wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Could someone in the media explain to us why it is ok for ACORN to "pay dues", as Ms. Lewis explained, to the Working Families' Party with taxpayers' dollars, especially when the same person is in charge of both organizations? Maybe I'm naive, but it just doesn't sound very kosher to me. Also, why does Ms. Lewis think that no one would be suspicious of the relationship between the two organizations, especially when, according to Ms. Lewis, they are in the same building?

Ms. Lewis did a dismal job explaining what happened. Her rationale was extremely poor, her diction lacked strength and continuity. As with all minority organizations the fact the that the choose to be in a "separate, but equal" world is the problem. Ms Lewis, I was a so-called minority, and I surged because my parents decided to join the Majority - no ghetto mentality here, no looking for hand-outs, no "I am a victim of white America" was allowed in my household - we voted, respected and held accountable our Authorities, made the Police our friends (If youth do not antagonized the Police, you'll find out, they are some pretty remarkable folks!) payed taxes, and kept our noses clean -- So Ms. Lewis, come in with us, not against us, you'll find out being part of what you call "White America" is really a nice place to be - Peace Out! "" ... there is NO SUCH thing as Black History, it is all Ameircan History ..." Morgan Freeman, actor, in a "60 Minutes" interview

this is in regards to the comment mike left(The video pretty clearly shows a couple of naive and not-so-smart employees being duped by a couple of Right Wing conmen. Clearly the ACORN people wanted to help these people and were taken advantage of. Their actions were stupid and wrong, but that shouldn't condemn the entire organization.)
Are you for real? That is not what happend at all. It is the same thing with every welfare type program people come up with scams and milk it for all they can get. Groups like this just add fuel to the fire by showing them how to abuse the system. They need to shut this group down. Groups like this is the reason we won't have a free health care plan because they will always find a way to scam and steal from it leaving upper middle class folks paying for it just like walfare and countless other programs.

hjs,

It doesn't matter what I say on the matter. ACORN and people who support ACORN and their promotion of sexual trafficking say it all. The truth is in ACORN's consistent and uniform promotion of illegal activities.

Blowback of the progressive corruption complex through investigative people's journalism in the form of documentary evidence in new media on YouTube couldn't be more apt. And using smear tactics to label the voices of dissent who are speaking truth to power as "republicans" or "mcarthyites" and "racists" is just a tired-old page from the extremist-lefty playbook....throw the bums like bertha lewis and her cabal of corrupt community technocrats out - this is a people's uprising against the progressive corruption complex and it WILL be televized!

Finally the disinfectant light of truth exposes the jewel of the progressive corruption complex - ACORN - after 4 decades of vote rigging, tax cheating and phony "community organzing" - shame on Bertha Lewis - she should resign immediately
instead feeding at the public trough - and phony cries of Mcarthyism and other sneaky blame-shifting on the "Republicans"

Peter in Wash Heights - an African American voter for Obama

peter
so I'm guessing you would agree that bush should have resigned after the minerals management service scandal, because one person's guilt means everyone who works at that organization is also guilty.
the actions of 5 employees don't mean an organization promotes anything, but keep saying it and the people will fall for it.

hjs,

My opinion - you are wrong.

ACORN received federal funds. ACORN, as seen on video, promotes sexual slavery.

I don't know why ACORN considers itself a defender of the poor. Their employees were fooled into believing they were helping a white couple abuse Latinos. That does not sound like good liberal values. ACORN also makes deals with billionaire developers at the expense of everyone else.

Just because the rabid right wing nuts attack them, the left shouldn't be pulled in. Some of the right's accusations are based in paranoia, especially about voting fraud.

But as a far left liberal progressive, I want to work to create positive change, not get caught up defending a sketchy organization.

peter
a case of collective punishment?
a case of telling a BIG lie because people believe big lies before they believe small ones?
federal money isn't going towards promoting sexual slavery. there's a lot things to be outraged about this is not one of them.
for one, i'm outraged that some americans will die so that others can get a few more pennies in there insurance company dividend checks.

Sandra,

Those "idiots," as you call them, are indicative of a broken organization. When federal money goes towards promoting sexual slavery, I would hope liberals like yourself would be outraged.

Peter, thanks for acknowledging that I as a liberal am not condoning sex trafficking when I defend Acorn (don't mean that sarcastically either). Obviously, as a woman, I am VEHEMENTLY against sex slavery. Those Acorn people caught on tape were idiots. But it shouldn't tar the entire Acorn organization.

