OMB director Peter Orszag circulated a directive to federal agencies ordering them to begin funding ACORN again. ACORN is the hyperpartisan lead group in the Health Care for America Now (HCAN) coalition and has long supported a government takeover of the U.S. health care system.

The fiscal floodgates will soon re-open for ACORN despite a congressional ban on funding the activist group that has long been a practitioner of election fraud.

In a March 16 memo Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Peter Orszag ordered federal agencies to resume funding the group whose employees were caught on hidden camera videos last year condoning and encouraging a variety of crimes including child prostitution and tax evasion.

The memo came a week after renegade federal judge Nina Gershon of the Eastern District of New York made permanent her temporary injunction prohibiting Congress from cutting off funding for ACORN. The memo also came despite the fact that the Department of Justice is planning to appeal Gershon's ruling and seek a stay pending appeal.

ACORN is under indictment in Nevada for election fraud. Jury selection in set to begin in the summer in Las Vegas.

ACORN is also teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. The New York Times noticed this fact only today and got around to reporting it four months after I reported it right here at TAS.

View all comments (79) | Leave a comment

Missy| 3.20.10 @ 10:06PM

We got ourselves a dictator, folks. Ain't that just grand?

It's looking like a coup d'etat more and more everyday.

Glenn Koons| 3.21.10 @ 11:33AM

This socialist pacifist naif will be lauded today when the Care Bill passes but is in the Beltway, not the rest of the nation. Dems will pay a price for bribes, corruption like ACORN and Fox reported that in many states, ACORN is actually going broke. That is why this bailout is so sleazy. Hopefully, some pols and pundits will pick up on this to keep the heat on them.

John - TMF| 3.20.10 @ 10:08PM

Matt,

The crickets are chirping late in the evening on a cooling Vernal Equinox Virginia evening...

The bear rustling through the thicket will attract more attention...

The first and last place you will see this item is here, and maybe a couple of other "wing-nut blogs" and then it will be ignored like the dairy farmer ignores the smell of the manure.

It's not so much that he doesn't smell it, it's just that being covered with it most of his life means that he just doesn't mind it so much anymore.

The truth is that the Dems can do anything that they want to do, their propaganda organ the MSM will spin it away if it can't ignore it altogether. The Justice Department is now a tragic joke, and the rest... well... what's a little corruption among friends, eh?

My teenager read "1984" because he was interested in why it was quoted so often. I asked him what he thought about the book, and what he felt was the most striking part of it.

He said, "[t]he ending, because after all of his trials and efforts, even being right, Winston Smith just gave up. Big Brother won."

I think lots of people miss that point about the book.

Regards, late on a Saturday evening...

The Mighty Fahvaag

Judie| 3.24.10 @ 6:46PM

Well, we have choices to make. Ignore the smell of manure, or clean it up. It is not too late.... not yet. But if something huge isn't done soon, it will be too late. Get up off our butts and do whatever it takes to revive the Constitution, get the scum out of office & be MUCH more diligent in our selection of leaders from now on. Unfortunately, many people would rather sit their butts on the couch and believe the man that promises them a free ride.... free healthcare... free food... free anything. And those, in my opinion, were the ones that didn't take the time to research this man's background, his beliefs, his past actions, before they voted for him. Because of their laziness & thus ignorance (and the help of ACORN to fudge a little) we now have this to clean up. But, believe me, this does not all lay upon the shoulders of Obama. We have been apathetic for many years, allowing one president after the other to slowly erode our freedoms away. But, back to now.... we can change this. I, for one, will not stop kicking and screaming and writing letters and working on campaigns for leaders that believe in following the Constitution! I hope you will join me.

Matthew Vadum| 3.20.10 @ 11:46PM

This post is already up in differing iterations on The Daily Caller and BigGovernment.

"But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother."

Chris| 3.20.10 @ 11:56PM

any of you guys notice that ACORN was cleared of wrongdoing in dozens of investigations, which is why a judge reversed the defunding?

Nobama| 3.21.10 @ 12:11AM

Dozens? Don't think so, troll.

The judge is a Clinton appointed hack--that's why the defunding was reversed.

Matthew Vadum| 3.21.10 @ 12:37AM

Perhaps Chris hasn't noticed that scores of ACORN workers have been convicted of election fraud too. See a pattern, Chris?

ACORN is also under investigation by HUD, GAO, and a dozen states.

Tillie| 3.21.10 @ 1:45AM

I wish it were true that Chris didn't notice, Matt; unfortunately for us, though, the fool just doesn't care.

karlaw55| 3.21.10 @ 10:09PM

Acorn was found innocent by at least 3 separate, independent investigative committees.

Get your facts straight, goofball. The "reporters" edited the films to create a story and fulfill an agenda. Much as I'm sure you would given half a chance.

Patriot| 3.22.10 @ 2:58AM

Liar. Only corrupt democrat hacks were involved in these 'investigative' committees and they ruled on only TWO cities, not the six outed by the courageous O'Keiffe. Breitbart has more, you know--they're make ACORN look even worse.

ACORN is a disgusting, corrupt organization that steals elections for democrats, funds illegal union activities and actively facilitates the establishment of sexual slavery brothels for young immigrant girls.

Aren't you filthy liberal slimebags so proud?

Jeff Perren| 3.21.10 @ 11:58AM

So what? If there had never been a hint of illegal activity, why should they receive Federal funding?

