BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN

Subject: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Alice
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 09:51 AM

I think this subject deserves a new thread, because this presidential election is too important to have voter suppression steal it Again!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdNgMKPV9xQ

If you discuss politics with your friends, please share this video with them and click the digg link on the you tube page.

ACORN pro-actively flags any possibly erroneous registration card they receive before it is sent to election officials. All cards filled out and given to ACORN must by law be turned in, but they work to separate suspect applications and flag them. The attacks on the credibility of ACORN are unfounded, but it has become another part of the Republican smear campaign. Again, please watch the video and pass it on.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Amos
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 10:06 AM

Interesting issue of scale: In North Caroliana, 4 cards were being investigated. Four. Out of 240,000 voters that were motivated to register by the Acorn volunteers.

According to the best democratic principal, bring out a quarter-million votes is a great contribution to the public good, yes?
So how come this is being painted by the McCainiacs as a threat to democracy?

As Alice said, watch the video and pass it on.

Because the GOP campaign against ACORN is a voter fraud of great magnitude.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 10:13 AM

They wouldn't be opposed if the potential voters were Republican. It's very simple.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 10:29 AM

Acorn is rotten.

Time Magazine:

ACORN Embroiled in Lawsuit, Power Struggle

ACORN, the national activist group dogged by a high-profile voter registration fraud scandal, has another bruising item on its agenda when its board of directors meets here this weekend.

Leaders of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now are locked in a legal dispute stemming from allegations that the brother of the group's founder misappropriated nearly $1 million of the nonprofit's money several years ago.

The embezzlement case, a recent revelation to some board members, has spawned a lawsuit and set off a power struggle inside ACORN at a time when the liberal group's voter registration practices are the subject of fraud investigations and fodder for presidential campaign attacks.

Bertha Lewis, ACORN's interim chief organizer, called the lawsuit "a distraction from us marshaling our forces to deal with the Republican right-wing attacks" over ACORN's voter registration.

The lawsuit filed in August by two board members accuses ACORN founder and former chief organizer Wade Rathke of either concealing or failing to properly report that his brother Dale embezzled around $948,000 from New Orleans-based ACORN and affiliated charitable organizations in 1999 and 2000.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 10:39 AM

You mean...* gasp*...this ISN'T the most widespread voting fraud in history and WON'T destroy the very fabric of democracy?

But, John... I KNOW you'd never exaggerate...

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Alice
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 03:24 PM

Acorn reports death threats, CNN news video

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 04:31 PM

Right "there is no communication between the McCain campaign & ACORN, and McCain always condemns violence and intimidation"....

goody...all he does is leave ammunition out where those who ARE inclined to violence & intimidation can find it....along with assertions that "Democracy is at risk"!

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 04:34 PM

Well, damn, you don't want people like that to vote, do you?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 04:35 PM

"Incitement" is the word.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 09:24 PM

John McCain condemns violence and intimidation - when he's not actively involved in inciting them. nudge nudge wink wink

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 06:59 AM

The larger problem with ACORN is, it is supposed to be nonpartisan. It has received public money in the past, and petitions for more money now and will in the future. It's proven itself to be very partisan. It's not behaving like a non-profit organization.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Amos
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 09:08 AM

In what respect has it been partisan?


A

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: kendall
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 09:19 AM

Can you say DIEBOLD?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 09:26 AM

Kendal thats the old sullied name.

McCain will win Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Florida by use of the computer architecture that shunts the tallies to a GOP computer Tallahasse Tennesee and sending the adjusted totals back to the states.

Other states will have Premiere Voting System (formerely called Diebold) electroinc vote flipping on site of polling places.


Purging votes of newly registered, homeless, foreclosed, soldiers and the regional poor is the other half of the Republican strategy by accusing ACORN of mass fraud and acting quickly to assure new voters are eliminated.

Listen UP

When casting your vote if you use the "one button" to vote for all democratic dandidates at once, the vote will be deemed an undervote and will not be counted.

You must vote for each person on the ballot seperatly for the votes to ve counted! (GOP voters are urged to do this in thier newsletters too.)






The magic McCain comeback will be excused as a Bradley effect.
People will shrug their shoulders and assume this country is mostly racist and stupid.
This is not the case. Karl Rove strategy has been to control the voting process. His plan is to assure a Republican victory FOREVER.

It is a shame that his strategy will once again work...unless certain GOP loyalists sabotage the sabotage that is already in place.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 09:30 AM

Its truely sad what we must do to steer around corruption these days.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 10:18 AM

Why will using the "one button" to vote result in an undervote? They told us to vote for the president and VP separately, but they didn't say anything about not voting the rest of the ballot as a straight ticket. I just voted this morning, and I sure wish had seen that post before I went.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Alice
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 10:58 AM

Snopes says it is true that you have to be careful when voting a straight ticket. Reasons are at this link.


http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/straightticket.asp

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:06 AM

"In what respect has it been partisan?"