Because if it does....well, Abramoff lobbied for the sweatshops and sex shops of the Mariana Islands. DeLay was lobbied by Abramoff. DeLay is a member of the Republican party. Ergo the whole Republican party would be guilty of supporting the sex shops because one member did (although a lot of people were implicated, including Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist).

truth
bush won the same office and i won't say that means he's brilliant

Truth,

Wow, you discuss sexual slavery by saying "use your head for more than a hatrack." Try and be polite please. Your rudeness suggests to me that your political views on this issue just aren't strong on their merits.

The President of the United States has supported ACORN. ACORN promotes sexual slavery. That matters, your insults aside.

Have a nice day.

Peter,

and yet the behavior of individuals and entity's that either party support still..HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THESE UNITED STATES!!

All are accountable for their own actions, I am sure the President and the Party are saavy enough to reprimand and denounce the behavior of all involved.

He is a brilliant man, I mean he did win the Office of the President....use your head for more than a hatrack sweety!!

truth,

The President of the United States and his party supports ACORN. That may not be a big deal to you, but some of us think that is an issue to be discussed.

Sandra,

Is it your position that because one party does not fight sexual slavery as strongly as you would like, ACORN gets to promote it as a reasonable profession?

and yet NONE of this has ANYTHING to do with the President of the United States!

I wish the right had been as concerned about sex slavery and human trafficking when Abramoff and DeLay were lobbying on behalf of the sex trade for the Mariana Islands. ACTUAL incidents. Not HYPOTHETICAL situations.

Pretty soon, liberals might actually have to look at Obama with fresh eyes. Wait, has hell frozen over yet?

ACORN is just the tip of the iceberg. Maybe the stench of ACORN’s sexual slavery promotion will finally convince a handful of lefties to look more carefully at President Obama.

Oh wait, liberals can just say, "criticizing the president in any manner is racist." I forgot about that.

I wonder if President Carter thinks criticising ACORN is racist too.

so whatt if acorn helps prostitution they are helping people make money and there people also need help. we should be able to do wat we want if u dont like it move some were else.

always good to see when silly public spending is exposed - regardless of any people group.

It is so interesting that some Democrats and liberals find themselves in the corner that promotes sexual slavery and human trafficking. Liberals are actually left with the defense that “only some ACORN workers support sexual slavery, not all of them.”

Oh man, being in the opposition is getting better every day. Obama lies, breaks promise after promise, backs an organization that encourages citizens to enter the "profession" of sexual slavery and human trafficking, and all liberal folks can do is yell “watch out for the right wing.”

I hope Jimmy Carty keeps talking too. What a gift to the republican party.

This operation should have been shut down long ago....If a simpleton can get these pictures and statements, Imagine what is going on behind the scenes. As usual, the lefties are crying because they are being "Picked on", saying the right Wing republicans are attacking.

As an Independant centerist, I would like the organization to be dissolved and have both sides shut up....

Mike,

You are dumber than a box of rocks, wow dude simply amazing....scary actually, that people like you are walking around not knowing what kind of an organization ACORN is and always has been........sad.

I think the lesson to learn here is that ANY extreme organization, left OR right is suspect. What these ACORN employees did is wrong and despiccable and as such, their organization should no longer receive public funding.

The same holds true for any rightist organization that breaks the law. The extreme fringes of our society need to relax and let the vast majority of us moderates live in peace.

We don't want our tax dollars funding either prostitution or religious services! Get a clue, people!

Having written a book about human trafficking (Global Issues: Human Trafficking, Facts On File, August 2009), I am stunned and saddened to hear Ms. Lewis praise most of her employees for "throwing out of the office" people who claimed (albeit falsely) to engage in the sex trafficking of children. The praiseworthy response would have been to alert the authorities. (The National Human Trafficking Hotline can be reached at 888-3737-888.)

Great comments @44 and @49.

Hopefully this scandal will shake up ACORN in the short term and, in the long-term, make it even more effective in its primary mission of working for social justice.

Mike,

You say crazy republican strategy.

I see video promoting sexual slavery by a liberal organization that receives federal funding. Perhaps if the ACORN workers had said something like “you lie” while promoting sexual slavery and human trafficking, you might be more interested in the human rights aspect here. It is sad for Americans that a federally funded organization, supported by our president, has workers spread across different offices who have no problem encouraging folks to commit sexual slavery.

I just read a good point published by another commenter.

ACORN has over 300 shell organizations. You don't create 300 shell "charities" unless you plan on siphoning out grant-money - or confusing the IRS with deductions and "expenses."

Last year, the justice department advised that a RICO Investigation be made on ACORN.

On 9-16-09 - AG Holder was urged to begin a RICO investigation on ACORN and rumor has it, a team is being put together.

