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[[File:ACORN.jpg|right]]

[[File:ACORN.jpg|right]]

The '''Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now''' ('''ACORN''') was a [[left-wing]] activist group that described itself as ''"a non-profit, non-partisan social justice organization"'' <ref>[http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12342 ACORN website]</ref> geared to helping the poor achieve jobs and control over their communities. Founded in Arkansas in 1970, ACORN advocated higher minimum wages, access to affordable housing and increased voter registration in low-income communities, though many charge that they often focused on voter registration in swing political states like Ohio.  On March 22, 2010, it announced that "it would close all its remaining state affiliates and field offices by April 1" and try to resolve its outstanding debts.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/us/23acorn.html Acorn to Shut All Its Offices by April 1], [[The New York Times]]</ref>

The '''Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now''' ('''ACORN''') was a [[left-wing]] activist group that described itself as ''"a non-profit, non-partisan social justice organization"'' <ref>[http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12342 ACORN website]</ref> geared to helping the poor achieve jobs and control over their communities. Founded in Arkansas in 1970, ACORN advocated higher minimum wages, access to affordable housing and increased voter registration in low-income communities, though many charge that they often focused on voter registration in swing political states like Ohio.  On March 22, 2010, it announced that "it would close all its remaining state affiliates and field offices by April 1" and try to resolve its outstanding debts.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/us/23acorn.html Acorn to Shut All Its Offices by April 1], [[The New York Times]]</ref>

Some conservatives targeted ACORN because of its liberal agenda. Stanley Kurtz calls it "the largest radical group in America,"<ref name=kurtz-inside>[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDZiMjkwMDczZWI5ODdjOWYxZTIzZGIyNzEyMjE0ODI= Inside Obama’s Acorn: By their fruits ye shall know them] - Stanley Kurtz, [[National Review]]</ref>

Some conservatives targeted ACORN because of its liberal agenda. Stanley Kurtz calls it "the largest radical group in America,"<ref name=kurtz-inside>[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDZiMjkwMDczZWI5ODdjOWYxZTIzZGIyNzEyMjE0ODI= Inside Obama’s Acorn: By their fruits ye shall know them] - Stanley Kurtz, [[National Review]]</ref>

ACORN was founded in 1970 by [[Wade Rathke]], a veteran of the [[Maoist]] oriented [[Students for a Democratic Society]] (SDS).

ACORN was founded in 1970 by [[Wade Rathke]], a veteran of the [[Maoist]] oriented [[Students for a Democratic Society]] (SDS).

In 2009, the Baltimore group has been accused of dispensing advice on how to set up a prostitution ring involving more than a dozen underage illegal immigrant girls,<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/10/acorn.prostitution/ ACORN workers caught on tape allegedly advising on prostitution], ''[[CNN]]'', September 11, 2009.</ref> among other illegal activities.  From 1992 to 2004, [[Barack Obama]] ran leadership training sessions<ref>[http://www.socialpolicy.org/index.php?id=838 Case Study: Chicago-The Barack Obama Campaign], By Toni Foulkes, ''Social Policy'', Winter 2003, Vol. 34, No. 2 Spring 2004, Vol. 34, No. 3.</ref> and served as an attorney for the group in Chicago.

In 2009, the Baltimore group has been accused of dispensing advice on how to set up a prostitution ring involving more than a dozen underage illegal immigrant girls,<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/10/acorn.prostitution/ ACORN workers caught on tape allegedly advising on prostitution], ''[[CNN]]'', September 11, 2009.</ref> among other illegal activities.  From 1992 to 2004, [[Barack Obama]] ran leadership training sessions<ref>[http://www.socialpolicy.org/index.php?id=838 Case Study: Chicago-The Barack Obama Campaign], By Toni Foulkes, ''Social Policy'', Winter 2003, Vol. 34, No. 2 Spring 2004, Vol. 34, No. 3.</ref> and served as an attorney for the group in Chicago.