Acorn endorses Obama

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:12 AM

Where did you hear that? Acorn is not a group that DOES endorsements.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:18 AM

3.7 million voters have been purged since the last election.

First time voters in Florida must produce a government ID to vote.

20% of Colorado voters have had their voter registration suspended.

The GOP goal of eliminating 10% of Democratic voters is being reached.

This is why I have said repeatedly that Obama needs to have 15% to 25% more votes to win the electoral college.

Even then the ACORN complaints will serve as a starting point for McCain to contest the election.

One vote in Colorado has been shwon to be fraudulent so there is apush to purge a million votes to ensure there is no monkey business.


or in Chongo's case to insure there is monkey business.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Mr Happy
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:19 AM

Not this one http://www.mudcat.org/Results.CFM then?

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Amos
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:25 AM

DOnuel:

It would be helpful if you provided sources for some of your assertions, mate.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:32 AM

stealbackyourvote.org

democracy now radio FM

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:47 AM

http://www.stealbackyourvote.org/



check out Greg Palast 'armed madhouse'

you can listen to some of his book for free.





correction:
2.7 voters have been purged since the last election. (not 3.7)


DO not accept a provisional ballot.

what do you do?
go back later with whatever additional proof they ask for.
IF THEY STILL tell you to vote with a provisilnal ballot...
ask the head voter adjudicator for a REAL ballot.
IF refused you ask to file for a hearing.


Provisional ballots are rarely counted.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 12:07 PM

The Attorney General of Ohio is getting death threats for her efforts to look into voter suppresion.

West Virgina voters have reported their votes for Democratic candidates were switched before their eyes on the touch screen machines...so watch carefully.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 12:18 PM

Link courtesy of Bill D

http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=4707


This Feeney guy is now a good friend to McCain.

its a small world.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 12:27 PM

My new explorer 7 won't let me save anything offline like IE 6.
all I can do is copy and paste with word.

microsoft improvements just keep taking things away.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 12:36 PM

"Where did you hear that?

That question contains a dubious assumption.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 12:46 PM

??? such as? It was an honest question, since ACORN is supposed to be just a registration organization.

I have no doubt most of their group is 'probably' in favor of Obama, but the assertion was "endorsed"....

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 12:50 PM

Ok...I'll answer my own question...(Like I say, I use Google)

ACORN has a 'political action committee' which DID endorse Obama.

Maybe it's a minor distinction, but it might be important.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 01:45 PM

The concept of ACORN being non-partisan is nothing short of laughable.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 01:51 PM

Bill, without Greg Palast riding shotgun neither of us would ever find those cables.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: DonMeixner
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 02:03 PM

I understand ACORN to exist as many chapters in many places. Because it is fragmented in such a manner it easy to see how in some places ACORN may be operating as it originally intended and in others it may have an agenda that is clearly not non-partisan.

The fact is I trust neither side to play fair, honest, or by the rules.

Factcheck.org has as many items that support ACORN as condems it. We all have to vote but vote with clear eyes. I can't support either of these choices that have been thrust upon us. So I am truly tween the rocks and shoals this time around. And I probably always will be until they have a "None of The Above" lever to pull.

Don

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 02:14 PM

You're absolutely right, Don. And "None of the Above" would probably win most of the elections.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 03:04 PM

With the full weight and money of federal government prosecutors they have prosecuted exactly 24 people over 6 years.

There have been 2.3 million voters that have been removed from the rolls due to foreclosures, poverty, ethnic status and the new 2006 law based on the success of Catherine Harris tactics.

Colorado is looking at purging 20% of the voters.

24 fraudulent votes vs millions purged is a bit lopsided.

and rich white bigots want to keep it that way.

If your name is White aged 35 and above with your own home, you will probably not have your vote challenged.
If you are a college student or have an ethnic name or are part of the armed services overseas, your vote will probably disappear prior to counting.

If you mailed in your vote there are over 50 picky criterion to throw your vote away such as not an official envelope, you abreviated your middle name instead of writing it full on your registration etc.

If Acorn had been smart they would have burned the bad registrations rather than give zealots the opportunity to say that someone who registered as Harry Potter of Grifendor is tearing the fabric of democracy to shreds.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 04:57 PM

Still, there's no denying, that ACORN outfit must be made up of a bunch of nuts.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 05:15 PM

no denying? Mercy! I know lots of folks that have denied it. They have not been struck by lightning.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 05:28 PM

That's because nobody is taking them seriously!

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 05:42 PM

☺

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: DougR
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 06:08 PM

Sorry, Alice, I can't do that. Trotting out the Executive Director, a board member of Acorn, and Interim chief organizer of Acorn to defend the organization just isn't enough. What would one expect them to say? "Yeah, we're cheating?" Right.

