DOJ Defends ACORN Funding Ban While Gutting It

The Harshbarger investigation is getting a lot of attention this week; and rightly so.  ACORN hired former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger to conduct an “independent” review of the organization in an effort to provide ACORN some cover to show that they were serious about reform.  The Harshbarger report concludes that ACORN was not at fault, rather the blame should rest with its founder Wade Rathke, the intrepid aspiring journalists Hannah Giles and James O’Keefe who revealed ACORN’s most recent corruption, and the low level ACORN employees and members who were featured in the videos.

This attempt to whitewash ACORN and its employees’ wrongdoing has been appropriately decried by Representative Darrell Issa, the Republican National Lawyers Association, and contributors to Biggovernment.com.

ACORN’s pending litigation against the federal government has received less attention.  Last week, unbeknownst to all but avid court or ACORN watchers a pivotal moment occurred in the lawsuit.  Peter D. Leary, an attorney at the Department of Justice filed a brief defending the Congressional efforts to defund ACORN.  His brief defended the defunding, while severely narrowing its scope and application.

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN defunding, ACORN lawsuit, acorn scandal, acorn video
Posted Dec 8th 2009 at 3:21 pm in ACORN, Justice/Legal, News, Politics | 4303021 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/cberg/2009/12/08/doj-defends-acorn-funding-ban-while-gutting-it/DOJ+Defends+ACORN+Funding+Ban+While+Gutting+It2009-12-08+22%3A21%3A23Chris+++Berg

Sweetheart, Get Me Frank Ross: Crouching ACORNS, Hidden Cameras

On Monday, I discussed some of the background in the ongoing journalistic argument about the tactics used by James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles in their ACORN takedowns, first released here at Big Government.  This is part two of that discussion.

Since the freewheeling days of the 1920s celebrated in The Front Page, there has been a profound shift in the way journalists view themselves and their societal role.  We might locate its origins in the 1947 report by the Commission on the Freedom of the Press, known today as Hutchins Commission after its chairman, Robert M. Hutchins, of the University of Chicago, and funded by Henry Luce of Time Inc.   In answer to the question, “is the freedom of the press in danger,” the commission answered yes, and issued “five ideal demands”:

1) A truthful, comprehensive, and intelligent account of the day’s events in a context which gives them meaning.

2) A forum for the exchange of comment and criticism.

3) The projection of a representative picture of the constituent groups in the society.  (“The Commission holds to the faith that if people are exposed to the inner truth of the life of a particular group, they will gradually build up respect for an understanding of it.”)

4) The presentation and clarification of the goals and values of the society.

5) Full access to the day’s intelligence. (more…)

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Tags: ACORN, acorn scandal, acorn video, Ben Bradlee, Bob Woodward
Posted Dec 2nd 2009 at 8:11 am in ACORN, Culture, History, Media Criticism, Obama, Politics | 3949016 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/mwalsh/2009/12/02/sweetheart-get-me-frank-ross-crouching-acorns-hidden-cameras/Sweetheart%2C+Get+Me+Frank+Ross%3A+Crouching+ACORNS%2C+Hidden+Cameras2009-12-02+15%3A11%3A14Michael+Walsh

Biggest Story of 2009: The Rise of the Virtual Newsroom

From the American Spectator:

It was the biggest story of 2009.

If you doubt, ask ACORN. Or Van Jones. Or the So We Might See campaign. You won’t need Timemagazine’s once clout-filled “Man of the Year” issue to figure it out, either. Just take a look back at the bestseller lists, the ratings of Fox News or simply turn on your local AM radio dial.

The single most important news event of 2009 was the emergence of The Virtual Newsroom. A newsroom run by a virtual army of conservative journalists famous and unknown, their individual and collective impact multiplied exponentially by millions of Internet users, radio listeners, readers and television viewers.

How did this happen? How does it work in practice?

First, perspective is needed here. Like other big news events, it didn’t happen overnight. There is history, lots of it.

