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What's Behind The ACORN Raid?
Yesterday, we told you about the raid conducted by Nevada state authorities on the Las Vegas office of ACORN.
The office of Democratic Secretary of State Ross Miller has been telling reporters that the raid was prompted by complaints by Clark County officials about fraudulent voting forms being submitted by the group, which works to register low-income voters. An affidavit released by the state today described forms being received with the same name, as well as with fraudulent addresses and with personal information that did not match state records.
But the state has still not said how many such forms were submitted. Bob Walsh, a spokesman for the Secretary of State, told TPMmuckraker that the office is working to answer that question.
In a statement released yesterday, ACORN called the raid a "bogus attack" and asserted that it has "BENT OVER BACKWARDS to identify fraud and to encourage the Board of Elections to prosecute fraud."
But we're still puzzled by something: Republicans have a long history of clashing with ACORN, whose mission to register low-income and minority voters serves the cause of Democrats. So it's not clear what, beyond the immediate allegations, prompted Miller, a Democrat, to launch a high-profile raid of a major voter registration organization four weeks before election day.
According to Walsh, Miller, who has a background as a prosecutor, has always made law and order a priority. And ACORN does have a history of being less than fastidious about preventing small-scale fraud by canvassers who are paid per registration form they bring in. So perhaps this is nothing more than a state official being vigilant in upholding the law.
As more facts become clear, we'll keep you posted.
Josh
Zachary
ACORN Leader Steps Down, Group Puts New Controls In Order
http://www.indypendent.org/2008/07/18/acorn-leader-steps-down-group-puts-new-controls-in-order/
see also the allegations in the thread there such as by mike howells about how ACORN treats its canvassers. And the URL at the end of this comment,
Reform ACORN Says:
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
It’s not ACORN members or staff that is unethical — it’s ACORN’s top management, which acts just like big corporation bosses. They complain about Wal-Mart but then act just like Wal-Mart.
A new group launched to reform ACORN from the inside — with allies, former ACORN employees, current ACORN employees, and ACORN MEMBERS.
Please check it out and see if there’s anything you would be willing to help with. Everyone can help, and together we can take back a group for the progressive movement.
Check it out at SpeakingTruth2Power.org.
October 8, 2008 6:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Application and affidavit for search warrant, 19 pgs. for the ACORN raid via website of a Las Vegas TV station, http://www.ktnv.com/Global/Link.asp?L=346213 Found via a Google alert for, "ACORN, " from a right-wing blog that cherry picks the most embarrassing quotes from the affadavit, like , "lazy crackheads, " yada, yada,
http://rightvoices.com/2008/10/08/wanna-bet-obama-runs-from-this-acorn-comment-next-week/
October 8, 2008 8:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Two points:
1. I'm amazed at the number of people that are stumped as to why a Democrat would go after ACORN. Leaving aside the long history of some Dem party officials (largely in the South but certainly not only) suppressing black votes, there is the more obvious potential reason: the Sec. of State is a young, ambitious politician in a state where he will have to appeal across party lines or to conservative independents in order to run for higher state-wide office (or keep this office). Just like white Dems will often attack black activists or denigrate their issues to signal to white voters, this Sec of State is doing this to polish his image (which is a very common stunt: the media frenzy around carting off documents is second only to frog marching people off to a squad car for publicity for prosecutors).
2. What basis do people have for saying ACORN was lax? Do you have extensive experience? Do you know what rate of error is common among other large drives? Do you know how the law governs what ACORN must do with bad applications? Does anybody know how common errors are in government agencies that are doing voter registration? Granted it's a different kind of error, but it goes to show how screwed up many of these applications are due to user error and when the dust settles very few are really do to cheating by workers.
October 8, 2008 11:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
I admit I don't quite understand what all the fuss is about. Okay, false registrations are inconvenient. But the cases people cite -- "Daffy Duck, Tony Romo" -- 1.) no one will produce I.D. that has either of those names, 2.) that I.D. wouldn't be believed even if it was produced. And in the case of double registrations -- that could happen through computer error, voter forgetfulness, registrar error, and yes, fraud, but the voter in question would still only be able to step into the booth once. Registration error or fraud is not voter fraud.
October 9, 2008 2:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
while fox TV is a big acorn is evil pusher the GOP tool that does most of the groundwork repetition on this crap is your local RW talk radio station.
this crap willl continue until progressives begin listening calling complaining boycotting picketing their LOCAL talk radio stations and their sponsors. they will be doing most of the work to challenge dem voters and challenging the dem challengers of stolen elections.
October 9, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with tammanycall, and this point was made by Josh M. before the FBI decided to investigate. The fraud is perpetrated against ACORN - they are the ones paying for false registrations. Daffy Duck never shows up to the polls to vote. This isn't a conspiracy to stuff ballot boxes - it's a scheme by a few unethical workers to make some quick cash and run.
October 21, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink