Some Republican foes of ACORN have been calling since last week for a Justice Department investigation of the beleaguered group, in the wake of the now-famous hidden camera scandal.
And it looks like a DOJ probe, of a kind, will indeed go forward.
The Justice Department’s internal watchdog will investigate whether DOJ has given ACORN any federal funds, and whether the department ever carried out any audits or reviews of those funds.
The news — which offers a sign of how quickly ACORN’s stock in the capital is plummeting — was revealed in a letter from Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine to Reps. John Conyers (D-MI) and Lamar Smith (R-TX), the chair and ranking member respectively of the House Judiciary committee. Read the letter here. Smith had requested the review last week.
Earlier this month, two conservative activists posted videos in which ACORN employees were caught on camera advising the activists — dressed as a pimp and a prostitute — on how to break the law.
The House last week voted to cut off all federal funding from the scandal-plagued group. And yesterday, President Obama said ACORN should be investigated, though he didn’t specify by who.