ACORN is finished

I do not care if an organiztion is right wing or left wing. As a taxpayer, we should demand ingegrity from any groups that recieve funds from US. There are probably hundreds of ACORN's supported by our government. If we could defund all of them we could probably afford the health care effort.

Federal employees are required, annually, to complete training in 'Trafficking of Persons.' Why would anybody expect the federal gov't to support or fund any person who knowingly participates in 'trafficking.' For that matter, prostitution is illegal. In any case, what is the matter with people thinking it's OK to fund such trash. Perhaps ACORN should move to a country where these activities are condoned. Political party affiliation is so not the point.

@59

These amateur journalists out-shined even the most seasoned and experienced journalists.

Good on them

ACORN is one of the many for-profit "not-for-profit" agencies that need to be taken down.

ACORN's political bias makes it unsuitable to receive federal funding.

You wouldn't like it if an org to help white middle class received 1.8 billion in Federal Money, would you?

Why do you expect the rest of the nation to embrace a corrupt organization; simply because they "help" the poor with "free" money and "business" advice on how not to get caught whoring out 13 year old girls?

This has nothing to do with race, as many libtards will and have said.

If you can't see what this is about; perhaps you are blinded by having too much Obama Kool Aid poured in your face.

Fox rules Acorn drools--it is about time the haters and race baters are exposed i worked for acorn 20 yrs ago they were slime then(why i bquit) they are slime now..no dignity no responsibility no soul>> peace to the truth!

You all know Bush is no longer the president, correct?

I love the defense, we don't suck as much as teh other guy. When in the real world has that ever been an acceptable place to be?

It is your party and your organizations. Keep them clean. @ the one talking about the film-makers agenda. One word, Michael Moore, who I actually love by the way.

Many people here are referring to the culprits as "employees"? Do they not know the difference between an "employee" and a "volunteer"? If not, why? What does this say about the quality of WNYC's reporting? What does it say about the intelligence of WNYC's audience?

A television documentary showed the main office of ACORN where more than one hundred organizations (shadow groups of ACORN) receive donations. There's only reason for these sham groups - fraud.

Peter from Sunset Park - I would argue with you, if I thought you really believed the accusation. This is the crazy Republican strategy for everything: make up something about the other side and then become outraged about it. So we get health care death panels that never existed, we get false statistics about immigratants, and we get this stupid video turned into the idea that ACORN promotes child prostitution and tax evasion.

Mike the rabbi sums it up pretty nicely.

Where have you been C-SPAN, Fox has had this for a long time....get with the program.

Also, where are the votes to cut off funding for Blackwater/XE? They were caught on video SHOOTING Iraqi civilians. Surely actually MURDERING people is worse than TALKING about alleged prostitution.

Tempest in a teapot. Not-too-bright, low-level employees getting swindled by a couple of rich white kids in racist costumes. Wish the people that ACORN serves had all the breaks in life that those 2 brats have (thank you Rabbi Mike, #49! Love your comment!)

I guess bush should have resigned after the minerals management service scandal, if one person's guilt means everyone who works at the same place is also gulity

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/washington/11royalty.html

Normally I would defend an organization such as Acorn but in light of its CEO's poor presentation defending her organization I agree with the Federal, State and City end to funding. As an unemployed "tax paying" New Yorker, there is no justification for a poorly run organization. Especially during these hard economic times, anyone working in a position that doles out taxpayer money should be better screened. Its honest people like myself who should be paid to do that job instead of the few bad eggs who have now tarnished the reputation of an organization who's goal was to help the needy. I chalk it up to bad management and a lack of checks and balances.

It is truly unfortunate.

CR

This is absurd, with a seriously flawed Political agenda!
1 Look at WHO did this sting -
. . . An Ultra Conservative Group
2 Look at who ACORN helps -
. . . the Poor, the Disadvantaged!
3 Look at what is at stake -
. . . Health Care Reform, Mid Term Fed & State Elections! This is a "control" issue only.

I belong to a Not-for-profit group, that helps the same folks Acorn does. When we first make contact with those seeking aid from us. Our Policy, is to work in this order :
1. WE DO NOT JUDGE! - We LISTEN!
2. We VERIFY ALL information they give us.
3. ONLY AFTER Verifying that data, do we decide whether to help or not.

Acorn has been a target of the Ultra Right, simply because they follow this same standard procedure.

I want to see ALL the tapes. How many turned these two "liars" away?
How many times must we have to hear about the "Vast Fraud" of Social Service groups, while we are told to put up with the Mega Fraud of the For Profit Only groups? When will Wall Street, the Insurance & Drug Co's, & Other companies, who have defrauded the world into paying for their bonuses, be on these tapes???

