ACORN cleared of all wrongdoing in probe

[SultanOfSurreal]

Brooklyn prosecutors on Monday cleared ACORN of criminal wrongdoing after a four-month probe that began when undercover conservative activists filmed workers giving what appeared to be illegal advice on how to hide money.

While the video by James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles seemed to show three ACORN workers advising a prostitute how to hide ill-gotten gains, the unedited version was not as clear, according to a law enforcement source.

"They edited the tape to meet their agenda," said the source.

O'Keefe and Giles - who visited ACORN offices in several cities, including its Brooklyn headquarters - stirred controversy when they posted the videos on their Web site.

They were hailed as heroes by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and their footage led several government agencies to temporarily cut funding for ACORN as the prosecutors opened an investigation.

"On Sept. 15, 2009, my office began an investigation into possible criminality on the part of three ACORN employees," Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes said in a one-paragraph statement issued Monday afternoon.

"That investigation is now concluded and no criminality has been found."

Reaction at ACORN, which is in the process of reorganizing and is struggling to re-establish its financing, was subdued.

"Acorn is gratified that the DA has concluded something we knew all along," ACORN lawyer Arthur Schwartz said, adding it was "unfortunate" the O'Keefe and Giles used "subterfuge to convince congress and the media to vilify an organization that didn't deserve it."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/03/01/2010-03-01_bklyn_acorn_cleared_over_giving_illegal_advice_on_how_to_hide_money_from_prostit.html#ixzz0gxpib9Cn

[BigBallinStalin]

I have my doubts.

[PLAYER57832]

The organization is no more.

[silent wind]

acorn was a turd nugget in the undies of america. B-bye ACORN... good fuckin riddance!

[Snorri1234]

yeah those bastards always trying to get people to vote. Suckers.

[BigBallinStalin]

Yeah, but the PEOPLE are still around. Those are the guys who need to get their heads chopped off.

[SultanOfSurreal]

yeah those bastards always trying to get people to vote. Suckers.

it's not just getting people to vote that conservatives have a problem with. it's getting black people to vote that really frosts their cookies.

[Snorri1234]

What's the progress on O'Keefe's trial btw?

[Phatscotty]

[silent wind]

yeah those bastards always trying to get people to vote. Suckers.

yeah... even dead ones, and really fucking stupid ones... by bribing them with cigarettes... f*ck that. not everyone should vote. if you haven't a goddamn clue... stay the f*ck home...

[Symmetry]

yeah those bastards always trying to get people to vote. Suckers.

yeah... even dead ones, and really fucking stupid ones... by bribing them with cigarettes... f*ck that. not everyone should vote. if you haven't a goddamn clue... stay the f*ck home...

Acorn bribed dead people with cigarettes? In that case, I'm not sure they should stay at home with or without the cigarette to be honest. Seems unhygienic.

[bradleybadly]

yeah those bastards always trying to get deceased people to vote. Liars.

[Symmetry]

yeah those bastards always trying to get deceased people to vote. Liars.

How can dead people vote? I'm guessing that you got a bit confused about the allegations that ACORN registered dead people to vote, and kind of thought that those people actually turned up on election day, out of their coffins or in the guise of another person. Do you have any evidence for this? You do get that registering people to vote does not equal actual votes, right? You're post was a bit vague on that point.

[silent wind]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

[Symmetry]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

[pancakemix]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

Of course they don't. Someone else just pretends to be them and votes. It's simple enough. Same thing when people show up as Mickey Mouse.

[Phatscotty]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

come now, certainly you are not saying that there isnt any voter fraud in these voter organizing groups. of course, all groups are not 100% corruption free, but I think Acorn was going a lot further than the rest of them. The whole fiasco was worth it just to hear Obama downplay his extensive partnership with Acorn into "I worked with them in a couple of court cases"

[stahrgazer]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

Of course they don't. Someone else just pretends to be them and votes. It's simple enough. Same thing when people show up as Mickey Mouse.

Well, I worked poll locations this year. On the Dem side. Yet, I'm a registered Republican. For all the Dems knew, I was a plant.. yet they allowed me to volunteer for them. I got to watch the voting from the "inside" - as one of the poll watchers. Seems odd that a group like "Acorn" could be responsible if the poll volunteers forget to check the "dead man's" (or woman's) photo i.d. like they were supposed to.

Our instructions were to try to ensure everyone who wanted to vote, got to vote. Everything was aimed at that; and we were STRONGLY instructed NOT to reveal our own political leaning while ensuring everyone's right to vote was considered carefully by all those within polling locations.