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Tags: ACORN, acorn scandal, acorn video, Big Media, Hannah Giles
Posted Dec 1st 2009 at 6:39 pm in ACORN, Media Criticism, News, Politics | 3946667 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/12/01/biggest-story-of-2009-the-rise-of-the-virtual-newsroom/Biggest+Story+of+2009%3A+The+Rise+of+the+Virtual+Newsroom2009-12-02+01%3A39%3A09Publius

REVEALED: ACORN, NBC Worked Together in ‘Undercover Video Sting’

Since the undercover ACORN videos from James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles first broke, the grand pooh-bahs of journalism have gone into self-absorbed philosopher mode. Rather than report on the ACORN corruption playing out before our eyes, “journalists” have tsk-tsked their way through thousands of words and yards of column inches making certain that everyone understands that what James and Hannah did IS…NOT…JOURNALISM. (As if that is the existential question to make sense of the ACORN videos.) Undercover videos and assuming fake identities are things real journalists do not do…except when they do.

Below is a page from ACORN’s 2005 Annual Report. In it, they tell the story of how one of their employees teamed up with NBC Dateline to do a ‘video sting’ on tax-preparer Jackson Hewitt.

Pages from 2005-ACORN-Annual-Report-web -

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Tags: ACORN, acorn scandal, acorn video, Columbia Journalism Review, Hannah Giles
Posted Nov 30th 2009 at 11:41 am in ACORN, Media Criticism, News | 38594135 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/11/30/acorn-nbc-worked-together-in-undercover-video-sting/REVEALED%3A+ACORN%2C+NBC+Worked+Together+in+%27Undercover+Video+Sting%272009-11-30+18%3A41%3A23Publius

ACORN Document Dump: Trashed Documents Are Relevant to Investigation

Have you heard the one about the pimp, prostitute, politician and the community organizer?  Well, thanks to San Diego private investigator Derrick Roach, Californians are not laughing at what is turning into a political nightmare for California Attorney General Jerry Brown and ACORN.  On Tuesday, November 24, Attorney General Brown appeared on KABC’s “Peter Tilden Show” after it was revealed that some 20,000 documents had been thrown into a National City dumpster by ACORN employees.

The documents were thrown out in advance of state investigators arriving at the local ACORN office to conduct an investigation resulting from national media attention.  ACORN employee Juan Carlos Vera was videotaped giving advice to two individuals posing as a pimp and a prostitute regarding underage prostitution and human smuggling.  Without admitting any wrongdoing ACORN terminated Mr. Vera, or so they said.  Documents provided to BigGovernment.com show that Mr. Vera was not terminated but was simply laid off, implying that Mr. Vera is also eligible for rehire. (The document also notes that Mr. Vera was laid off due to “restructuring” related to “videotaping incident.)

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN document dump, ACORN dumpster, ACORN National City, ACORN San Diego
Posted Nov 27th 2009 at 2:18 pm in ACORN, Justice/Legal, News, Politics | 37658321 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/11/27/acorn-document-dump-trashed-documents-are-relevant-to-investigation/ACORN+Document+Dump%3A+Trashed+Documents+Are+Relevant+to+Investigation2009-11-27+21%3A18%3A34Publius

BREAKING: San Diego ACORN Document Dump Scandal

On October 1st, 2009 California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced that an investigation had been opened into ACORN’s activities in California, resulting from undercover videos showing employees seemingly offering to assist the undercover film makers with human smuggling, child prostitution and even tax advice to boot.

Although ACORN has denied any wrongdoing, some of the employees involved were terminated, and ACORN has publicly stated that they would fully cooperate with any investigations that followed.

Interestingly, the local head ACORN organizer in California, David Lagstein was caught on tape earlier this month speaking to an East County Democratic Club.

Mr. Lagstein stated: “…the attorney general is a political animal, but certainly every bit of the communication we have had with them has suggested that the fault will be found with the people that did the video and not the people with ACORN.”

Continuing, Mr. Lagstein stated: “…we are fully cooperating, some of the investigators visited our office this morning and I think they really understand what’s going on.”