I want Congress & the Senate to reverse it's decision to stop funding Acorn. To demand that ALL tapes are seen.
I want the NEWS to do demand all the tapes be seen.
I am VERY PROUD, those in DC who represent me, did not follow the wolf pack to cut funds from Acorn!

PS Thanks for the fair hearing you gave Bertha! May God bless her work a hundred fold.

#4, yes, a "rare movement of significant journalism."

Mike,

Is it really your position that liberal groups like ACORN can promote or encourage sexual trafficking as long as the people they give this advice to don’t commit the crime? I must say, I don’t think that is the best defense of ACORN or of human rights.

As a liberal who supports much of the work ACORN does, I simply can't buy the few-bad-apples defense. To those invoking it, did you buy it at Abu Ghraib?

There was a culture in those particular offices that allowed these workers to think this was acceptable. ACORN should fire the management of those offices along with the workers on the tapes.

Rhonda
what is your source? why didn't all the acorn workers tow the line instead of just these 5?

Disclosure: I was employed by the Working Families Party 7 years ago and it was Bertha Lewis that took and passed on my resume to the WFP.

Comment:
ACORN has never devoted much funds to public relations and that is why this looks worst than it is.

This is not reflective of an organizational problem. Most of their workers do the work that many of you would not even consider. They go door to door in poor neighborhoods and help people. They help real people become contributing members of our society and they do it with dedication and professionalism.

The fact that Congress is withdrawing funding is an over reaction. There should have been more research and a fair review before any action was taken.

ACORN have a function in many poor communities and people's lives will be impacted. The organization needs to tell these people's stories instead of talking about "stopping new intakes" and blaming the people who infiltrated.

These employees' action should not hurt poor people.

this story is Borat meets Michael Moore.

if the filmers wanted to really nail them they should have gone up the procedural ladder with them to see if ther are checks on the work of the idiots advising poseurs

@ #28 Frank Stechel from Highland Park, NJ
I believe that the head of the organization is also the co-chair of the Workers Family Party. It seems that she never mentioned this until Brian asked her a question about the party's performance in the recent primary. Are most of the members of Acorn also members of the Workers Family Party? Do the have the same goals, mission etc.? If they do then that should probably invite government scrutiny but unless you can show such a link, then the mere occurrence of a high profile member that is common to both organizations would not be enough to violation of ethics rules.

Until we have busts on Wall ST, fully fund regualtors and regulation of ALL financial instruments no matter who issues them, ACORN is just lower hanging fruit.

GWB/RC gave 2x as much in tax cuts as Medicare For All would cost, then BORROWED to start 2 wars to transfer up to $8T in current & future costs.

In doing that they needlessly killed over 4300 of our Armed Forces, funded their cronies as "civilian contractors" & legislated legal immunity for most of them. Then there's the profits retained for uncompleted and/or subpar & dangerous buildings, services, etc.

Then they took away civil rights with the "Patriot Act", etc. Then there's the warrantless wiretapping to evade legal jurisdiction, the "unitary executive" dodge & Addington/Yoo, etc. DOJ torture memos.

Then Mr. Paulson went up to the Hill with 3 nearly blank pages & dispersed how many $T without ANY oversight!

Now the Bush stuff is investigative gold with their taped admissions at various time.

Go to it AG Holder!

Brian the response to this segment shows that you have more fair listeners then I thought. I always assumed that at least a third of your audience was conservative, though you play your show to the most radical 10 - 20%. If you only told them the truth about so many other issues we would have a much better democracy. This woman was like a dear in the head lights. I'm sure she will be running the cigarette and contraband trade in the big house - soon enough. Though she’s probably a flight risk even as we speak.

My students and I worked with ACORN in helping abandoned New Orleans residents in the aftermath of Katrina. They were a blessing. ACORN has been working with the poor and disenfranchised for 40 year.

Two white individuals put on racist "pimp and ho" costumes, and acted like fools, interrupting the real work of low-income ACORM workers helping other low-income citizens understand the tax benefits they're entitled to. A few workers fell for the ugly scam. They got fired for it.

This is so clearly a right-wing setup of an organization that, on the whole, does great work. I only wish the Left would stand behind ACORN the way the Right has stood behind the likes of characters whose behavior, in the final analysis, is much worse.