We had to walk along the lines, reminding everyone to have a photo i.d. ready; remind them which polling location they were at; helping them find their correct polling location if they were in the wrong location.

(Sarcasm here: Yeah, yeah, really scandalous, a real attempt at defrauding the system, to ensure everyone had their identification and was at the right polling place so they could vote.)

Edit: I'm glad I went to work the donkey side this year; it opened my eyes, gave me a new respect for them. They truly care that everyone who's eligible to vote, registers and remembers to vote.

[Symmetry]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

Of course they don't. Someone else just pretends to be them and votes. It's simple enough. Same thing when people show up as Mickey Mouse.

Thanks pancakemix- can you show that, as you said, someone showed up as Mickey Mouse? Did they vote as Mickey mouse?

For that matter can you show that any of the dead people registered to have voted (as Silent Wind claims) actually cast a vote? You say that other people claim to be them and vote, but I've seen no credible source backing that one up. Still, I've gotten carried away by emotion and been a bit bad about the truth before too (haven't we all?). So I'd be a bit crap to blame you, I'd like you to clarify though.

[Symmetry]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

come now, certainly you are not saying that there isnt any voter fraud in these voter organizing groups. of course, all groups are not 100% corruption free, but I think Acorn was going a lot further than the rest of them. The whole fiasco was worth it just to hear Obama downplay his extensive partnership with Acorn into "I worked with them in a couple of court cases"

That's fair comment, but I don't think that being over-zealous about registering voters necessarily equates to active fraud. To do so I think you need to show that some of the illegally registered voters actually voted (on record, that is, ignoring my facetious comments about zombies). You would have to show me a case where an ACORN registered voter illegally cast a vote. That is what you're suggesting, right? That ACORN was illegally registering votes to influence the election?

[pancakemix]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

Of course they don't. Someone else just pretends to be them and votes. It's simple enough. Same thing when people show up as Mickey Mouse.

Thanks pancakemix- can you show that, as you said, someone showed up as Mickey Mouse? Did they vote as Mickey mouse?

For that matter can you show that any of the dead people registered to have voted (as Silent Wind claims) actually cast a vote? You say that other people claim to be them and vote, but I've seen no credible source backing that one up. Still, I've gotten carried away by emotion and been a bit bad about the truth before too (haven't we all?). So I'd be a bit crap to blame you, I'd like you to clarify though.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... ident.html

Obviously, I can't actually show beyond a reasonable doubt that someone succeeded in voting as Mickey Mouse, this article shows that an attempt was at least made to register under that name (by ACORN, no less). Hope that helps.

[Symmetry]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

Of course they don't. Someone else just pretends to be them and votes. It's simple enough. Same thing when people show up as Mickey Mouse.

Thanks pancakemix- can you show that, as you said, someone showed up as Mickey Mouse? Did they vote as Mickey mouse?

For that matter can you show that any of the dead people registered to have voted (as Silent Wind claims) actually cast a vote? You say that other people claim to be them and vote, but I've seen no credible source backing that one up. Still, I've gotten carried away by emotion and been a bit bad about the truth before too (haven't we all?). So I'd be a bit crap to blame you, I'd like you to clarify though.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... ident.html

Obviously, I can't actually show beyond a reasonable doubt that someone succeeded in voting as Mickey Mouse, this article shows that an attempt was at least made to register under that name (by ACORN, no less). Hope that helps.

Not really, sorry. You did go ahead and suggest that people were voting under the names of false registrees, The evidence you posted just argued that people were falsely registered.

I'm going to accept that an attempt was made to register under a false name, but I would ask if you could show that ACORN made the attempt and not the person filling out the form. I've filled out plenty of forms in my life, and even asked others to fill out forms. Yeah, I've had a few Mickey Mouse answers in my time, but always from those I've asked having a bit of fun.

[Imaweasel]

don't be daft. dead people are always on registers to vote... and somehow... they seem to show up. its called voter fraud.

I'd call it necromancy if they turned up. Do you actually have evidence that they turn up to vote?

Evidence= Obama is the president?

[Woodruff]

yeah those bastards always trying to get people to vote. Suckers.

yeah... even dead ones, and really fucking stupid ones... by bribing them with cigarettes... f*ck that. not everyone should vote. if you haven't a goddamn clue... stay the f*ck home...

So you stayed home during the last election?

[silent wind]

yeah those bastards always trying to get people to vote. Suckers.

yeah... even dead ones, and really fucking stupid ones... by bribing them with cigarettes... f*ck that. not everyone should vote. if you haven't a goddamn clue... stay the f*ck home...

So you stayed home during the last election?

no. I voted. I voted third party... right and left candidates are a joke.