WASHINGTON (CNN) – A leading liberal Democrat in the House blasted the embattled community organizing group ACORN Wednesday and said he is urging the White House to withhold any federal funding for the group.
"I am very disappointed in the actions that were taken by members of ACORN," Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said in a statement Wednesday, "and I do not believe that ACORN's response has been adequate for an organization that has received public funding."
Frank also said in the statement that he is urging the Obama administration to withhold any additional funding for ACORN "at least until there is very firm evidence that the abuses of which ACORN members have been guilty have not only ceased, but that procedures are in place to prevent them from happening again."
In a written statement issued Wednesday, ACORN took issue with Frank's criticism.
"While we greatly respect Rep. Barney Frank and have enjoyed the work we have shared over the years," the statement said, "ACORN disagrees with his position on the recent Congressional action to single out our organization and bar us from competing for federal grants."
Asked about Frank's comments during a conference call with reporters, the CEO of ACORN said Wednesday that the organization is moving quickly to address the conduct of some of its employees displayed in videos produced by conservative activists and recently released on the Internet. The videos show some ACORN workers advising the activists, who were posing as a pimp and a prostitute, how to set up a prostitution business involving underage, foreign girls.
"There is no bigger critic of ACORN than its members and its board," the group's CEO Bertha Lewis said, "We were just as shocked and horrified as the American public was [to see the videos]."
"I will not tolerate such behavior," Lewis added.
Lewis's comments were part of an increasing crisis management effort on the part of ACORN. The group recently announced that it has retained Scott Harshbarger, the former Attorney General of Massachusetts, and Harshbarger's law firm to conduct an independent inquiry into ACORN's delivery of social services as well as a general review of ACORN's management.
"We are going to conduct a no-holds-barred review," Harshbarger told reporters Wednesday.
Harshbarger also said ACORN's leadership has requested that that report and findings be made public "at the appropriate time."
Also on Wednesday, ACORN revealed that it has suspended it has suspended its tax preparation services carried out as part of an IRS program. ACORN's suspension of its tax prep program coincided with the revelation that the IRA has independently acted to terminate its relationship with the community organizing group.
Since the videos became public, the Census Bureau has also terminated ACORN's involvement in its public outreach program and both chambers of Congress have voted to deny federal funding to the organization. Republicans in Congress have also called on President Obama to take action to deny federal funding to the embattled group, and are planning to send additional requests for investigations of the group's activities to agency heads and inspectors general.
The Inspector General of the Justice Department recently announced that he is beginning an investigation into whether the group received any grant money from the department. An FBI investigation of ACORN is also possible.
On the state level, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, both Republicans, have also moved to halt state funding to ACORN.
Lewis said Wednesday that the federal funding ACORN receives amounts to less than 10 percent of the organization's entire budget, and that the organization would continue its advocacy on behalf of its membership.
ACORN's general counsel also told reporters that it has not received any subpoenas from law enforcement officials, but that it is voluntarily cooperating with the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office and the FBI in investigations both agencies have opened into the conduct captured on the videos.
ACORN also announced Wednesday that it has filed suit against the makers of the videos that sparked the most recent controversy for violating Maryland's wiretapping law which requires the consent of all parties involved in a recorded conversation.
From CNN Politics
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Forced to sacrifice their own flagship organization and their most loyal supporters in order to save their own hides. Kind of sad.
No more Tax payer dollars for this corrupt organization. They currently owe the IRS for back taxes. They refuse to open their books for an audit. They are a corrupt organization that never prosecuted an embezzler. They have a phony office with an address of an old funeral home. It's not just this latest scandal, the list goes on and on. This is OUR money that could be put to better use fixing roads.
ACORN is the FLAGSHIP ORGANIZATION of the democratic party. The democrats might be blasting it now (they have to to save themselves), but you can bet, after the controversy blows over, these same democrats will be trying to sneak scraps to these low-lifes under the table once again. They have to because the democratic party needs their voter fraud tactics to win elections and to rig the census.
Rep. Barney Frank is out of line. One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch. Acorn has more good parts than bad. Rep. Frank he roars like and lion on Acorn, but squeals like a mouse on Hallaburton, Blackwater and Fanniemae.
Obama and Acorn equals LIES and CORRUPTION
Bravo Barney Frank!
Go get ACORN!
In Rep. Frank, we have one more leader in Washington who DOES NOT LIE.
Bravo Barney! But Obama is intricately connected to this group!
