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Lawyers call prosecution of ACORN politically motivated

Lawyers for the community organizing group ACORN and its staff Wednesday blasted the state’s prosecution of the group, calling it politically motivated and baseless.

Attorney Lisa Rasmussen said the group will fight the charges.


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  • “The politically motivated charges, such as those brought by the attorney general and secretary of state, just highlight the voter registration system that is broken,” Rasmussen said.

    Two co-defendants in the case appeared briefly Wednesday in a Las Vegas court. Christopher Edwards, 33, and Amy Busefink, 26, didn’t comment on the charges against them.

    Edwards is ACORN’s former Las Vegas field director. Busefink, of Florida, was the group’s regional director for voter registration.

    ACORN is accused of illegally requiring canvassers to meet voter registration quotas. That resulted in thousands of “garbage” registrations, according to the state attorney general. Authorities said canvassers, under pressure to keep their jobs, turned in registrations with phony names and addresses. In one much-publicized account, a canvasser turned in the starting line-up for the Dallas Cowboys.

    The attorney general’s office has charged ACORN and Edwards with 13 counts of compensation for registering voters. Busefink is charged with 13 counts of compensation for registration of voters.

    An attorney representing Busefink, Anthony DiRaimondo, called the charges totally unfounded and without merit.

    “Nevada’s election officials are wasting time and taxpayer money threatening people like Ms. Busefink, who are working to bring disenfranchised Nevada’s into the electorate,” DiRaimondo said.

    Bertha Lewis, ACORN’s CEO and chief organizer, repeated the claims that the prosecutions against the group were politically motivated. Lewis, based in New York, said the charges stem from Republicans who have influenced Nevada authorities. However, the charges were brought by Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat, and announced by Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller, also a Democrat.

    “Just because somebody says they are a registered Democrat doesn’t make them fair and balanced and open,” Lewis said.

    Chief Deputy Attorney General Conrad Hafen said politics played no part in prosecuting ACORN.

    “The attorney general’s office is tasked with upholding the laws in the state,” he said.

    Authorities have rarely used the law. Hafen said he has never seen it used in the 17 years he has been a prosecutor.

    The attorney general said ACORN’s canvassers were required to gather at least 20 voter registrations a day to keep their jobs. They also had a bonus program, known as “blackjack,” which rewarded employees with $5 extra per shift if they brought in 21 or more completed registrations.

    Lewis said the blackjack bonus was against ACORN’s policy. The group stopped the practice after learning about it.

    ACORN also alerted state officials to the irregularities they found in its registration drive, said Clare Crawford, deputy political director for the group.

    Lewis said she is confident the organization will be proven innocent and that the “trumped up, outrageous charges in the end will be thrown out.”

     

    Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.

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    Wayne West wrote on June 04, 2009 06:40 AM: only a ultra liberal [ rag ] like the RJ would put up the defense lawyers comments or spin in the large type.


    It sucks to be a liberal wrote on June 03, 2009 08:48 PM: Where are you Fair and out of balanced Freddy? Not going to chime in on this?
    Were is all that Socialist brilliance you charm us all with? Or is this just another example of us "haters" trying to bring the real Americans down?


    Conservatism wrote on June 03, 2009 08:20 PM: Conservatism (self-reliance) by Race:

    white- ?%
    asian- ?%
    hispanic- ?%
    black- ?%

    Explain differences.

    The Japanese were "nuked" during WWII, and were called "Japs" by Americans.

    Obama is an excellent speaker!


    patrick wrote on June 03, 2009 07:53 PM: 89% of Republicans are white
    64% of Democrats are white
    23% of the population identifies themselves as Republicans.

    Short story: republicans are being evolved out of existence, and their "solution", become less inclusive.

    And people wonder why the dodo bird is extinct?


    The election process is tainted.... wrote on June 03, 2009 06:25 PM: If anybody in the state of Nevada thinks Cortez-Mastos and Ross Miller are going to interrupt their political careers over a little thing like ethics, I'll buy you ice cream. This is Obama's favorite child (shudder)and they aren't going to waste the next eight years doing the right thing. Masto's/Miller want appointments and power, forget ethics.

    You know Reaganite44, did you see Gore in the National Church Memorial for the victims in the Twin Towers of 9/11...he was a mess, I empathized with his real pain (certified depression), but the thought of him leading this country at that moment!!! Don't think so. The best decision was made in Florida, and I think given the political climate (gawd Gore disliked Hillary and Bill, they stole campaign monies from him at his own campaign fundraisers for her run in 2008, plus Bill's indiscretions in the White House).

    ACORN is completely corrupt and useful to the powers that be (Obama's foot soldiers). Why don't we ask the Black Panthers. Hells Angels or Synanon (S.F. circa 1975) to be upstanding American citizens and register voters?????

    I grew up in the Bay Area during the 60's and 70's, I can smell political crap a mile away.


    Gary Sauer wrote on June 03, 2009 05:06 PM: Every single thing they do is politically motivated. How else are you supposed to get ahead in the most corrupt business on the planet. When in Rome as they say. It is just another way to pass the buck on to someone else. Make ACORN the scapegoat for a system that fails everyone every day. -G


    Reaganite44 wrote on June 03, 2009 04:42 PM: If they didn't have the electoral college, Gore would have beat Bush based on the popular vote.

    We probably never would have gone to war with Iraq.

    Our current mess we be greatly lessened.


    question wrote on June 03, 2009 03:55 PM: what is the percentage of mormons per race ?

    white ?
    black ?
    other?


    The election process is tainted, it's needs to change wrote on June 03, 2009 03:19 PM: This corrupt organization, being supported by the Obama Administration, are probably the best reason to dismiss the Electorial College, in presidential elections.

    ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE. And none of this Red State/Blue State boondoogle.


    Question wrote on June 03, 2009 03:17 PM: What is the percentage of Democrats in each Race and WHY? My guess:

    Black- 90%
    Hispanic- 80%
    White- 50%
    Asian- 50%

    Any expert opinions?

    Does this have to do with employment and number of kids?


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