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ACORN finances leave questions
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated: Jul. 20, 2010 | 8:30 a.m.
The political advocacy group ACORN is "limping along" near bankruptcy, which could affect a pending voter registration case in Nevada, a lawyer for the group said Monday.
"ACORN is still limping along. It has not filed for bankruptcy, which is the state's concern," attorney Lisa Rasmussen, representing the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, told Clark County District Judge Donald Mosley.
Rasmussen said outside court that it was unclear whether a bankruptcy filing would make moot the Nevada criminal case stemming from allegations that ACORN illegally set quotas and paid canvassers based on the number of voter registration applications they turn in.
ACORN is charged with compensation for registration of voters. A former ACORN regional director, Amy Busefink, 27, of Seminole, Fla., is charged with principal to the crime of compensation for registration of voters. Both have pleaded not guilty.
The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the trial to proceed in Las Vegas, denying as premature an ACORN request to rule on the constitutionality of the compensation charge. The trial is set for Nov. 29.
Conrad Hafen, a chief deputy state attorney general, said neither bankruptcy nor dissolution would "necessarily protect (ACORN) from prosecution" in Nevada.
A conviction for ACORN could mean a $5,000 fine. Busefink would face probation or less than one year in jail if convicted. Another former ACORN official pleaded guilty to misdemeanors and agreed to testify at trial in return for a sentence including probation, a fine and community service.
"Amy is disappointed in this whole proceeding," her lawyer, Bradley Schrager, said outside court. "But if she has to, she's prepared to go to trial."
Rasmussen's characterization of ACORN's financial health echoed comments in April by ACORN chief executive Bertha Lewis in New York that the nonprofit was "still alive ... on life support" with an annual budget of $4 million instead of the $25 million budget it used to have. Lewis had said a staff of more than 350 workers had been cut to four.
Congress cut ACORN's federal funding after secretly taped videos caught workers at group offices around the country giving bad advice, sparking a national scandal.
A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan is considering an appeal of a federal judge's ruling that the funding cutoff was unconstitutional because Congress did not determine whether money had been mishandled.
ACORN describes itself as an advocate for low-income and minority home buyers and residents. Critics have accused the group of voter registration fraud, embezzlement and violating tax-exempt status by engaging in partisan political activities.
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For months, if not years, the AM radio and Fox "News" psychotalkers have been, and continue to be, obsessed with negative portrayals of the Senate Majority Leader. So they echo this negativity over-and-over ad nauseum, day after day after day.
The AM radio and Fox "News" psychotalkers don't live in Nevada, yet at the same time the conservatives whine because the Senate Majority Leader receives contributions from non-Nevada sources. That's just crazy, like Angle herself.
Do the conservatives whine about Dirty Sharry receiving contributions from non-Nevada sources? Do they?
Most voters now identify Reid as too Liberal. Dingy Harry does not represent Nevada. Just ask Jack he knows that NON NEVADANS bought Harry's campaign.
ACORN hoax victim files lawsuit against O'Keefe and Giles
Falsely portrayed as promoting teenage prost_____ in the ACORN videotapes, Juan Carlos Vera is seeking damages
One of the many victims of Andrew Breitbart’s ACORN video hoax is finally striking back in court, against pseudo-p___ James O’Keefe and pseudo-h_ Hannah Giles if not Breitbart himself. Former San Diego ACORN office employee Juan Carlos Vera, who was falsely portrayed in a heavily edited videotape as conspiring with O’Keefe and Giles to traffic underage girls across the Mexican border, is suing both of the right-wing filmmakers, seeking $75,000 in damages under California’s privacy statutes.
A new poll from Public Policy Polling finds that 68 percent of voters see Angle's views as "extremist" as compared to 22 percent who feel that her beliefs are "mainstream."
Reid currently leads Angle in the Nevada Senate race by 8 points, according to a Mason-Dixon survey released last week.
Jerk weeb just face the facts you guys lie cheet and steel to win. cant do it honestly. There will come a day when you will face the music. We real Americans are getting sick of people like you who cant be fair about anything. Its coming. just like the BLACK naacp worker we are getting sick of the who liberal thing. She is going to get hers.
So a judge has to decide if ACRON's funding can be cut off, considering the taxpayers pay for these criminals (i.e. ACRON) and their supreme leader Obama. The judge did not give them the funding CONGRESS did; as Congress gives - Congress can taketh away.
It’s tough to get rid of possible organized crime especially when they are so connected to powerful entities in government. Gee one would think with all the effort the FBI put into ending the mafia it would be extinct by now but it still survives. Hopefully ACORN funds will dry up and this organization will disappear.
typical liberal slander, such children. never a good point, just name attacks. The vote for Reid type right there.
What is Deep Throats?
YA, I remember ACORN was a big democratic puch to get O-blame-A elected. Then they found out mickey mouse, donald duck, and other ficticious names produced by this all on the tax payers bill, gotta love socialist america!