Louisiana Attorney General’s Office tells ACORN – Show Me The Money (the books and the corporate records)
by Michael McCrayFor decades the Crescent City has played host to one of the most feared and revered political organizations in America, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). Today, the Louisiana Attorney General’s office executed a search warrant on ACORN’s National Headquarters at its Canal Street address.
“We’re looking for corporate records and financial documents” states Investigator Scott Bailey; which are essentially the same things the ACORN 8 sought nearly 18 months ago. “We also wanted ACORN real estate records” states Marcel Reid, President of ACORN 8.
“We sent letters to the entire ACORN Board of Directors nearly a year ago, stating that it was either provide this information through the ACORN 8’s Writ of Mandamus (request for books and records) or we were going to go to the Police” continues Reid.
“It could not have happened at a better time” states Michael McCray, National Spokesman for the ACORN 8. “We believe that ACORN is trying to flee this jurisdiction. Since Louisiana seems to be the only government agency that is seriously investigating ACORN.”
“If ACORN hopes to survive then the know nothing, see nothing, do nothing board of directors must by replaced by individuals with the strength and capabilities to fulfill their fiduciary obligations and the courage to reign in corruption within ACORN’s senior management ranks” continues Reid.
“ACORN as we know it today is finished. It’s a 40 year old business model that never adopted to changing political times or new technology” McCray continues, “and a do nothing board of directors can not operate such a high-profile multi-national corporation.”
ACORN is still reeling after a barrage of bad press and negative government reaction following undercover videos of “pimps and prostitutes” seeking ACORN assistance; and is desperately struggling to remove itself from this legal imbroglio.
In a letter that ACORN Attorney Schwartz sent to “ACORN Friend’s in the Legal Community” stating, “We need some top-notch bankruptcy advice and maybe representation. The reorganization may involve the creation of new nonprofit entities in each state where ACORN functions, as ACORN considers moving from a centralized corporate structure to a decentralized federated structure. ACORN will need help from people who have handled rebranding …”
“That’s like putting lipstick on chitterlings” states McCray, “If ACORN was afraid of the independent audit and forensic examination which eight ACORN board members demanded; I can’t imagine what they will do once a U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee is appointed to investigate ACORN.”
“The ACORN 8 have always sought a forensic examination and an independent audit of ACORN and its related entities. And we were thrown off the board for attempting to investigate a $1 Million embezzlement” continues Reid.
Recently, Eric Eve senior vice president of Global Consumer Group, Community Relations, at Citigroup also unexpectedly resigned from the ACORN Advisory Council. The “new” board charged with assisting Bertha Lewis, ACORN Chief Organizer to investigate and reorganize ACORN. This advisory council includes John Podesta, head of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank; Andrew Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union; and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.
“ACORN’s organizational structure and management culture creates real conflicts for anyone who truly seeks to exercise their fiduciary obligations for the benefit of the membership and not just to appease management” concludes Reid.
While not everyone has always approved of ACORN’s confrontational tactics, many know some of the impressive results achieved for poor people over the years. Living wage laws to fight poverty. Partnership with unions to assist workers. Housing programs to get Americans one step closer to the American dream. Those are real, tangible victories that improve people’s lives.
“We just only hope and pray that ACORN’s mission to serve the underserved, and give meaningful voice to low and moderate income families can continue” states McCray. The ACORN 8 is dedicated to doing just that. Quoting the late Senator Edward Kennedy, an ardent ACORN supporter, McCray concludes “the work goes on, the cause endures, hope still lives, and the dream will never die.”
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20 Comments
I was wrong concerning ACORN from day one.
“We believe that ACORN is trying to flee this jurisdiction. Since Louisiana seems to be the only government agency that is seriously investigating ACORN.”
I was wrong in this respect: we have all clamored for someone to do something; for the FBI, for Eric Holders Department of Justice. That was a mistake. The Federal Government will do nothing. They are complicit, and have aided and abetted ACORN.
This IS a States Rights issue. All States should take the lead, just as Louisiana is doing and institute their own respective investigations. I commend the Attorney General in Louisiana, for standing up and doing his job. I commend him, for preventing the criminals from further fleeing the scene of the crime.
Louisiana welcomes you to leave. I am sure ACORN workers can find jobs here that pay the same as ACORN… anything that pays minimum wage would provide equal, if not greater, pay and better working conditions.
This siezure will cost ACORN a lot of money to fight. It will also cost a lot of money to comply in addition to labor hours.
As we speak, ACORN is moving records. ACORN is hiding doucments, and they are leaving NOLA.
