Reid blocks ACORN probe

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
16,742
42
91
This must be a joke, it's like a damn onion headline. This guy needs to go
http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/re...rn-probe-61438132.html


ACORN -- the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now -- is stinking up Washington.

And this is far more significant than if a suspiciously large number of operatives for a purely "private" outfit had been found systematically bending and breaking the law, because ACORN receives and spends taxpayer money -- lots of it -- and had carried the imprimatur of official partnerships with the IRS, the Census Bureau ... the kind of "cred" that in the political world comes only from "who you know."


t had registered to vote in Nevada, among others, the starting lineup of the Dallas Cowboys.

The raid "set off a skirmish over efforts to expand the electorate on behalf of Sen. Barack Obama," the Times reported.

Mr. Lomax noted ACORN had hired 59 inmates from a work-release program at a nearby prison and that some inmates who had been convicted of identity theft had been made supervisors. "That led some local wags to joke that at least ACORN was hiring specialists to do their work," reported John Fund at The Politico, last November.

ACORN's 2008 Las Vegas field director, Christopher Edwards, pleased guilty last spring to two gross misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit compensation for registration of voters, in a deal that saw him agree to testify against fellow defendants.

Fox News' Eric Shawn reported there were at least 11 investigations across the country involving thousands of potentially fraudulent ACORN forms. Yet none of this was sufficient to block President Obama and his congressional minions from upping federal subsidies to outfits such as Mr. Obama's former associates at ACORN from the mere millions to the billions of dollars in their "economic stimulus" bill last winter.

Only when presented with the undeniable evidence of the "pimp and ho" videotape did the IRS last week announce it would terminate ACORN's participation in the agency's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program -- shortly after the Census Bureau advised ACORN it could forget about helping with its decennial head count.

Smoke? Fire? Washington Democratic leaders have opted to just lay low and not smell nothin'.

Despite all this evidence and a request in writing by 28 GOP senators -- and despite the fact the U.S. Senate voted 83-7 on Sept. 14 to block ACORN from bidding for any more federal grant money -- "Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is refusing to hold a Senate hearing on ACORN's activities," the National Republican Senatorial Committee complained Wednesday.

Mr. Reid replied additional investigations might distract lawmakers from addressing more important matters, including health care and economic recovery.

"It's become increasingly clear that ACORN may have manipulated tens of thousands of ballots in last year's federal election -- an area where Congress has clear oversight responsibilities -- yet Harry Reid won't lift a finger," said NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh. "It's hard to see his latest roadblock as anything but another example of Harry Reid protecting his liberal allies in Washington while remaining out of touch with his constituents in Nevada."

That's a politically motivated shot, of course. Stripped of the gratuitous elbowing, however, the question does remain: Do Sen. Reid and congressional Democrats really believe that if they just ignore the big mess their pet bear has dumped in the middle of the room, it'll somehow stop stinking
 

umbrella39

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
13,816
1,126
126
"It's become increasingly clear that ACORN may have manipulated tens of thousands of ballots in last year's federal election"

From you opinion peice

ORLY? It's becoming increasingly clear that registrations still and never will = ballots

SSDD zzzzzzzzzzz
 

cubby1223

Lifer
May 24, 2004
13,518
42
86
Originally posted by: Pens1566
Registration fraud != voter fraud

But it still doesn't excuse the registration fraud, and certainly makes the whole voting process a bigger pain in the ass for everyone to sort out a legitimate election.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Mr. Reid replied additional investigations might distract lawmakers from addressing more important matters, including health care and economic recovery.


Sounds more like a ' if we can put acorn on the back burner for a bit everyone will forget about it' type move.
 

Pens1566

Lifer
Oct 11, 2005
13,522
10,954
136
Originally posted by: cubby1223
Originally posted by: Pens1566
Registration fraud != voter fraud

But it still doesn't excuse the registration fraud, and certainly makes the whole voting process a bigger pain in the ass for everyone to sort out a legitimate election.

Of course it doesnt, but that wasn't the organizations fault as it was done by people they paid per registration form. They reported themselves as their required to do. Old news.

It has nothing to do with the voting process as "mickey mouse" never showed up to rig the election for Obama. :(
 

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
16,742
42
91
I am amazed the lengths party nuthuggers will go to defend their side. You have the republicans and the dems doing it and that's why things never change. The dems and repubs both know they have their little loyal toolbags that will support them no matter what.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
You can talk after you stop ignoring far worse abuse by Blackwater/Xe and a hundred+ fr worse Republican-linked organizations.

Acorn funding has been cut off now and there are major reforms under way over this handful of people who behaved badly. You're hypocritical.
 

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
16,742
42
91
Investigate the fraud and the rats, they should have been underway long ago. I'm not a hypocrite
 

PokerGuy

Lifer
Jul 2, 2005
13,650
201
101
Originally posted by: Craig234
You can talk after you stop ignoring far worse abuse by Blackwater/Xe and a hundred+ fr worse Republican-linked organizations.