ACORN was also been mired in the controversy connected with the collapse of mortgage giants [[Fannie Mae]] and [[Freddie Mac]] in the fall of 2008.  

ACORN was also been mired in the controversy connected with the collapse of mortgage giants [[Fannie Mae]] and [[Freddie Mac]] in the fall of 2008.  

George Wiley's community organization, National Welfare Rights Organization, forged an army of tens of thousands of single minority mothers. His aim: to flood the welfare system with so many clients that it would burst, creating a crisis that, he believed, would force a radical restructuring of [[America]]’s unjust capitalist economy. The flooding succeeded beyond Wiley’s wildest dreams. Wiley then sent one of his young lieutenants, Wade Rathke, to Little Rock, Arkansas, to launch a new community-organizing group: ACORN. At that time, ACORN stood for the Arkansas Community Organizations for Reform Now. Rathke expanded it into a national organization replacing Arkansas with Association. Their ''People's Platform'' reads, “We will continue our fight . . . until we have shared the wealth, until we have won our freedom . . . . We have nothing to show for the work of our hand, the tax of our labor.” <ref name="ACORN’s Nutty Regime for Cities">[http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_2_acorns_nutty_regime.html ACORN’s Nutty Regime for Cities] City-journal.org, 2003</ref>

George Wiley's community organization, National Welfare Rights Organization, forged an army of tens of thousands of single minority mothers. His aim: to flood the welfare system with so many clients that it would burst, creating a crisis that, he believed, would force a radical restructuring of [[America]]’s unjust capitalist economy. The flooding succeeded beyond Wiley’s wildest dreams. Wiley then sent one of his young lieutenants, Wade Rathke, to Little Rock, Arkansas, to launch a new community-organizing group: ACORN. At that time, ACORN stood for the Arkansas Community Organizations for Reform Now. Rathke expanded it into a national organization replacing Arkansas with Association. Their ''People's Platform'' reads, “We will continue our fight . . . until we have shared the wealth, until we have won our freedom . . . . We have nothing to show for the work of our hand, the tax of our labor.” <ref name="ACORN’s Nutty Regime for Cities">[http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_2_acorns_nutty_regime.html ACORN’s Nutty Regime for Cities] City-journal.org, 2003</ref>

In 2008, a 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.<ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/acorn_missing_money/2008/10/17/141481.html Missing ACORN Funds Spark Lawsuit, Power Struggle] AP, October 17, 2008</ref>  Upon learning of the actions of Dale Rathke, ACORN received an anonymous donation of $1 million to cover the difference and keep ACORN functioning.  It was later learned that the donation came from Drummond Pike, the head of the [[Tides Foundation]] which is known for laundering money to left wing causes.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/us/17acorn.html Head of Foundation Bailed Out Nonprofit Group After Its Funds Were Embezzled], [[The New York Times]]</ref><ref>[http://netrightdaily.com/2012/07/how-tides-washes-the-lefts-money/ How Tides Washes the Left's Money]</ref>

In 2008, a 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.<ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/acorn_missing_money/2008/10/17/141481.html Missing ACORN Funds Spark Lawsuit, Power Struggle] AP, October 17, 2008</ref>  Upon learning of the actions of Dale Rathke, ACORN received an anonymous donation of $1 million to cover the difference and keep ACORN functioning.  It was later learned that the donation came from Drummond Pike, the head of the [[Tides Foundation]] which is known for laundering money to left wing causes.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/us/17acorn.html Head of Foundation Bailed Out Nonprofit Group After Its Funds Were Embezzled], [[The New York Times]]</ref><ref>[http://netrightdaily.com/2012/07/how-tides-washes-the-lefts-money/ How Tides Washes the Left's Money]</ref>

ACORN considered itself the nation’s largest community organization.  It was a partner of the [[liberal]] coalition [[America Votes]].<ref>[http://www.americavotes.org/site/partner_summaries/ America Votes - Partners]</ref> American Votes is a coalition member of the [[Shadow Party]].<ref>[http://www.discoverthenetworks.com Discover The Networks]</ref>