Do you know where they are going?
Wouldn't it be nice, if some intrepid young reporters went to Canal Street, and videoed them packing up?
I would bet their Hard Drives have been scrubbed, incriminating records removed or destroyed, and most employees in the know are in the wind. Raid should have occurred months ago before they moved their offices to Washington DC and sold their HQ building.
These are not stupid people.
Scout720
The Hard drives could be scrubbed. Why take the computers out? Could it be that the information on them was way too valuable to be scrubbed?
I agree with Cowboy, States should now seek out just what does ACORN actually do.
"While not everyone has always approved of ACORN’s confrontational tactics, many know some of the impressive results achieved for poor people over the years. Living wage laws to fight poverty. Partnership with unions to assist workers. Housing programs to get Americans one step closer to the American dream. Those are real, tangible victories that improve people’s lives."
How many innocent people were victimized for "results achieved for poor people?"
How often were "ACORN’s confrontational tactics" less about "partnership with unions to assist workers" and more about 'partnerships' with union leadership for their coffers and their personal piggy bank?
How often did ACORN's "programs to get Americans one step closer to the American dream" land said Americans with mortgage predators who placed the applicants in homes they could not afford? Or given 'cash out' with terms they clearly could not live up to? End results that ultimately forced foreclosure and ruining lives?
Those are real, tangible victories that improve people’s lives. So the ends justifies all means? To what end did Radke's $5 million embezzlement mean? Was he a cokehead? Perhaps a few girls working the local brass poles could enlighten us.
Americans are generous. If we could just stop wasting SO MUCH FREAKIN' money on administration and bureacrats then we could be making real, tangible victories that improve people’s lives. And Stern and Bertha and the entire upper tier management at ACORN can GO GET REAL JOBS.
There is a reason none of these "community organizations" want to be audited. They are mostly a front for people who suck money out of the taxpayers and into their own pockets. Oh sure, they may open some offices and have some poorly paid, poorly educated people "from the community" staff those offices to help poor people find out what government programs are available to give them other people's money, but I guarantee that the bulk of the taxpayers' money and private donations go into the pockets of the people who run these organizations. I remember several years ago in Milwaukee there was a $20MM government (taxpayer) grant given to a local organization who said they were going to use the money to help poor families relocate from the inner city in Milwaukee out to the suburbs so they could be closer to their jobs (as cleaning ladies, landscapers,day care workers, etc.) Keep in mind that the commute for someone from the "inner city" of Milwaukee to the 'burbs is generally under 25 miles, and there is public transportation.
At the end of one year, and the expenditure of over HALF of the grant money, they had successfully relocated, or purchased new cars for, 17 families. That comes to over $500,000 for EACH FAMILY. And you know that money didn't go to the families. But it DID go somewhere. When this came out in the news, the people running the "community organization" said that you can't always express the benefit to the community in dollars and cents. As far as I know, this group was never audited, and I never heard another word about them in Milwaukee. Made me wonder what happened to the rest of our $20MM.
Even though ACORN is a national ( now going international, though ) organisation, you're right; each state should have been investigating the office/s in their jurisdiction.
They ARE stupid people, which means that there probably is incriminationg things to found; just not all of it, since they have made off with some things.
You all do realize that the Caldwells are Democrats right? You do all realize the embezzlement took place over 10 years ago right? You do all realize the Caldwells gave ACORN a years advance notice right?
Holding your breath is probably a good idea. lol
Anyone who has lived in Louisiana knows that this is astounding–to see the government go after corruption! Viva the change.
Arrest the two who removed computers from NO headquarters.
They probably moved it to DC so that Bammy and his sidekick The Ballerina could keep close watch. The raid should have happened a lot sooner.
Oh yes, I agree; they are criminals who mucked with evidence.
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Wow…corruption in New Orleans? Who would have thought? This has become a lifestyle there. While I'm optimistic that the AG is at least appearing to investigate, it still appears to have been half-hearted. The minute the allegations came out over a year ago by the ACORN 8, they should have seized the offices and all of their records immediately.
In my humble opionion, our tax dollars should NEVER be given to these loosely run corrupt community organizations EVER again. They are like the Mafia and Unions together on steroids. No organization should be given that much "free money" or power with absolutely no oversight. They have gotten away with this for years and I can assure you, they will re-invent themselves. We just need to be ready for that and stand up against these criminals using our money to perpetrate their deceipt, fraud and abuse. I will no longer be an unwilling party to criminal activites through my hard earned tax dollars.
ACORN web site down Error 503 Of course they are not a web intense business.
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