Get rid of ACORN. NOW.
Wow. Coming from Bawney Fwank, that really hurts!!!
They shouldn't receive another dime! Another Obama mess.....
This is OUR money going to support a corrupt organization. Why is the President not "concerned"? He has bigger issues? The only "issue" he is concerned with is "Government Health Care".
This is a funny statement.
"On the state level, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, both Republicans, have also moved to halt state funding to ACORN."
These two states do not provide any funding to ACORN. How then can their Govs. move to halt funding that does not exist? I guess it's just a political play on their part. LOL
Pot meet kettle. I guess Barney Frank knows corruption when he sees it, he just doesn't own a mirror.
He better be careful. He is stepping on BHO's toes bigtime. I guess he must have forgot that Bush is out of office and BHO is in charge now.
You're really on the ball barney. NOW you blast them. Where were you when voter fraud was being performed? Oh that's right, Obama was being elected during that scandal.......THAT was ok with you , then !!!
Well you know that things are bad for Acorn if Barney Frank is upset with them!! I never knew that could be possible....
PaaaaaLease!
Frank made millions off ACORN with Freddie and Fannie.
I thought only Obama could throw people under the bus.
Shoddy reporting CNN. It has been reported since last week that neither Minnesota nor Louisiana actually give any money to ACORN.
What's up – is frank up for re-election this year?
Bravo! About time this biased left-wing political organization gets booted out and cut off from anymore federal dollars. Why should taxpayers foot the bill? Allowing this group to continue to commit voter registration fraud and other illegal activities in the future is inexcusable and a potential lethal landmine for far left Democratic politicians.
I think Barney needs to look in the mirror.
Embezzlers, Back taxes owed to IRS, 30 Criminal convictions, phony ACORN headquarters, refusal to open their books for an audit, voter registration fraud, all that prior to their latest scandal involving 5 separate offices in 5 different states.......................Is this enough for Obama to pull the plug on ACORN? Does he still want to pretend he knows nothing about this when they were on track to receive 8.5 billion more of TAX Payer dollars? Where is the transparency and line by line elimination of waste that Obama promised us?
Since this "crime" by ACORN was committed by a few employees, and the Federal govment is going to go punitive on them, perhaps its time to assess the same punishment on the other organizations that the Federal Government funds that commit crimes, even if by just a few people. Time to defund the CIA, FBI, local cops, state troopers, accountants, IRS, and many other branches that are filled with criminals.
What is good for one is good for all.
ACORN is a disgrace to this nation. As is Barney Frank.
Here's a corrupt politican blasting a corrupt organization.
Although his blasting of ACORN is valid, it's hard to listen to this old wind bag.
speechless I am just speechless
When can we get Barney Frank to be the Speaker please? It's waaay past time we had a Speaker that was a leader and got jobs done.
I am almost reluctant to say I agree with Barnie Frank. While we are discussing corruption; When will Conressman Rangel be held accountable for his crooked ways?
ACORN officials needs to recognize the need to step aside and allow an investigation to take palce instead of throwing up smoke screens. I am confident enough in the justice system and the Obama Administration to believe that a fair investigation can be conducted.
Take Obama back. He can't botch anymore then he already has.
Republican bleating aside, I think that ACORN should be looked into to make sure that they are doing what they say they are to help people. Once again, ignore the Conservative bellyaching and launch a real, honest investigation to determine if the entire organization is bad, or if some individuals need to be weeded out.
Good ol Barney. Even if you don't agree with him he is not bashful about having his say. Somethimes he's right too.
Perhaps Eric Holder could tear away from his witch hunt investigations of past CIA dealings with notorious terrorists long enough to investigate ACORN? After all, we're talking about the theft of American taxpayer dollars and voter fraud!
If I may borrow the words of Rep. Frank:
"I am very disappointed in the actions that were taken by members of Xe (the contractor formerly known as Blackwater)," I say, "and I do not believe that Xe's (the contractor formerly known as Blackwater) response has been adequate for an organization that has received public funding."
Sorry, Barney. But you know as well as anyone that ACORN doesn't come close to being the big problem for our country that MUST be solved at all costs. Why not focus on the real problems?
Why aren't these politicians asking the same of Blackwater and Halliburton? They committed heinous crimes and the government is still has contracts with them. I am really disappointed with Barney Frank's statement. He is feeding right into the GOP's goal to destroy ACORN. ACORN already fired the employees that were wrong. There is no reason to punish the whole organization who has done great things for decades.
