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ACORN: GAO Investigation Finds No Misuse of Federal Dollars

1 year ago
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A preliminary report from the General Accounting Office has cleared ACORN of allegations that it misused millions of federal dollars over a four-year span.

According to the report, nine federal agencies gave the community group more than $40 million in eight housing-related grants from 2005 to 2009. There were no problems with seven of the eight grants, and ACORN supplied correct documentation for the eighth after it was notified the paperwork was missing. The GAO said it found no evidence of fraud or misuse of federal dollars.

ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis said the report "does nothing more than add to the growing list of government entities who have vindicated us," according to The Hill. ACORN has vigorously disputed charges that surfaced after a video sting by conservative activists showed low-level ACORN staffers giving tax advice regarding a prostitution ring. The group also faced charges from conservative media of voter fraud after the 2008 election.

In the wake of the video sting, Congress voted to strip ACORN of its federal funding, and the group eventually filed for dissolution. As five separate federal investigations began, private donors began to desert to organization. ACORN then began closing its 75 state offices and winding down its national activities.

A December 2009 report commissioned by the House Judiciary Committee found ACORN violated no federal regulations. That study, conducted by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, also found that ACORN correctly used all federal dollars it received and did not improperly register any voters during the 2008 presidential election. An investigation by the California attorney general reached the same conclusion. An independent investigator hired by ACORN also cleared the organization of wrongdoing.

James O'Keefe, the conservative activist widely credited with bringing the group down, was later arrested on charges of tampering with phone lines in Sen. Mary Landrieu's state office. O'Keefe pleaded guilty.

Filed Under: Scandal, Investigations

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33 Comments

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drbuckles

And religions should not get tax breaks either and if they do then we should dictate to them just as they dictate to our government about abortion and gay rights. These are just cults driven by a leaders who usually lives a life style of the wealthy, not very Jesus like I would say. They live in nice houses and fly all over the country living like divas. While their flock pays their dues at the alter and usually in poorer areas have no health care and decent jobs. But just as the wealthy Republicans use to do in the dark ages before the 1929 depression would boast if you're poor you deserve it becasue that's God punishment. And they buy it..............

June 21 2010 at 10:21 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
rovpoolman912

Acorn should never have gotten tax payer money and supported any polictical party.

June 21 2010 at 9:31 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
FRED

You must be kidding, after a government investigation they found no misuse of money? My God it is a miracle.

June 21 2010 at 8:36 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
oddeith

The very existance of ACORN is a misuse of federal funds.

June 21 2010 at 8:15 PM Report abuse +6 rate up rate down Reply
msgusarmyret77

ACORN represents those who can't afford high paid lobbyist. The have-nots of this country need someone to help them. ACORN was destroyed by the Republican Party with the help of Fox News. ACORN found quilty and denied funds that had been authorized by Congress before they were tried. That used to be against the law in this country until the Republicans took office in 2001.

June 21 2010 at 7:45 PM Report abuse -9 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to msgusarmyret77's comment
rovpoolman912

They were breaking the law before disbanding.

June 21 2010 at 9:33 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
stheel4

Do a search on ACORN corruption and you will be infomed.

June 21 2010 at 7:41 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
braun1994

Acorn needs to pay the money back to the American people.

June 21 2010 at 7:18 PM Report abuse +6 rate up rate down Reply
gtheel

This only serves to make the current administration seem more corrupt than they already had.

June 21 2010 at 6:28 PM Report abuse +9 rate up rate down Reply
copterdude118

When the country owes $13 trillion, we need to trim our spending and ACORN is a great place to start.

June 21 2010 at 6:10 PM Report abuse +13 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to copterdude118's comment
Eric

Actually, the military is the only rational place to start...

June 21 2010 at 7:03 PM Report abuse -9 rate up rate down Reply
Claggitt

So ACORN's only real crime was helping poor, mostly black& hispanic people. That is the real reason they were destroyed by the Rightwing.

June 21 2010 at 4:34 PM Report abuse -13 rate up rate down Reply

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