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN document dump, ACORN National City, ACORN San Diego, acorn scandal
Posted Nov 23rd 2009 at 7:23 am in ACORN, Exclusives, Featured Story, News, Politics | 35430672 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/droach/2009/11/23/breaking-san-diego-acorn-document-dump-scandal/BREAKING%3A+San+Diego+ACORN+Document+Dump+Scandal2009-11-23+14%3A23%3A46Derrick+Roach

ACORN Statement on Latest Los Angeles Video: The Hallway Defense

Over at the Los Angeles Times, naturally, we find ACORN’s statement on the latest video:

Los Angeles ACORN statement, as prepared by the organization:

1.    The tapes are clearly doctored and highly edited and it is our hope this will be responsibly reported on should this become a news story.

2.    The conversation took place outside of the ACORN office. The couple was taken outside of the office into the building-hallway (a common space) because the subject matter they were attempting to discuss was not appropriate and the employee made it clear that ACORN does not help with such things.

3.    The couple was brought to a neighboring agency that deals specifically with international abuse.

4.    The couple featured in the video did NOT portray themselves as a “prostitute” and a “pimp.”

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN LA, acorn scandal, ACORN South LA, acorn video
Posted Nov 21st 2009 at 11:37 am in ACORN, Politics | 3507862 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/11/21/acorn-statement-on-latest-los-angeles-video-the-hallway-defense/ACORN+Statement+on+Latest+Los+Angeles+Video%3A+The+Hallway+Defense2009-11-21+18%3A37%3A48Publius

The LA Story, Part IV: Program for Torture Victims

**Updated with Lavelle Stewart transcript**

Lavelle Stewart, of ACORN in South Central Los Angeles, tells us she thinks we have to hook up with “someone who’s on that international sex business level,” that “14 and 15 year olds been traveling overseas for years,” that she can do independent research for us, and that she has had meetings with Porn magnate Larry Flynt.  As for laundering the sex money into my faux political campaign, Lavelle says, “there are ways, people do it all the time.  Yeah there are ways, especially out here in California.”

Part I

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN LA, ACORN pimp and prostitute, acorn video, ACORN video scandal
Posted Nov 19th 2009 at 4:50 pm in ACORN, Featured Story | 34026302 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/11/19/the-la-story-part-iv-program-for-torture-victims/The+LA+Story%2C+Part+IV%3A+Program+for+Torture+Victims2009-11-19+23%3A50%3A47James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

BREAKING NEWS: Sarah Palin Supports ACORN Refunding

The only way the fringe “news” outlets would ever report on ACORN in an antagonistic manner would be if Sarah Palin somehow supported this creepy cabal.  

Sarah, if you’re reading this column, maybe you should throw your name behind ACORN for a month or two just to get the White House/ACORN’s lap dogs to finally join with FOX and bark down the despicable ACORN clowns until they’re properly vilified, permanently defunded, and eternally ensconced in American history as nothing more than a bad, bad memory—a veritable proverb for corruption. 

After lending your name, Mrs. Palin, to ACORN for say, uh, 60 days or so, you could then say you were just BSing everyone to get the tools on the left to finally do the job these limp noodles are supposed to be doing: namely getting to the bottom of ACORN’s odious, braying deception.

This past Wednesday at the National Press Club, Andrew Breitbart, Hannah Giles and James O’Keefe once again released more ACORN footage that showed Bertha and her buddies to be lying through their taxpayer-funded, coffee-stained teeth.  They shot holes in Berth’s bunkum. I’m talking .50 cal BMG holes.

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN Philly, acorn scandal, acorn video, Andrew Breitbart
Posted Oct 25th 2009 at 10:30 am in ACORN, Culture, Media Criticism, News | 2068268 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/dgiles/2009/10/25/breaking-news-sarah-palin-supports-acorn-refunding/BREAKING+NEWS%3A+Sarah+Palin+Supports+ACORN+Refunding2009-10-25+17%3A30%3A25Doug+Giles

Maryland Shouldn’t Prosecute ACORN Filmmakers

It recently came to light that individuals employed by ACORN have been apparent accomplices with regard to the conduct of alleged criminal activities.  Surprisingly, it was the investigative ingenuity of ordinary citizens who brought this information to the attention of the public.  As a Member of Congress, these revelations are of interest to me in that ACORN is the beneficiary of substantial federal funding.  As the former Attorney General of my state of California, this story is of great concern to me for an entirely different reason.  Ironically, it is those who revealed the alleged illegal acts, rather than the perpetrators of those acts, who find themselves under threat of criminal prosecution.  To anyone with a modicum of common sense, this would seem to turn justice on its head.

