Investigation Finds No Pattern of Illegal Activity at ACORN

An outside legal expert hired by ACORN has found no laws were broken by staffers caught on undercover videos shot by conservative critics of the group.

The community organizing group came under fire for the footage that showed employees discussing prostitution, tax evasion and smuggling with a couple posing as a pimp and a prostitute.

The lawyer, former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, wrote, "We did not find a pattern of intentional, illegal conduct by ACORN staff; in fact, there is no evidence that action, illegal or otherwise, was taken by any ACORN employee on behalf of the videographers."

Harshbarger did say some of the advice given by the staffers was "clearly inappropriate and unprofessional." He advises the group to return its focus to community organizing and to hire an independent ethics officer.

ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis called the report "part vindication, part constructive criticism and ... a roadmap for the future," the Associated Press reported.

The full Harshbarger report can be found here.