ACORN To Stand Trial in Nevada

Apparently the partisan witch hunt that ACORN has been alleging has now spread to the Democratic Party, as the Democratic Attorney General of Nevada has successfully brought charges against ACORN, after an investigation by the Democratic Secretary of State.

ACORN’s explanation?  A regional representative told the New York Times that the two are just trying to make a name for themselves.  Has ACORN no shame?

Matthew Henderson, the regional representative, said this is the first time the organization has faced criminal prosecution.

From the Mercury News:

[Former ACORN employee Christopher Howell] Edwards told Las Vegas Justice of the Peace William Jansen on Tuesday that while he never sought written permission, his ACORN supervisors knew canvassers making $8 per hour were paid bonuses of $5 per shift for exceeding a quota of 20 voter registration cards last August and September.

His regional supervisor, Amy Busefink, initially wanted him to set the bonus mark at 26, he said, but agreed to his idea of 21.

“Hey, it’s Las Vegas. It’s blackjack,” Edwards said.

And according to Justice of the Peace Jansen, according to the Times:

“It appears to me,” he said, “that Amy approved this 21 blackjack program as an incentive to get more people registered so they can be in good standing to meet the national quota of Acorn.”

The case now will go to a jury and according to the Associated Press, ACORN and a former employee also standing trial, Amy Busefink, will plead not guilty upon arraignment October 14.

This case will likely have a dramatic effect on ACORN’s/Project Vote’s voter registration program as it could lead to discontinuing incentives for registrations alltogether.

But, even more critical than that, by having ACORN as an entity on trial, it stands to lose its non-profit status in the state, according to a more complete AP story on Breitbart.com and face other penalties.

And ACORN’s attorney, as well as the one for Busefink, are attempting all sorts of legal gymnastics.  The Mercury News article:

“There’s no hard and fast evidence that people were fired for not reaching that mark,” [ACORN attorney Lisa] Rasmussen said, adding that bonuses were awarded to people “for a job well done.”

Apparently witness testimony isn’t sufficient.  And this:

Busefink’s lawyer, Kevin Stolworthy, said Busefink was actually employed at the time by the advocacy group Project Vote, a nonprofit voting rights organization that is not named as a party in the criminal case.

ACORN can’t have it both ways: it can’t pretend to be under one umbrella, ACORN, then when questions are raised, attempt to explain there is a division of labor.

For example, when we caught “campaigns” for political candidates on a board in the background of the Brooklyn video, we alerted the New York Post reporter, who followed up with a story.  In it, ACORN spokesman Scott Levenson said:

ACORN insists it is not doing anything wrong because the primary endorsements and campaigning are being done by the group’s political action committee, spokesman Scott Levenson said.

ACORN’s sloppiness is slowing catching up with it and its attempt to have it both ways won’t work forever.