ACORN considered itself the nation’s largest community organization.  It was a partner of the [[liberal]] coalition [[America Votes]].<ref>[http://www.americavotes.org/site/partner_summaries/ America Votes - Partners]</ref> American Votes is a coalition member of the [[Shadow Party]].<ref>[http://www.discoverthenetworks.com Discover The Networks]</ref>

==Ties==

==Ties==

===Barack Obama===

===Barack Obama===

Liberal lawyer Sandy Newman founded Project Vote, a 501(c)(3) organization, to register voters in welfare offices and unemployment lines with the explicit goal of turning back the Reagan revolution. Newman hired Obama in 1992 to lead Project Vote efforts in [[Illinois]]. The effort's motto: "It's a Power Thing." Under Obama's leadership, he trained ACORN members in Chicago. According to ACORN, Obama trained its [[Chicago]] members in leadership seminars; in turn, ACORN volunteers worked on his campaigns. Obama also sat on the boards of the Woods Fund (with [[William Ayers]]) and the Joyce Foundation, both of which poured money into ACORN’s coffers. In 1996, Project Vote's tax returns show it paid ACORN more than $4.6 million for campaign services and Citizens Services more than $779,000 for legal and administrative services.<ref name="Obama camp downplays ACORN payments">[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/10/obama-camp-downplays-ACORN-payments/ Obama camp downplays ACORN payments], [[Washington Times]], October 10, 2008</ref>

Liberal lawyer Sandy Newman founded Project Vote, a 501(c)(3) organization, to register voters in welfare offices and unemployment lines with the explicit goal of turning back the Reagan revolution. Newman hired Obama in 1992 to lead Project Vote efforts in [[Illinois]]. The effort's motto: "It's a Power Thing." Under Obama's leadership, he trained ACORN members in Chicago. According to ACORN, Obama trained its [[Chicago]] members in leadership seminars; in turn, ACORN volunteers worked on his campaigns. Obama also sat on the boards of the Woods Fund (with [[William Ayers]]) and the Joyce Foundation, both of which poured money into ACORN’s coffers. In 1996, Project Vote's tax returns show it paid ACORN more than $4.6 million for campaign services and Citizens Services more than $779,000 for legal and administrative services.<ref name="Obama camp downplays ACORN payments">[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/10/obama-camp-downplays-ACORN-payments/ Obama camp downplays ACORN payments], [[Washington Times]], October 10, 2008</ref>

Federal Election Commission reports show ACORN-affiliated Citizens Services Inc. got $832,598 from the Obama campaign for get-out-the-vote work during the primaries.<ref name="Obama camp downplays ACORN payments"/>

Federal Election Commission reports show ACORN-affiliated Citizens Services Inc. got $832,598 from the Obama campaign for get-out-the-vote work during the primaries.<ref name="Obama camp downplays ACORN payments"/>

Tom DeLay writing for the [[Washington Times]] says "Organizations like [[America Votes]] and ACORN are so closely tied to Democrat politics that they might as well be arms of the party apparatus." <ref>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/05/the-democrats-shadow-party/ DELAY: The Democrats' Shadow Party], [[Washington Times]], November 5, 2008</ref>

Tom DeLay writing for the [[Washington Times]] says "Organizations like [[America Votes]] and ACORN are so closely tied to Democrat politics that they might as well be arms of the party apparatus." <ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/05/the-democrats-shadow-party/ DELAY: The Democrats' Shadow Party], [[Washington Times]], November 5, 2008</ref>

ACORN supports [[Obamacare]].<ref>[http://frontpagemag.com/2013/matthew-vadum/acorn-crooks-on-the-march-for-obamacare/ ACORN Crooks on the March for Obamacare], [[FrontPage Magazine]]</ref>

ACORN supports [[Obamacare]].<ref>[http://frontpagemag.com/2013/matthew-vadum/acorn-crooks-on-the-march-for-obamacare/ ACORN Crooks on the March for Obamacare], [[FrontPage Magazine]]</ref>