"There is no bigger critic of ACORN than its members and its board," the group's CEO Bertha Lewis said."
HAHAHAHA.....I just love a good laugh.
OK Libs, one of your own is going after them. Is he a hater too?
ACORN is an embarrassment to the liberals. The obvious corruption should make the leftist supporters distance themselves from the foul organization.
This clown is one of the BIGGEST supporters of Acorn....witness Fannie Mae that he led and put our nation in the home mortgage situation just to get liberal votes. SHAME
he's very disappointed that they got caught, thats all. Barny is waist deep in the housing market turmoil and Acorn is right there along side him.
Cheap talk, Bertha.
TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS AND OPEN THE BOOKS !
How many of you realize Acorn is For Profit organization? If their goal is to make a profit, why are we giving them tax dollars? This is a blatant abuse of Congress' power to tax. Let's tax the people and give it to an organization so they can line their pockets with the profit from the tax dollars. I would like to see the $8 billion allocated in the stimuls bill go to something worth while like St. Judes, Make a Wish, and the Shriners Hospitals. Now those are organizations that we all can support. While we are at it, get our money back from all of those bad businesses Bush bailed out.
WOW truly amazing.
Barney Frank the man among undaunting support for ACORN is now suggesting that they might be doing something illegal.
I am AMAZED... Put your money where your mouth is Barney and KILL off ACORN now. CUT ALL FUNDING.
They are an illegal group...
Maybe Barack who said he stands by them for YEARS...
and THEY will have imprint on the US policy....
They are an IMPORTANT group....
Bull. Just a bunch of racist thieves.... Cancel the COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION crap. We should not be putting ANY tax dollars in their.
CUT THAT MONEY OUT OF THE BUDGET.
Of course, ACORN and its officials are innocent until proven guilty of any wrongdoing, but because the Constitutional census is so important, the possibility of fraudulent performance by ACORN is sufficient to prohibit their participation as an agent of the government. The recording may have been contrary to state law, but this toothpaste will be hard to put back in the tube.
ACORN has time after time proven itself to be corrupt with embezzlement, election fraud, bias towards Democrats and now this prostitution scandel....we need to shut down ACORN once and for all. ACORN should not receive tax money. I don't want a single penny of my tax money to go to this awful organization!
Frank is a racist for criticising ACORN.
Sorry Barney, you're too late to the party. Like most on the left, you're "shocked" well after the fact (and only when there is clear cut evidence of wrong doing – like a tape).
Barney Frank has zero credibility.
good job Barney!
Just goes to show you – even a smart, attuned Congressman like Rep. Frank can be swayed by the constant barrage of disinformation flooding the "news." Here's hoping he gets better information before he starts looking like the rest of the Washington asshats who've climbed onto the anti-ACORN bandwagon...
This is an organization that has overseen HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of proven cases of election tampering.
And our federal government is only JUST NOW deciding to not let them conduct the census, which in turn dictates political implications as far as congressional seat counts? Convenient. The White House and Congress only become "furious" when it becomes obvious that the public is about to.
This is proof that there is corruption all over the government. You are only just hearing about it now on the Democrat side because the media is in bed with the Liberals.
To my knowledge, ACORN has never killed anyone or jeopardized national security. Haliburton, and Blackwater (now Xe) have defrauded billions of taxpayer dollars, and are responsible for the deaths of thousands. Why aren't these folks being investigated? Anyone else see a problem?
Just try to get into the headquarters of ACORN in New Orleans,
You may find denial of access. They do not like strange visitors.
I wonder why?
Americans need to Google "military industrial complex" to see the road the Neo-cons want to follow. My point is that there are much bigger fish to fry than ACORN.
i guess its now time to throw ACORN under the bus as far as some liberals are concerned.
If ACORN were a legitimate law abiding organization, they would not be filing a law suit against the people who revealed their organization's corruption by means of those video tapes. They would, instead , be thanking them.
OHHHH!!!! SO NOOOWWWW you can cover the story since the LIBERAL DEMOCRATS have abandoned the folks at ACORN!!!!!!!!! HAHHAAA HAAAAAA
You people are so predictable!!!!
Could this be the first step of circling the wagons for POTUS???!!!!! Keeping him from a possible ACORNGATE!!!!!!
HA HAAAAAA HHAAAAHHHAAAA
And if BARNEY FRANK comes after you (and you're in the far left) you're in REAL trouble.