Moran Votes to Keep ACORN in Clover

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

September 17, 2009

This shouldn’t be news, because it comes as no surprise, yet it must be reported that US Representative Jim Moran (VA-8^th), in his usual lack of brain power, voted NOT to de-fund ACORN. Oh, and as an aside, US Representative Gerry Connolly (VA-11^th) opted to not even cast a vote on this important issue of corrupt and illegal behavior from an organization receiving millions of taxpayer dollars.

In a vote of 345-75, with all 75 being Democrats, Moran joins an elite group of sycophants cow-towing to the most extreme left wing of his party. So extreme that the likes of the following reliable liberal Democrats – Sanford Bishop (GA), William Clay (MO), Steve Cohen (TN), Rosa DeLauro (CT), John Dingell (MI), Patrick Kennedy (RI), John Murtha (PA) and Chris Van Hollen (MD) – voted to curtail the funding for the much ballyhooed controversial organization. This just days after the Senate voted likewise by a margin of 83-7.

ACORN – the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now – has received $53 million in federal funding since 1994 and was slated to receive millions of dollars more in taxpayer funds to continue to advise people how to bilk the system. Video evidence shown to prove the dastardly deeds committed by ACORN should have been more than enough to convince the so-called leaders in Congress that such an organization is unfit to utilize the people’s money.

This is an organization that is not just enabling people, but encouraging them, be they American citizens or not, to break laws. Raw, unedited footage has illustrated how ACORN representatives and workers have advised funding applicants how to skirt the system by claiming they perform work they do not actually perform – work that is illegal. The same footage shows ACORN employees explain how to avoid paying taxes and how to smuggle illegal aliens into the country to be used for underage prostitution.

Then there are those ACORN representatives who illegally registered ineligible people to vote. And don’t forget the decision by the Census Bureau to cut ties with the beleaguered group due to its legal peccadilloes.

The Justice Department, under the thumb of Eric Holder, has refused to investigate ACORN. Could it be because of Obama’s not to distant past relationship with the community organization? After all, Obama represented ACORN as its legal council at one time, and then enjoyed the payback of a huge campaign contribution as a candidate for the highest office in the nation.

All of these ACORN-sponsored activities, dripping in sleaziness, corruption and government connections are reason enough for such an organization to lose every nickel given it by the government – at any level. If this organization is as good as its defenders claim it to be, then it should have no trouble continuing to operate as a nonprofit, receiving no government funding and relying upon the kindness of strangers.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.