''Investor's Business Daily'' added:

''Investor's Business Daily'' added:

:"The revisions also allowed for the first time the securitization of CRA-regulated loans containing subprime mortgages. The changes came as radical "housing rights" groups led by ACORN lobbied for such loans. ACORN at the time was represented by a young public-interest lawyer in Chicago by the name of Barack Obama." <ref name=manufactured>[http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2008/09/barack_obama_and_the_strategy.html Barack Obama and the Strategy of Manufactured Crisis], [[American Thinker]]</ref>

:"The revisions also allowed for the first time the securitization of CRA-regulated loans containing subprime mortgages. The changes came as radical "housing rights" groups led by ACORN lobbied for such loans. ACORN at the time was represented by a young public-interest lawyer in Chicago by the name of Barack Obama." <ref name=manufactured>[https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2008/09/barack_obama_and_the_strategy.html Barack Obama and the Strategy of Manufactured Crisis], [[American Thinker]]</ref>

Since these loans were to be underwritten by the government sponsored Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the implicit government guarantee of those loans absolved lenders, mortgage bundlers and investors of any concern over the obvious risk. As Bloomberg reported: "It is a classic case of socializing the risk while privatizing the profit."<ref name=manufactured />

Since these loans were to be underwritten by the government sponsored Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the implicit government guarantee of those loans absolved lenders, mortgage bundlers and investors of any concern over the obvious risk. As Bloomberg reported: "It is a classic case of socializing the risk while privatizing the profit."<ref name=manufactured />

====2004 elections====

====2004 elections====

* The Wall Street Journal noted: “In Ohio in 2004, a worker for one affiliate was given crack cocaine in exchange for fraudulent registrations that included underage voters, dead [[voters]] and pillars of the community named Mary Poppins, Dick Tracy and Jive Turkey. During a [[congressional]] hearing in Ohio in the aftermath of the 2004 election, officials from several counties in the state explained ACORN’s practice of dumping thousands of registration forms in their lap on the submission deadline, even though the forms had been collected months earlier.” Acorn workers have been convicted of fraud in Wisconsin and Colorado.<ref>[http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116251922202112150 The Acorn Indictments], [[Wall Street Journal]]</ref>

* The Wall Street Journal noted: “In Ohio in 2004, a worker for one affiliate was given crack cocaine in exchange for fraudulent registrations that included underage voters, dead [[voters]] and pillars of the community named Mary Poppins, Dick Tracy and Jive Turkey. During a [[congressional]] hearing in Ohio in the aftermath of the 2004 election, officials from several counties in the state explained ACORN’s practice of dumping thousands of registration forms in their lap on the submission deadline, even though the forms had been collected months earlier.” Acorn workers have been convicted of fraud in Wisconsin and Colorado.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116251922202112150 The Acorn Indictments], [[Wall Street Journal]]</ref>

* In March, [[Philadelphia]] elections officials accused the nonprofit advocacy group of filing fraudulent voter registrations in advance of the April 22nd Pennsylvania primary.  

* In March, [[Philadelphia]] elections officials accused the nonprofit advocacy group of filing fraudulent voter registrations in advance of the April 22nd Pennsylvania primary.  

* In July, ACORN settled the largest case of voter fraud in the history of [[Washington]] State. Seven ACORN workers had submitted nearly 2,000 bogus voter registration forms. According to case records, they flipped through phone books for names to use on the forms, including “Leon Spinks,” “Frekkie Magoal” and “Fruto Boy Crispila.” Three ACORN election hoaxers pleaded guilty in October.

* In July, ACORN settled the largest case of voter fraud in the history of [[Washington]] State. Seven ACORN workers had submitted nearly 2,000 bogus voter registration forms. According to case records, they flipped through phone books for names to use on the forms, including “Leon Spinks,” “Frekkie Magoal” and “Fruto Boy Crispila.” Three ACORN election hoaxers pleaded guilty in October.