Are the two somehow tied together? What does one have to do with the other? Nothing. So why bring it up? If you want to start a thread about blackwater abuses and why nobody is investigating them further, feel free to do so, but to bring it up as a deflection of Acorn activities scrutiny is stupid.

Acorn funding has been cut off now and there are major reforms under way over this handful of people who behaved badly. You're hypocritical.

Oh please, there are no "major reforms" underway, they are just trying to better conceal their fraudulent activity to get their hand back in the cookie jar..... and of course people like Reid and Pelosi will be happy to help them continue their crooked activities, so long as they benefit.
 

DealMonkey

Lifer
Nov 25, 2001
13,136
1
0
Oh gee, yet another ACORN thread. Gee thanks. You know, if the wingnuts in this country don't stop talking about stupid tangential stuff that the average voter doesn't give two craps about, they can kiss their chances in 2010 good bye.
 

CitizenKain

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2000
4,480
14
76
Originally posted by: cubby1223
Originally posted by: Pens1566
Registration fraud != voter fraud

But it still doesn't excuse the registration fraud, and certainly makes the whole voting process a bigger pain in the ass for everyone to sort out a legitimate election.

You know it was Acorn who alerted authorities to the fraud, right? As they are required by law to accept all registrations.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
Originally posted by: Sawyer
Investigate the fraud and the rats, they should have been underway long ago. I'm not a hypocrite

That would be nice. You know what's funny, the bill to ban ACORN, by banning organizations from funding that have done something like this, just banned most of the payments to defense contracters, since they have far worse records. They're trying to sort it out now, to somehow rewrite the law to include ACORN but not the defense contracters.

But I don't recall you ever posting any message supporting eliminating funding for any Republican-linked group that has done worse things. That's why I made the comment.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
Originally posted by: DealMonkey
Oh gee, yet another ACORN thread. Gee thanks. You know, if the wingnuts in this country don't stop talking about stupid tangential stuff that the average voter doesn't give two craps about, they can kiss their chances in 2010 good bye.

Yea I am waiting for them to start bringing up gay mariage issue. Guess they will hold that until the election gets near.

Why talk about things like health care, reform, etc... when you got acorn and gays to distract voters with.
 

Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
2,329
126
Originally posted by: Craig234
Originally posted by: Sawyer
Investigate the fraud and the rats, they should have been underway long ago. I'm not a hypocrite

That would be nice. You know what's funny, the bill to ban ACORN, by banning organizations from funding that have done something like this, just banned most of the payments to defense contracters, since they have far worse records. They're trying to sort it out now, to somehow rewrite the law to include ACORN but not the defense contracters.

But I don't recall you ever posting any message supporting eliminating funding for any Republican-linked group that has done worse things. That's why I made the comment.

You are right. Both of you assholes will continue to harp on scumbag organizations that are on the other team while ignoring or even supporting scumbags on your own team.

The end results are the same. The scumbags organizations on both sides get a pass, lay low for a while and more than likely will eventually start raking in .gov money again. Good job on being part of the problem.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
Originally posted by: Darwin333
Originally posted by: Craig234
Originally posted by: Sawyer
Investigate the fraud and the rats, they should have been underway long ago. I'm not a hypocrite

That would be nice. You know what's funny, the bill to ban ACORN, by banning organizations from funding that have done something like this, just banned most of the payments to defense contracters, since they have far worse records. They're trying to sort it out now, to somehow rewrite the law to include ACORN but not the defense contracters.

But I don't recall you ever posting any message supporting eliminating funding for any Republican-linked group that has done worse things. That's why I made the comment.

You are right. Both of you assholes will continue to harp on scumbag organizations that are on the other team while ignoring or even supporting scumbags on your own team.

The end results are the same. The scumbags organizations on both sides get a pass, lay low for a while and more than likely will eventually start raking in .gov money again. Good job on being part of the problem.

No, you asshole will continue to lie about me, since I condemned both sides.

Acorn has done a hell of a lot more good than any harm, registering over a million voters last election compared to what these handful of people did.

Congrats to you on wanting to get rid of the good they do for your witch hunt and being part of the problem yourself.
 

moparacer

Golden Member
Dec 10, 2003
1,336
0
76
Acorn has done a hell of a lot more good than any harm, registering over a million voters last election compared to what these handful of people did.

Damn Right! They got the whole Dallas Cowboys football team to register including Tony Romo and Terrell Owens!!!!

:roll:

 

BarrySotero

Banned
Apr 30, 2009
509
0
0
The Dems and Obma have embarked on a tyrannical power grab where they will force "change" no matter if people want it or not. Of course they wont hold hearings into ACORN. You'll be lucky if there are elections 2010. The Dem party isn't liberal anymore - its communist.
 
Jun 26, 2007
11,925
2
0
Originally posted by: BarrySotero
The Dems and Obma have embarked on a tyrannical power grab where they will force "change" no matter if people want it or not. Of course they wont hold hearings into ACORN. You'll be lucky if there are elections 2010. The Dem party isn't liberal anymore - its communist.

I don't know whether to invoke Poe's law or simply say "feeeear the communist, they are coming to get you, Reagan was right all along".

