ACORN in California Splits From Bertha Lewis

The California chapter of ACORN has split from the group and changed its name.

Thousands of Californians who live in or close to poverty in the state have worked hard for decades to score victories that level the playing field. They’ve passed laws that increase affordable housing and raise the minimum wage, so they can provide for their families. They’ve also spent their personal time, which is in chronically short supply, pushing for better teachers and textbooks so the kids in their neighborhoods can have better opportunities. On these and other issues the odds have been against them, but these Californians leveraged their significant numbers with coordinated grassroots organizing to achieve victory.

Until now, they carried out this work as a chapter of the national organization ACORN. Until now, governance and financial management resided at the national level. In recent months it has become increasingly clear to the leadership, staff and members in California that the serious challenges ACORN is facing are jeopardizing the important work we are doing here in California.

The new entity will be called Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE). It will, on paper at least, be entirely separate now from ACORN. The relationship will be what Wade Rathke characterized the relationship between ACORN and ACORN Housing. ACORN is its own entity and ACCE is its own entity and the two are fighting for common goals.

It’s important to note that most, if not all, of the staff and board of ACORN in California will be kept on with the new company. In fact, at the bottom of the press release the contact person is Amy Schur. Schur, according to a source, was privvy to the knowledge that Dale Rathke had been involved in embezzlement from ACORN and kept that knowledge from the board.

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Tags: ACCE, ACORN, ACORN Connecticut, ACORN Housing, acorn scandal
Posted Jan 14th 2010 at 6:29 am in ACORN, News, Politics, State Politics | 5949845 Commentshttp://biggovernment.com/mvolpe/2010/01/14/acorn-in-california-splits/ACORN+in+California+Splits+From+Bertha+Lewis2010-01-14+14%3A29%3A19Michael+Volpe

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 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 | 28141,280 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