* In 2004, ACORN registered illegal immigrant Nuradin Abdi. He was the suspected Ohio shopping mall bomb plotter from Somalia, according to the Columbus Dispatch.<ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/minutemen_illegal_voting/2008/10/30/145903.html Minutemen Muster Nationally to Foil Illegal Voting] [[NewsMax]], October 30, 2008</ref>

* In 2004, ACORN registered illegal immigrant Nuradin Abdi. He was the suspected Ohio shopping mall bomb plotter from Somalia, according to the Columbus Dispatch.<ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/minutemen_illegal_voting/2008/10/30/145903.html Minutemen Muster Nationally to Foil Illegal Voting] [[NewsMax]], October 30, 2008</ref>

====2008 presidential elections====

====2008 presidential elections====

When ACORN is questioned regarding their tactics, they reply with an attack of their own, voter suppression. Teresa James, an attorney for ACORN affiliate Project Vote says, "they don't have the resources," to catch all fraud. However, ACORN has the money to air commercials nationwide. In it, blaming racism and vote suppression, not ACORN.<ref>[http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/122345478771640.xml&coll=2 Voter-registration can't be totally fraud-free, group says], [[The Plain Dealer]], October 08, 2008</ref>

When ACORN is questioned regarding their tactics, they reply with an attack of their own, voter suppression. Teresa James, an attorney for ACORN affiliate Project Vote says, "they don't have the resources," to catch all fraud. However, ACORN has the money to air commercials nationwide. In it, blaming racism and vote suppression, not ACORN.<ref>[http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/122345478771640.xml&coll=2 Voter-registration can't be totally fraud-free, group says], [[The Plain Dealer]], October 08, 2008</ref>

It was believed that ACORN has helped register over 1.27 million people nationwide. Michael Slater, executive director of Project Vote, told the [[New York Times]] that the real number of newly registered [[voters]] is closer to 450,000. About 400,000 registrations were rejected by election officials for a variety of reasons including fraud.<ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/acorn_numbers_exaggerated/2008/10/24/143773.html ACORN Numbers Vastly Exaggerated] NewsMax, October 24, 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/us/politics/24acorn.html Group’s Tally of New Voters Was Vastly Overstated], [[The New York Times]], October 24, 2008</ref>

It was believed that ACORN has helped register over 1.27 million people nationwide. Michael Slater, executive director of Project Vote, told the [[New York Times]] that the real number of newly registered [[voters]] is closer to 450,000. About 400,000 registrations were rejected by election officials for a variety of reasons including fraud.<ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/acorn_numbers_exaggerated/2008/10/24/143773.html ACORN Numbers Vastly Exaggerated] NewsMax, October 24, 2008</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/us/politics/24acorn.html Group’s Tally of New Voters Was Vastly Overstated], [[The New York Times]], October 24, 2008</ref>

* [[Nevada]] officials raided ACORN's [[Las Vegas]] office after election authorities accused the group of submitting multiple voter registrations with fake and duplicate names. Among the bogus monikers: names of former [[Dallas Cowboys]] players.  

* [[Nevada]] officials raided ACORN's [[Las Vegas]] office after election authorities accused the group of submitting multiple voter registrations with fake and duplicate names. Among the bogus monikers: names of former [[Dallas Cowboys]] players.  

* In [[Pennsylvania]], The Allegheny County district attorney said Thursday that criminal charges could result from nearly 100 fraudulent voter registrations submitted in the Pittsburgh area.<ref>[http://obamaacorn.com/acorn-may-face-new-charges-in-pa-update-video-added-hotair/ ACORN may face new charges in PA] ObamaAcorn.com, October 10, 2008</ref>

* In [[Pennsylvania]], The Allegheny County district attorney said Thursday that criminal charges could result from nearly 100 fraudulent voter registrations submitted in the Pittsburgh area.<ref>[http://obamaacorn.com/acorn-may-face-new-charges-in-pa-update-video-added-hotair/ ACORN may face new charges in PA] ObamaAcorn.com, October 10, 2008</ref>