How could this happen?  Certain states, such as Maryland, have statutes prohibiting the recording of conversations without the consent of the other party.  Unfortunately for the young investigative entrepreneurs, their disclosure of alleged illegal activities carried out by the ACORN employees took place in these so-called “two party consent states” which prohibit the recording of confidential communications without the permission of all parties.

There have been comments released by the State’s Attorneys Office for Baltimore that:

If it is determined that the audio portion now being heard on YouTube was illegally obtained, it is also illegal under Maryland Law to willfully use or willfully disclose the content of said audio.  The penalty for the unlawful interception, disclosure or use of it is a felony punishable up to 5 years.

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Tags: ACORN, acorn scandal, acorn video, Attorney General, Hannah Giles
Posted Oct 23rd 2009 at 6:00 am in ACORN, Featured Story, Justice/Legal, News, Politics, State Politics | 199225 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/dlungren/2009/10/23/maryland-shouldnt-prosecute-acorn-filmmakers/Maryland+Shouldn%27t+Prosecute+ACORN+Filmmakers2009-10-23+13%3A00%3A40Rep.+Dan+Lungren+%28R-CA%29

Unsolved Mysteries and Irreconcilable Differences for Mr. Scott Harshbarger

(1)        Why did the Philadelphia office apparently waste taxpayer money and scarce police resources calling the police about a “verbal disturbance” by two people they were happy to help?

(2)        Why would ACORN file a police report after warmly helping us with our purported “prostitution business”?

(3)        Why would ACORN make a police complaint about a “verbal disturbance” when there was no disturbance?

(4)        Why did ACORN apparently call the police as many as 45 minutes after we left?

(5)        Why does ACORN apparently think that making and publishing an after-the-fact police complaint would cover up its willingness to help our “prostitution business” and its lies about what happened when we visited?

(Select “full screen” to view larger version of police report.)

ppd pdf –

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN Philly, acorn scandal, acorn video, Proskauer Rose
Posted Oct 21st 2009 at 3:28 pm in ACORN, Featured Story, News, Politics | 1899497 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/10/21/unsolved-mysteries-and-irreconcilable-differences-for-mr-scott-harshbarger/Unsolved+Mysteries+and+Irreconcilable+Differences+for+Mr.+Scott+Harshbarger2009-10-21+22%3A28%3A29James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

The Media’s Complicity: Analysis of ACORN Coverage

The mainstream media were complicit in their coverage of the ACORN scandal. Their behavior was and continues to be an insult to democracy and journalistic responsibility as the Fourth Estate has ignored facts, engaged in one-sided sourcing, and avoided basic and inherently important journalistic questioning.

First, there was avoidance. Some media outlets simply ignored the story. On Sept. 15, five days after the Maryland tape was released, ABC’s Charlie Gibson said, “I don’t even know about it… so you’ve got me at a loss” and said that the story might be “just one you leave to the cables.” But, Gibson was not alone in his lack of knowledge. The New York Times did not cover the story for nearly a week. On Sept. 26, Clark Hoyt, The Times’ Public Editor, acknowledged the paper’s tardiness, but insinuated that the story was lacking in facts:

But for days, as more videos were posted and government authorities rushed to distance themselves from Acorn, The Times stood still.  Some stories, lacking facts, never catch fire…But others do, and a newspaper like The Times needs to be alert to them or wind up looking clueless or, worse, partisan itself.