In 1794, when Congress appropriated $15,000 for relief of French refugees who fled from insurrection in San Domingo to Baltimore and Philadelphia, James Madison stood on the floor of the House to object
saying:

“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” — James Madison, 4 Annals of Congress 179, 1794

Nobama| 3.21.10 @ 2:06PM

They shouldn't.

Benson| 3.21.10 @ 3:35AM

Dozens of investigations have cleared ACORN, Chris?

Countless former employees are in prison for voter fraud.

The organization itself is under indictment for the same in Nevada.

We know that employees registered fake names back during the campaign.

And a single Clinton hack judge issued a clearly ridiculous ruling that even Eric Holder's department is appealing.

But no you're right, everything's just hunky-dory with ACORN and its merry band of thieves.

karlaw55| 3.21.10 @ 10:16PM

Now Benson, I want to read this very slowly.

There are no former ACORN employees in prison for voter fraud.

The names submitted did not result in people voting, because identification must be shown before entering the voting booth.

Nevada's indictment is another Republican hatchet job to discredit a national organization with a reputation for litigating for the poor.

The judge is not a hack just because she chose to follow the law rather than be intimidated by ignorant, greedy, American ideals hating people.

Patriot| 3.22.10 @ 3:01AM

Lie all you want moron, but ACORN is an outlaw, criminal organization that will go down in flames.

Breitbart has more damning videos of you scumbags--I heard they're real bombshells, too.
You'll get yours, thief.

Jeff| 3.24.10 @ 9:42AM

They can litigate for the poor all the want, but they are not entitled to public money.

Richard| 3.25.10 @ 10:40AM

No ACORN employees in prison now? Believe you need to read the following...
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/t.....r-fraud/2/

ACORN has been corrupt top to bottom since the beginning...And this is just for voter fraud. Anyone associated with the group, including Obama, is suspect.

Pete| 3.21.10 @ 10:46AM

Common criminals, all of them. From the White House down to each ACORN office to each individual "activist." Filthy rats.

MV, keep up the good work. I know I will do all I can to bring this story to light.

Mike Campbell| 3.21.10 @ 12:29PM

Any one know the address (home/work) of this "judge?" Time for one of Bill O'Reilly's intrepid reporters to ask the judge some hard questions. Federal judges are not our gods - it's far past time to start asking them the "impolite" questions when they hand down these wingnut decisions. Publish their e-mail and phone numbers. Flood their offices with irate calls. Boo them where they dine. Protest at their offices. Imagine Thomas Jefferson's shock that one wingnut judge can overrule Congress. Time to put the Federal Judiciary back in it's place - our servants, not our overlords.

Smitty| 3.21.10 @ 8:23PM

It's Nina Gershon; she was nominated by Willy Clinton in 1995.

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Joe| 3.21.10 @ 11:57PM

What exactly was ACORN, as an organization, ever convicted of? AFAIK, nothing. They hired a bunch of low-income people, and some of them turned in piles of voter registration cards with bogus info. The result? ACORN paid them for work they never did and thus got ripped off. What happened with the voter registration cards? They were weeded out -- after they were turned in as law required (ACORN people marked them as suspicious, as they've -- and others who do voter registration -- done for years).

If you really want to bar companies guilty of fraud from getting gov. money or contracts, I'm all for that. Let's start with AMIC, Bechtel, Halliburton, Northrop Grumman, KBR, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Merck & Co., Exxon Mobil, BP, and on and on. Most of these are various types of fraud and many involved the loss of human life -- including our beloved military personnel (how many people needed to get electrocuted in KBR's showers in Iraq before they got slapped?)

There's been exaggerated claims that ACORN has gotten over $50 million since 1994 -- even if that were true, compare it to a group in the 'top ten' of federal contractors guilty of 'misconduct' (according to http://www.contractormisconduct.org ): KBR. KBR has gotten over $4.8 BILLION dollars and has been found guilty of 'misconduct' in the form of overcharging, kickbacks, fraud, bribery, and shoddy work leading to the deaths of US military persons (to name a few) in 21 documented instances to the tune of $126.8 million.

Go to that website and start there, or be a silent hypocrite. Actions speak louder than words.

Patriot| 3.22.10 @ 3:06AM

ACORN is a filthy, corrupt democrat organization used to steal elections and launder money.

Breitbart has more incriminating videos that will blow the roof off of this garbage organization.
You are criminals who facilitate the sexual slavery of young girls--shame on you, losers.

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jenny| 7.17.10 @ 6:41AM

Countless former employees are in prison for voter fraud.

The organization itself is under indictment for the same in Nevada.

We know that employees registered fake names back during the campaign.

And a single Clinton hack judge issued a clearly ridiculous ruling that even Eric Holder's department is appealing.

But no you're right, everything's just hunky-dory with ACORN and its merry band of thieves.

Kelly Smith| 10.17.10 @ 10:07PM

Excellent article I really enjoyed reading it. I pretty much agree with everything you mentioned.

diseño web| 10.23.10 @ 10:32AM

Common criminals, all of them. From the White House down to each ACORN office to each individual "activist." Filthy rats.

MV, keep up the good work. I know I will do all I can to bring this story to light.

cesar millan| 10.25.10 @ 11:53PM

ACORN is a filthy, corrupt democrat organization used to steal elections and launder money.

Breitbart has more incriminating videos that will blow the roof off of this garbage organization.
You are criminals who facilitate the sexual slavery of young girls--shame on you, losers

sara - abogado cordoba| 10.26.10 @ 8:20AM

The judge is a Clinton appointed hack--that's why the defunding was reversed.

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