* In [[Michigan]], Oakland County election officials found more than 33,000 duplicate registrations, about two-thirds of new applications since August and ACORN canvassers submitted most of those applications.<ref>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/10/obama-camp-downplays-ACORN-payments/?page=2 Obama camp downplays ACORN payments], [[Washington Times]], October 10, 2008</ref>

* In [[Michigan]], Oakland County election officials found more than 33,000 duplicate registrations, about two-thirds of new applications since August and ACORN canvassers submitted most of those applications.<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/10/obama-camp-downplays-ACORN-payments/?page=2 Obama camp downplays ACORN payments], [[Washington Times]], October 10, 2008</ref>

* Evidence has surfaced that ACORN and Barack Obama are intimately linked.  The article, “Case Study: Chicago-The Barack Obama Campaign,” which appeared in the Winter 2003-Spring 2004 issue of Social Policy magazine, was written by ACORN organizer Toni Foulkes.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081023000508/http://www.capitalresearch.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/chicago-the-barack-obama-campaign.pdf Case Study: Chicago - The Barack Obama Campaign]</ref>

* Evidence has surfaced that ACORN and Barack Obama are intimately linked.  The article, “Case Study: Chicago-The Barack Obama Campaign,” which appeared in the Winter 2003-Spring 2004 issue of Social Policy magazine, was written by ACORN organizer Toni Foulkes.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081023000508/http://www.capitalresearch.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/chicago-the-barack-obama-campaign.pdf Case Study: Chicago - The Barack Obama Campaign]</ref>

ACORN 8 members, however, have claimed the embezzlement is a sign of a deeper problems within the organization. They created a counter website to address the disputes they have with ACORN.<ref>[http://www.acorn-8.net/ Acorn 8 website]</ref> Marcel Reid, who is the D.C. Acorn Chair and member of the Acorn 8, has gone on [[Fox News]] to explain her story along with others.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,520671,00.html Twists and Turns of ACORN's Finances], [[Fox News]], May 18, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519834,00.html Former ACORN Board Members Speak Out], [[Fox News]], May 11, 2009</ref>

ACORN 8 members, however, have claimed the embezzlement is a sign of a deeper problems within the organization. They created a counter website to address the disputes they have with ACORN.<ref>[http://www.acorn-8.net/ Acorn 8 website]</ref> Marcel Reid, who is the D.C. Acorn Chair and member of the Acorn 8, has gone on [[Fox News]] to explain her story along with others.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,520671,00.html Twists and Turns of ACORN's Finances], [[Fox News]], May 18, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519834,00.html Former ACORN Board Members Speak Out], [[Fox News]], May 11, 2009</ref>

Anita MonCrief has been one of the most outspoken former employees of ACORN.  MonCrief testified in court that the Obama campaign had given ACORN their donor list and coordinated funding with them.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122533169940482893.html An Acorn Whistleblower Testifies in Court]</ref> [[The New York Times]] had been investigating MonCrief's claims during the 2008 campaign, but when MonCrief offered to supply the Times with a copy of the Obama campaign's donor list, the Times killed the story.<ref>[http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/05/023580.php Killing a Story: How It's Done], [[Power Line]]</ref>  MonCrief has set up a blog <ref>[http://www.anitamoncrief.blogspot.com/ Anita MonCrief]</ref> and Twitter account <ref>[http://twitter.com/anitamoncrief @AnitaMonCrief]</ref> which she used to release internal ACORN documents to bloggers on May 21, 2009.<ref>[http://mitchellblatt.com/blog/2009/05/acorn-project-vote-registration An Inside Look at How ACORN Uses Project Vote Records to Register Members]</ref>