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Tags: ABC, ACORN, ACORN Los Angeles, ACORN Miami, ACORN New York
Posted Oct 21st 2009 at 10:03 am in ACORN, Media Criticism | 18734182 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/bhallowell/2009/10/21/the-medias-complicity-analysis-of-acorn-coverage/The+Media%27s+Complicity%3A+Analysis+of+ACORN+Coverage2009-10-21+17%3A03%3A23Billy+Hallowell

ACORN Video: Prostitution Scandal in Philadelphia, PA Part I

*UPDATE Below*

Alinsky Rule #1: “Power isn’t only what you have, it’s what the enemy thinks you have.”

Now that ACORN lied to you, Media Matters, what are you going to do?

**UPDATE 2:24 PM EST** We muted the audio of the ACORN employees on the video released today due to ACORN’s legal attack upon us.  We call upon ACORN to state publicly now that it has no objection to the public release of any its employees oral statements to us.  If they are interested in the truth, why wouldn’t they do so?

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN Philly, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution
Posted Oct 21st 2009 at 9:08 am in ACORN, Featured Story | 18730661 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/10/21/acorn-video-prostitution-scandal-in-philadelphia-pa-part-i/ACORN+Video%3A+Prostitution+Scandal+in+Philadelphia%2C+PA+Part+I2009-10-21+16%3A08%3A24James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

Full Transcript: ACORN Prostitution Scandal, San Diego, Part II

Exclusive story here.

Listen to the full unedited audio here:

Part 2:

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Full transcript follows:

San_Diego_2 –

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 19th 2009 at 5:15 pm in ACORN, News | 548236 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/09/19/full-transcript-acorn-prostitution-scandal-san-diego-part-ii/Full+Transcript%3A+ACORN+Prostitution+Scandal%2C+San+Diego%2C+Part+II2009-09-20+00%3A15%3A31James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

Full Transcript: ACORN Prostitution Scandal, San Diego, Part I

Exclusive story here.

Listen to the full unedited audio here:

Part 1:

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Full transcript follows:

Full Transcript: ACORN Prostitution Scandal, San Diego –

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, ACORN San Diego
Posted Sep 19th 2009 at 5:15 pm in ACORN, Exclusives, News | 544632 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/09/19/full-transcript-acorn-prostitution-scandal-san-diego-part-i/Full+Transcript%3A+ACORN+Prostitution+Scandal%2C+San+Diego%2C+Part+I2009-09-20+00%3A15%3A27James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

Charles Lipson: Independent Prosecutor for ACORN

From an article that will appear in tomorrow’s Chicago Tribune:

ACORN is in very deep, very public trouble, and the U.S. attorney general should appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate. What we know so far is due entirely to two amateur reporters, James E. O’Keefe III, 25, and Hannah Giles, 20, who managed to videotape a web of corrupt practices in ACORN offices. Dressed as a pimp and prostitute, O’Keefe and Giles walked into ACORN offices from New York to California and simply asked for business advice. ACORN officials were happy to provide it and were secretly recorded explaining exactly how to evade the law and scam the government. The tapes were riveting. Fox News rolled out a new one each night for a week, creating a firestorm of outrage and a burgeoning political scandal.

ACORN employees, without raising an eyebrow, much less calling the police, explained how the young sex workers could label themselves “performance artists,” underreport their income, evade taxes, fraudulently buy a house to ply their trade, and, worst of all, import underage girls from Central America to use as child prostitutes. One ACORN employee helpfully explained that the teenagers would even be tax-deductible since they would be “dependents,” living in the pimp’s house. Some states, led by California, are saying they will investigate. But this is a national scandal and there ought to be a full-scale national inquiry. To ensure impartiality — and the appearance of impartiality — political appointees at the U.S. Department of Justice should recuse themselves. This case demands an independent federal prosecutor.

Read the full article here.

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 19th 2009 at 4:45 pm in ACORN, Justice/Legal, News | 541466 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/09/19/charles-lipson-independent-prosecutor-for-acorn/Charles+Lipson%3A+Independent+Prosecutor+for+ACORN2009-09-19+23%3A45%3A13Publius

San Diego: ACORN Stands By Their Employee, Until They Don’t

Interesting press coverage from San Diego. ACORN holds a press conference to announce they are standing behind their employee, who was captured in undercover footage from James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles offering to help smuggle into the country underage prostitutes from El Salvador. The ACORN employee had suggested that the children be brought across the border in Tijuana, because he has “a lot of contacts there.” After the cameras stop rolling, we learn that ACORN has fired the employee…the truth will out.

