Louisiana cuts off funding for ACORN, Texas Investigating ACORN

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal today cut off state funding for the community activist group ACORN.

Jindal has also blocked any state agency for entering into contracts with the organization.

The executive order also cuts off any future state funding of ACORN, on the heels of a series of embarrassing incidents for the organization.

The governor's action follows a subpoena of documents from the group's national headquarter office in New Orleans.

According to Jindal's executive order, "ACORN's actions make clear that financial involvement with ACORN is contrary to the public policy of the State of Louisiana and the best interests of its citizens."

Executive Order on HALTING STATE FUNDING TO ACORN:


WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of public officials in the State of Louisiana to protect the public and ensure that taxpayer funds are being responsibly, ethically, and properly spent;

WHEREAS ACORN maintains a national headquarters office in New Orleans and has conducted financial activities in the state;

WHEREAS upon my request for an investigation into the organization's activities in the State, the Louisiana Attorney General's Office subpoenaed documents of ACORN's national headquarters in New Orleans;

WHEREAS 70 employees of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now ("ACORN") have been convicted of crimes committed in the course of their work for the organization, to date;

WHEREAS on September 11, 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau ended its relationship with ACORN;

WHEREAS up to 20 states are investigating charges related to voting regularities and fraud into the current and past operations of ACORN;

WHEREAS the United States Senate and House of Representatives recently voted in a bipartisan manner to cut off federal funds to ACORN;

WHEREAS FBI Director Robert Mueller has stated his department will look into allegations of misconduct relating to ACORN;

WHEREAS the Internal Revenue Service is aware of the current allegations facing ACORN and is conducting a " "thorough review" of their relationship with the organization;

WHEREAS ACORN's actions make clear that financial involvement with ACORN is contrary to the public policy of the State of Louisiana and the best interests of its citizens, and therefore should be quickly terminated if it is found to exist.

NOW THEREFORE, I, BOBBY JINDAL, Governor of the State of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution and the laws of the State of Louisiana, do hereby order and direct as follows:

SECTION 1: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are hereby prohibited from entering into any future contracts with ACORN or its subsidiaries or affiliates and that other political subdivisions consider issuing a similar directive;

SECTION 2: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are directed to cease all existing funding for ACORN or its subsidiaries or affiliates unless such funding is legally obligated. If a department, commission, board, office, entity, agency, or officer of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof determines that such funding is legally obligated, it is directed to inform the Executive Counsel to the Governor of its determination.

SECTION 3: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are hereby directed to provide to the Executive Counsel to the Governor no later than October 2, 2009 a copy of any existing contracts or other agreements between the agency and ACORN or its subsidiaries for an immediate review.

SECTION 4: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are authorized and directed to assist and cooperate in implementing the provisions of this Order.

SECTION 5: This Order is effective upon signature and shall continue in effect until amended, modified, terminated, or rescinded by the Governor, or terminated by operation of law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand officially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of Louisiana, at the Capitol, in the City of Baton Rouge, on this 17TH day of September, 2009.

___________________________

GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA"

www.wwl.com...

For those who don't know it, ACORN's National Offices are here in New Orleans. On top of Gov. Jindal's Executive Order, the Attorney General's office has announced that EVERY ACORN office in the state is under investigation.

I am DAMN Proud of my state today

[edit on 9/17/09 by redhatty]

[edit on 9/17/09 by redhatty]

www.statesman.com...

Texas AG confirms ACORN probe

By Mike Ward | Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 03:11 PM

Attorney General Greg Abbott is investigating the Texas activities of the advocacy group ACORN, an aide confirmed this afternoon.

“We are investigating various aspects of ACORN activities in Texas,” Abbott spokesman Jerry Strickland said in an e-mail. “However, because of that ongoing inquiry, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

In New York, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo earlier today announced a state investigation into allegations against ACORN in a Brooklyn office.

Strickland declined comment on whether Abbott’s investigation was new or an inquiry that had been going on previously.

ACORN is embroiled in a national controversy over hidden-camera videos released by conservative activists posing as a prostitute and a pimp showing ACORN employees in four cities advising them to lie about her profession and launder her earnings to receive housing assistance.

The U.S. Senate has voted to cut off Department of Housing and Urban Development funding to the group, House Republicans are calling for an FBI probe and Texas politicians have joined the calls for a thorough review of all government funding to ACORN.

Several Texas lawmakers had called Tuesday for a state investigation into ACORN’s Texas activities, and whether it receives state funding. R.J. DeSilva, a spokesman for Comptroller Susan Comb, said the organization received no state funding in 2008 or 2009.

In Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley, the group has been active in recent years in assisting low- and moderate-income Texans with mortgage foreclosures and tax advice, and assistance with FEMA claims and citizenship issues, voter registration and coping with high summer electric bills.

Late this afternoon, ACORN officials announced they have temporarily suspended intakes into some programs and are undertaking an independent review of the allegations brought forth by the controversy.

That's 2 and counting

They are so screwed.

Good riddance to bad company, IMO.

Wonder what would happen if these "investigations" reveal illegal voter registrations amounting to a sufficiently significant level to call in to question the presidential election....

i would not doubt it, yet again, americans are finding ourselves less and less confident in the simple honesty and strength of our democratic proces...

tense

I heard on the evening news today that Ga has
cut ties with them too


The Acorn tree soon to be bare.

Originally posted by abecedarian
Wonder what would happen if these "investigations" reveal illegal voter registrations amounting to a sufficiently significant level to call in to question the presidential election....

Michele Bachmann had a conference call with her constituents tonight that ventured into that line of thought.

Seems things might get very interesting soon.

But living in interesting times is a chinese curse, remember that

An update on the new investigation happening here in Louisiana
www.wwltv.com...

[edit on 9/17/09 by redhatty]

Add Georgia to the list

www.11alive.com...