Anita MonCrief has been one of the most outspoken former employees of ACORN.  MonCrief testified in court that the Obama campaign had given ACORN their donor list and coordinated funding with them.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122533169940482893.html An Acorn Whistleblower Testifies in Court]</ref> [[The New York Times]] had been investigating MonCrief's claims during the 2008 campaign, but when MonCrief offered to supply the Times with a copy of the Obama campaign's donor list, the Times killed the story.<ref>[http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/05/023580.php Killing a Story: How It's Done], [[Power Line]]</ref>  MonCrief has set up a blog <ref>[http://www.anitamoncrief.blogspot.com/ Anita MonCrief]</ref> and Twitter account <ref>[https://twitter.com/anitamoncrief @AnitaMonCrief]</ref> which she used to release internal ACORN documents to bloggers on May 21, 2009.<ref>[http://mitchellblatt.com/blog/2009/05/acorn-project-vote-registration An Inside Look at How ACORN Uses Project Vote Records to Register Members]</ref>

==Response==

==Response==

===FBI Investigation===

===FBI Investigation===

By October 2008, the [[FBI]] has announced it planned to investigate the group. "It's a matter we take very seriously," FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton told the Associated Press. "It is against the law to register someone to vote who does not fall within the parameters to vote, or to put someone on there falsely." <ref name="cnsnews.com">[http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=37232 De-Fund ACORN, Republican Leader Insists], [[CNSNews]], October 10, 2008</ref>

By October 2008, the [[FBI]] has announced it planned to investigate the group. "It's a matter we take very seriously," FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton told the Associated Press. "It is against the law to register someone to vote who does not fall within the parameters to vote, or to put someone on there falsely." <ref name="cnsnews.com">[https://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=37232 De-Fund ACORN, Republican Leader Insists], [[CNSNews]], October 10, 2008</ref>

In March 2010, it was reported that the public interest group [[Judicial Watch]] had obtained documents from the FBI which provided information on the federal investigations into ACORN. Judicial Watch stated that the  FBI documents "show serious allegations of corruption and voter registration fraud by ACORN."  

In March 2010, it was reported that the public interest group [[Judicial Watch]] had obtained documents from the FBI which provided information on the federal investigations into ACORN. Judicial Watch stated that the  FBI documents "show serious allegations of corruption and voter registration fraud by ACORN."  

===Civil suit===

===Civil suit===

An Ohio civil suit filed by Buckeye Institute against ACORN and its Project Vote operation alleges that Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is regularly advised by ACORN on election strategy, and deprives voters “of the right to participate in an honest and effective elections process.” <ref>[http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/brunner_acorn/2009/02/19/183402.html Senate Candidate Brunner is ACORN Loyalist], [[NewsMax]], February 19, 2009</ref>

An Ohio civil suit filed by Buckeye Institute against ACORN and its Project Vote operation alleges that Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is regularly advised by ACORN on election strategy, and deprives voters “of the right to participate in an honest and effective elections process.” <ref>[https://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/brunner_acorn/2009/02/19/183402.html Senate Candidate Brunner is ACORN Loyalist], [[NewsMax]], February 19, 2009</ref>

===Defunding===

===Defunding===

===Convictions===

===Convictions===

So far in 2010, 15 ACORN members have been convicted of voter fraud across the country.<ref>[http://dailycaller.com/2010/11/23/the-voter-fraud-hall-of-shame-milwaukee-voter-fraud-conviction-makes-acorn%E2%80%99s-2010-total-at-least-15/ The voter fraud hall of shame: Milwaukee voter fraud conviction makes ACORN’s 2010 total at least 15], [[The Daily Caller]], November 23, 2010</ref>

So far in 2010, 15 ACORN members have been convicted of voter fraud across the country.<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2010/11/23/the-voter-fraud-hall-of-shame-milwaukee-voter-fraud-conviction-makes-acorn%E2%80%99s-2010-total-at-least-15/ The voter fraud hall of shame: Milwaukee voter fraud conviction makes ACORN’s 2010 total at least 15], [[The Daily Caller]], November 23, 2010</ref>

===Name change===

===Name change===