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 18th 2009 at 7:24 pm in ACORN, News | 5186121 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/09/18/san-diego-acorn-stands-by-their-employee-until-they-dont/San+Diego%3A+ACORN+Stands+By+Their+Employee%2C+Until+They+Don%27t2009-09-19+02%3A24%3A56Publius

**UPDATED** House Votes to Cut All Funds to ACORN

From the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON (AP) – The House voted Thursday to deny all federal funds for ACORN in a GOP-led strike against the scandal-tainted community organizing group that comes just three days after the Senate took similar action. “ACORN has violated serious federal laws, and today the House voted to ensure that taxpayer dollars would no longer be used to fund this corrupt organization,” said second-ranked House Republican Eric Cantor of Virginia.

The vote, on a provision attached to a student aid bill, was 345-75, with Democrats supplying all the “no” votes.

Vote: 345 to 75.

Read the full article here.

Complete results here.

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN federal funding, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution
Posted Sep 17th 2009 at 11:26 am in ACORN, Congress, News, Politics | 4246253 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/09/17/breaking-house-votes-to-cut-all-funds-to-acorn/%2A%2AUPDATED%2A%2A+House+Votes+to+Cut+All+Funds+to+ACORN2009-09-17+18%3A26%3A32Publius

Full Transcript: ACORN Prostitution Scandal, San Bernardino

Exclusive story here.

Listen to the full unedited audio here:

Part 1:

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Part 2:

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Part 3:

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Full transcript follows:

Full ACORN San Bernadino Transcript –

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 17th 2009 at 8:02 am in ACORN, News | 412643 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/09/17/full-transcript-acorn-prostitution-scandal-san-bernardino/Full+Transcript%3A+ACORN+Prostitution+Scandal%2C+San+Bernardino2009-09-17+15%3A02%3A58James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

ACORN Video: Prostitution Scandal in San Diego, CA

With 70 miles of stunning beaches and picture-perfect weather all year round, having fun during the summer in San Diego doesn’t require a lot of money.

The city combines old-fashioned Mexican charm with a modern edge. In a city where the sun is always shining, it’s the perfect place to get away for a bit of relaxation or stimulation.

If you’re looking for trendy boutique hotels, an exploding culinary scene, or visiting the local ACORN to get your underage prostitutes smuggled across the Mexican border, you’re in the right place.

~~

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 17th 2009 at 3:53 am in ACORN, Exclusives, Featured Story, News | 4034532 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/09/17/acorn-video-prostitution-scandal-in-san-diego-ca/ACORN+Video%3A+Prostitution+Scandal+in+San+Diego%2C+CA2009-09-17+10%3A53%3A41James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

Bertha Lewis Media Blitz: ACORN ‘Chief Organizer’ Says ‘We’re Gonna Go After This Videographer and Fox’

ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis has taken on the (daunting) task of defending ACORN in the mainstream media. Her Politico bio is here. **UPDATE** MSNBC videos have been removed from the site. They are a couple days old at this point and we aren’t certain the explanation at this time.

**UPDATE**
TODAY Show vid recovered here:

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 16th 2009 at 6:58 pm in ACORN, News | 3694352 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/09/16/bertha-lewis-media-blitz-acorn-chief-organizer-says-were-gonna-go-after-this-videographer-and-fox/Bertha+Lewis+Media+Blitz%3A+ACORN+%27Chief+Organizer%27+Says+%E2%80%98We%E2%80%99re+Gonna+Go+After+This+Videographer+and+Fox%E2%80%992009-09-17+01%3A58%3A44Publius

ACORN Prostitution Scandal: San Bernardino, Continued…

**This is a Part III of the ACORN San Bernardino exposé.

Alinsky Rule #8: “Keep the pressure on…  with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose.”