Now if the entire Dallas Cowboys football team (which was listed on one of the registration forms turned in by Acorn) turns out to vote in Florida, I might revise my thinking. I think I would rather await the outcome of the many investigations being conducted by the Justice Department into the possible illegal activities of Acorn before becoming it's champion.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 06:21 PM

ACORN, by its very nature, is a number of 'local' groups with some guidance by national officers...any individual group can be run more or less efficiently and/or carefully. That is what has been confusing. Only a few places have reported these silly & blatant submissions of fake registrations. There has been no evidence of real 'illegal' activities, in fact the fake registrations the Republicans are demanding be investigated were already flagged by the groups which submitted them as problems.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Sawzaw
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 07:09 PM

New York times knew about this report in June but it purposefully withheld it from the public until October 21 because of it political bias.

Acorn Report Raises Issues of Legality

   
The June 18 report, written by Elizabeth Kingsley, a Washington lawyer, spells out her concerns about potentially improper use of charitable dollars for political purposes; money transfers among the affiliates; and potential conflicts created by employees working for multiple affiliates, among other things. It also offers a different account of the embezzlement of almost $1 million by the brother of Acorn’s founder, Wade Rathke, than the one the organization gave in July, when word of the theft became public.

“A full analysis of potential liability will require consultation with a knowledgeable white-collar criminal attorney,â€쳌 Ms. Kingsley wrote of the embezzlement, which occurred in 2000 but was not disclosed until this summer. In a telephone interview on Monday, Ms. Kingsley and Bertha Lewis, Acorn’s top executive, said the group had begun addressing the concerns raised in the report.

“Has everything been done yet? No,â€쳌 Ms. Lewis said. “We’ve been at this for three months, and we have taken everything she said in the report very seriously. It’s a huge undertaking.â€쳌 Over the weekend, Ms. Kingsley said, the national board adopted several good-governance policies, like appointing an audit committee for the first time.

Disclosure of her report, which was distributed to Acorn and 10 affiliates, increases pressure on the organization at a particularly troublesome time. Besides the inquiries into its voter registration efforts, Acorn faces demands for back taxes by the Internal Revenue Service and various state tax authorities. At the same time, foundations that have backed Acorn are withholding support.

Ms. Kingsley’s concerns about the way Acorn affiliates work together could fuel the controversy over Acorn’s voter registration efforts, which are largely underwritten by an affiliated charity, Project Vote. Project Vote hires Acorn to do voter registration work on its behalf, and the two groups say they have registered 1.3 million voters this year.

As a federally tax-exempt charity, Project Vote is subject to prohibitions on partisan political activity. But Acorn, which is a nonprofit membership corporation under Louisiana law, though subject to federal taxation, is not bound by the same restrictions.

“Project Vote and Acorn have a written agreement that specifies that all work is nonpartisan,â€쳌 Michael Slater, Project Vote’s new executive director, wrote in answer to e-mailed questions about the relationship.

But Ms. Kingsley found that the tight relationship between Project Vote and Acorn made it impossible to document that Project Vote’s money had been used in a strictly nonpartisan manner. Until the embezzlement scandal broke last summer, Project Vote’s board was made up entirely of Acorn staff members and Acorn members.

Ms. Kingsley’s report raised concerns not only about a lack of documentation to demonstrate that no charitable money was used for political activities but also about which organization controlled strategic decisions.

She wrote that the same people appeared to be deciding which regions to focus on for increased voter engagement for Acorn and Project Vote. Zach Pollett, for instance, was Project Vote’s executive director and Acorn’s political director, until July, when he relinquished the former title. Mr. Pollett continues to work as a consultant for Project Vote through another Acorn affiliate.

“As a result, we may not be able to prove that 501(c)3 resources are not being directed to specific regions based on impermissible partisan considerations,â€쳌 Ms. Kingsley said, referring to the section of the tax code concerning rules for charities.

She also found problems with governance of Acorn affiliates. “Board meetings are not held, or if they are, minutes are not kept, or if minutes are kept, they never make it into the files,â€쳌 she wrote....

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 07:28 PM

There's a movement afoot to strip ACORN of its federal funding. The organization has become so partisan that they can no longer claim tax-exempt status. The IRS will be on them next, if they aren't already.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 07:31 PM

"??? such as? It was an honest question"

The assumption I questioned was that Sawzaw had in fact heard that allegation rather than just dreamed it up.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 07:32 PM

â€쳌 ... ’ ... ????

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Riginslinger
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 07:49 PM

It looks like sanskrit!

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 07:57 PM

I hoped Sawzaw would know how he got those symbols in his post.

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 10:22 PM

the real victims of ACORN ...

just trying to keep a job

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: DougR
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 10:26 PM

Jeeze, Bill D., I'M impressed! How did YOU get those symbols in your post?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Spread the Truth About ACORN
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:12 PM

me? copy & paste.... from Sawzaw's