You have become a parody of yourself you little pathetic man.

Perhaps one day you'll wake up less insane, for the people around you i hope so because this much insanity usually ends with people getting shot.
 

PELarson

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2001
2,289
0
0
Originally posted by: BarrySotero
The Dems and Obma have embarked on a tyrannical power grab where they will force "change" no matter if people want it or not. Of course they wont hold hearings into ACORN. You'll be lucky if there are elections 2010. The Dem party isn't liberal anymore - its communist.

WOW... that is something Mr. D. Luzionl!
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
35,057
67
91
And now for something completely different... Try this independent study by two college profs.

I saw an interview with Prof. Dreier. In this report, there is a lot of documentation that ACORN has been set up and pursued as a continual target of the Republican party, conservative media outlets and their usual suspect contributors.

The report is a lot longer. Here are just a few items from the Executive Summary at the beginning of the report:

"Manipulating the Public Agenda:
Why ACORN Was in the News, and What the News Got Wrong"

Study Authors
:

Peter Dreier, Ph.D.
E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics;
Director, Urban & Environmental Policy Program,
Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041

Christopher R. Martin, Ph.D.
Professor of Journalism, Department of Communication Studies,
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50613

Executive Summary

Highlights.
.
.
  • In October 2008, at the peak of the campaign season, negative attacks dominated the news about ACORN:
    • 76% of the stories focused on allegations of voter fraud
    • 8.7% involved accusations that public funds were being funneled to ACORN
    • 7.9% of the stories involved charges that ACORN is a front for registering Democrats
    • 3.1% involved blaming ACORN for the mortgage scandal
  • The mainstream news media failed to fact-check persistent allegations of ?voter fraud? despite the existence of easily available countervailing evidence. The media also failed to distinguish allegations of voter registration problems from allegations of actual voting irregularities. They also failed to distinguish between allegations of wrongdoing and actual wrongdoing. For example:
    • 82.8% of the stories about ACORN?s alleged involvement in voter fraud failed tomention that actual voter fraud is very rare (only 17.2% did mention it)
    • 80.3% of the stories about ACORN?s alleged involvement in voter fraud failed tomention that ACORN was reporting registration irregularities to authorities, asrequired to do by law
    • 85.1% of the stories about ACORN?s alleged involvement in voter fraud failed to note that ACORN was acting to stop incidents of registration problems by its (mostly temporary) employees when it became aware of these problems
    • 95.8% of the stories about ACORN?s alleged involvement in voter fraud failed to provide deeper context, especially efforts by Republican Party officials to use allegations of ?voter fraud? to dampen voting by low-income and minority Americans, including the firing of U.S. Attorneys who refused to cooperate with the politicization of voter fraud accusations ? firings that ultimately led to the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
    • 61.4% of the stories about ACORN?s alleged involvement in voter fraud failed to acknowledge that Republicans were trying to discredit Obama with an ACORN ?scandal?
  • 47.8% of the news stories about ACORN in October 2008 linked the organization to candidate Barack Obama, most of them seeking to discredit him and his campaign through guilt-by-association.
  • The media bias against ACORN was evident not only in its focus on allegations of voter fraud but also in the language used to describe ACORN, such as leftist, left-wing, front (for Democrats), radical, activist, political, militant, and socialist.
  • The attacks on ACORN originated with business groups and political groups that opposed ACORN?s organizing work around living wages, predatory lending, and registration of low-income and minority voters. These groups created frames to discredit ACORN that were utilized by conservative ?opinion entrepreneurs? within the conservative ?echo chamber? ? publications, TV and radio talk shows, blogs and websites, think tanks, and columnists ? to test, refine, and circulate narrative frames about ACORN. These conservative ?opinion entrepreneurs? were successful in injecting their perspective on ACORN into the mainstream media.
  • Perhaps the peak moment in the attack on ACORN occurred at the presidentialdebate between Obama and McCain on Oct. 15, 2008. Although not asked a question about ACORN, McCain injected the issue on his own, saying: ?We need to know the full extent of Senator Obama?s relationship with ACORN, who is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy.? Clearly this statement was newsworthy. This study reveals, however, that opinion entrepreneurs, the conservative echo chamber, and the mainstream media had laid the groundwork for McCain?s attack on ACORN.
  • Local newspapers, which were more likely to verify the actual voting conditions of county election boards, were much less susceptible to the politicized ?voter fraud? frame than the national news media.
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: BarrySotero
The Dems and Obma have embarked on a tyrannical power grab where they will force "change" no matter if people want it or not.

Of course they wont hold hearings into ACORN.

You'll be lucky if there are elections 2010.

The Dem party isn't liberal anymore - its communist.

<Burns> Excellent
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
35,057
67
91
Originally posted by: BarrySotero

The Dems and Obma have embarked on a tyrannical power grab where they will force "change" no matter if people want it or not. Of course they wont hold hearings into ACORN. You'll be lucky if there are elections 2010. The Dem party isn't liberal anymore - its communist.

I'm amazed that you can spell "communist." I doubt that you could define either "communist" or "Communist."