~

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 16th 2009 at 2:05 pm in ACORN, Exclusives, News | 3630189 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/09/16/acorn-prostitution-scandal-san-bernardino-continued/ACORN+Prostitution+Scandal%3A+San+Bernardino%2C+Continued...2009-09-16+21%3A05%3A00James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

Police Report: San Bernardino County Investigating Alleged Homicide

San Bernardino Police Report Tresa Ka –

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Tags: ACORN, ACORN Police Report, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution
Posted Sep 16th 2009 at 1:11 pm in ACORN, Justice/Legal, News | 3550133 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/09/16/police-report-san-bernardino-county-investigating-alleged-homicide/Police+Report%3A+San+Bernardino+County+Investigating+Alleged+Homicide2009-09-16+20%3A11%3A27Publius

Girl Talk: My Time with Tresa Kaelke

**This is a Part II of the ACORN San Bernardino exposé.

“[ACORN San Bernardino Office Supervisor Christina] Spach said Kaelke pretended to cooperate with O’Keefe and Giles because she feared for her safety.”

-The San Bernardino Sun

Miss Tresa Kaelke came off as the “cool” grandma type: ready to talk, listen and dive into something adventurous. She was very much straight out of the free-love and anti-war era. She was not there to discriminate; she was there to condone and get her twisted fill of gossip for the day.

Example: when we were in the office with her I noticed a rose on her white pants (front left side). I commented and said “I like your rose,” and she responded with something along the lines of, “Thanks, I just drew it myself.” It was actually a cute and well drawn rose… colorful and cute. If she hadn’t told me she drew it I would have assumed the pants came like that.

Tresa was elated to have such an interesting visit that Monday afternoon. We went in with the same scenario as all the past ACORN offices and she, upon learning our line of work and alleged purpose for the visit, began openly disclosing information about her sex life, criminal history and political involvement.

After Talking with Jim Miller (the man across the street), Tresa and I ended up talking by ourselves for several minutes. She gave me some advice on locations for my underage brothel (based on the political arena) and said that I should have a separate savings account for a lawyer so that if I do get into trouble with the authorities, having a high class lawyer will help my reputation. (more…)

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, ACORN San Bernardino
Posted Sep 16th 2009 at 11:31 am in ACORN, Exclusives, Featured Story, News | 3414299 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/hgiles/2009/09/16/girl-talk-my-time-with-tresa-kaelke/Girl+Talk%3A+My+Time+with+Tresa+Kaelke2009-09-16+18%3A31%3A35Hannah+Giles

Charlie Gibson on ACORN Scandal: ‘I don’t even know about it.’

This morning, the ACORN scandal was raised to Charlie Gibson in an interview on WLS AM Chicago’s “Don Wade & Roma Morning Show.” Listen to the audio here:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

TRANSCRIPT:

Don: Ok here’s my question, Senate bill yesterday passes cutting off funds to this group called ACORN. Now we got the…we got that bill passing, we got the embarrassing video of ACORN staff giving tax advice on how to set up a brothel with 13 year old hookers. It has everything you could want corruption and sleazy action at tax funded organizations that’s got government ties. But nobody’s covering that story why?

Charlie Gibson: (laugh) I don’t even know about it. Uh, so you got me at a loss, I don’t know. Uh, uh, but, but My goodness if it’s got everything including sleaziness in it we should talk about it this morning.

Roma: This is the American way…

Charlie Gibson: Well maybe, maybe that’s one you just leave to the cables. (more…)

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Tags: "Don Wade & Roma Morning Show.", ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution
Posted Sep 15th 2009 at 3:46 pm in ACORN, Media Criticism, News | 2906384 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/09/15/charlie-gibson-on-acorn-scandal-i-dont-even-know-about-it/Charlie+Gibson+on+ACORN+Scandal%3A+%27I+don%E2%80%99t+even+know+about+it.%272009-09-15+22%3A46%3A22Publius

ACORN Prostitution Scandal: California Here We Come!

**This is a Part I of the ACORN San Bernardino exposé.  Updates to follow…

Alinsky Rule #8: Keep the pressure on. Never let up.

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 15th 2009 at 1:49 pm in ACORN, Exclusives, News | 28141,272 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/jokeefe/2009/09/15/acorn-prostitution-scandal-california-here-we-come/ACORN+Prostitution+Scandal%3A+California+Here+We+Come%212009-09-15+20%3A49%3A32James+O%26%2339%3BKeefe

The Science Behind the ACORN Sting

After going undercover on the east coast, James and I headed to the west coast. We knew it was a risky endeavor but the results on the east coast were too good to ignore. We had to test our scenario in an opposite region.  It is like a science experiment:

1)      Ask A Question: What if a “prostitute” and her alleged law school boyfriend walk into ACORN seeking housing for an underage brothel to fund his future congressional campaign?

2)      Do Background Research:

1. Learn as much about ACORN housing procedures and protocol as possible.
2. History of ACORN and their effect on the United States

3)      Construct a Hypothesis: ACORN is corrupt and it is in their nature to promote and disguise illegal behavior.

4)      Experiment: Baltimore, DC, Brooklyn, San Bernardino, and…

5)      Analyze and draw a conclusion.

America-

James O’Keefe and I posed a question and gathered the evidence. We’ve run around this nation on a quest for truth unraveling the mystery of organized corruption.

You Decide. (more…)

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 15th 2009 at 12:57 pm in ACORN, Exclusives, Featured Story, News | 28061,101 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/hgiles/2009/09/15/the-science-behind-the-acorn-sting/The+Science+Behind+the+ACORN+Sting2009-09-15+19%3A57%3A38Hannah+Giles

House GOP to Call for Total Cutoff of Federal Funds to ACORN

The Washington Examiner reports:

Today House Republicans will introduce a bill that would end all federal funding to ACORN and its affiliates. Republicans are also sending a letter to President Obama on the same subject.

The action comes after the release, on the website BigGovernment, of three undercover videos showing ACORN employees in Baltimore, Washington DC, and New York City offering advice on how to evade taxes, cover up prostitution activity, and abet the use of minors in prostitution. In the wake of those disclosures, the U.S. Census cut its ties with ACORN, and yesterday the Senate voted 83-7 to cut off housing funds for the organization. (more…)

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 15th 2009 at 7:57 am in ACORN, Congress, News, Politics | 2642118 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/publius/2009/09/15/house-gop-to-call-for-total-cutoff-of-federal-funds-to-acorn/House+GOP+to+Call+for+Total+Cutoff+of+Federal+Funds+to+ACORN2009-09-15+14%3A57%3A04Publius

ACORN = RICO

Now that a third ACORN video has surfaced, a pattern emerges of ACORN workers willing to help people engage in prostitution, tax fraud, housing fraud, and even human trafficking. Under federal law, a RICO investigation is now warranted. Three strikes and you’re out, ACORN.

Videos show ACORN employees offering to help two undercover reporters/filmmakers posing as a prostitute and pimp in falsifying tax returns and getting a federal loan to buy a house that they could use as a brothel for underage prostitutes smuggled in from El Salvador.

When the first video emerged from such a meeting in ACORN’s Baltimore office on Thursday, ACORN fired the two workers involved. When another video surfaced on Friday, this one from ACORN’s D.C. office, the two workers involved there were fired as well, and ACORN said that these two reporters had tried and failed to carry out this sting in other offices.

One such office where ACORN said these reporters tried and failed was New York City. Yet Monday, a third video surfaced from Brooklyn in New York City. Once again, the ACORN employees on the video advise the undercover duo on how to violate federal law by filing a false income tax return to qualify for a federal housing loan.

As one worker says on the video, “honesty is not going to get you the house.” Well, not if you’re engaged in a host of felonies. (more…)

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Tags: ACORN, acorn prostitute, acorn prostitute video, acorn prostitution, acorn scandal
Posted Sep 15th 2009 at 6:42 am in ACORN, Justice/Legal | 2294169 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/kenandken/2009/09/15/acorn-rico/ACORN+%3D+RICO2009-09-15+13%3A42%3A22Ken+Blackwell+and++Ken+Klukowski