I am outraged by the blanket condemnation of a 40 year old organization that has helped tens of thousands of economically disadvantaged people for the mistakes of a few employees who were clearly set up. (Personally, I need to be convinced that that video wasn't doctored with the answers being taped over with the script that the sleazy, undercover agent wanted.) I am outraged that our elected representatives, especially the democrats, are too cowardly to call this by its proper name: an organized effort to bring down yet one more organization that doesn't fit their narrow definition of who has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I just made a donation to ACORN. I hope everyone who is as outraged as I am will do the same.

I am outraged by the blanket condemnation of a 40 year old organization that has helped tens of thousands of economically disadvantaged people for the mistakes of a few employees who were clearly set up. (Personally, I need to be convinced that that video wasn't doctored with the answers being taped over with the script that the sleazy, undercover agent wanted.) I am outraged that our elected representatives, especially the democrats, are too cowardly to call this by its proper name: an organized effort to bring down yet one more organization that doesn't fit their narrow definition of who has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I just made a donation to ACORN. I hope everyone who is as outraged as I am will do the same.

I am outraged by the blanket condemnation of a 40 year old organization that has helped tens of thousands of economically disadvantaged people for the mistakes of a few employees who were clearly set up. (Personally, I need to be convinced that that video wasn't doctored with the answers being taped over with the script that the sleazy, undercover agent wanted.) I am outraged that our elected representatives, especially the democrats, are too cowardly to call this by its proper name: an organized effort to bring down yet one more organization that doesn't fit their narrow definition of who has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I just made a donation to ACORN. I hope everyone who is as outraged as I am will do the same.

There is more to this than meets the eye. In the videos I saw, there was nothing that showed these were legitimate ACORN offices -- no sign or any indication where these interviews were taking place. How do we know this whole thing wasn't set up or made up? As for video taping without permission -- didn't
ABC News lose a case against a food processor for undercover video taping their illegal operation.

I agree with Mike (above). This was a hit job, pure and simple. It is not about "corruption." Like the equally fake Van Jones "scandal," It is about trying to make black people (and community organizers) look bad, in the hopes that some of the negativity will rub off on Pres. Obama and make him vulnerable. It is also a "safe" outlet through which frightened white people can channel their racial fears, because this way they can tell themselves they are taking a "principled" stand against "corruption" rather than expressing a much more primal reaction against the spectacle of black people becoming empowered.

Bottom line: ACORN is not the only community organization (any any part of the political spectrum) that could use a moment of self-reflection -- but it also does a lot of great, necessary work. Yes, it needs to put mechanisms in place to make sure this can't happen again. But cutting off funding for an organization that does so much important work is a cowardly overreaction on the part of our "representatives" in Congress.

Halliburton's lucrative govt. contracts are far more expensive AND far more sketchy in terms of high-level corruption and inside deals than anything ACORN could dream of. And as your guest has just pointed out, the same -- and more -- could be said of the bank bailouts (where the corrupt, scruple-free architects of our economy's downfall are STILL pocketing huge profits at the taxpayer's expense).

Brian, would it be possible as a followup for you to explore further the sometimes desperate nature of the political/financial lives of non-profits like Acorn? Much of the discussion appears to raise issues of ethics and propriety, but what's the alternative? Given the low pay non-profits offer, it's no wonder they face frequent recruitment and training problems. Why is anyone surprised to learn that they spend money to lobby the government for money for their programs? What are they supposed to do?

@ 29 Amy - I think you are spot on.

@ hjs - You are so correct. The right wing will do everything in its power to deligitimize Obama as well as any efforts for people they don't like or don't think are American enough (the "other").The real thing that scares me is that they've got God and guns on their side.

Exactly how do they expect these poor clerks to react to a couple of obviously wealthy kids playing an obvious prank?

Playing along with them would seem to me to be the best way to avoid more pranks in the future.

"Oh yes, we have a form for that, lets get it filled out. Oh, there is another form."

If you bore them, they aren't going to come back, or dare their friends to come back and do something similar.

My question is, Was any of the paper work filed anywhere but the nearest trash can?

First: If defunding ACORN means so much to the neo-conservatives of the GOP, why would the Democrats NOT attach the defunding rider to President Obama's Health Insurance initiatives?

Second: Why shut down ACORN funding because of one corrupted employee?
Nobody demanded that the various churches, involved to the hilt, in child molestation and prostitution by closed down or even investigated?

Workers at ACORN local offices who suggested ways to beat taxes didn't create this advice on the own. It was handed down from ACORN's highest-level executives.

Brian, this is just the tip of the ice-berg of ACORN corruption. Remember that ACORN was responsible for getting hundreds of thousands of un-qualified people homes that triggered a financial crisis. ACORN made a ton of money from this on the books and probably much more off the books. There is an ocean of felonies that should be investigated.

And thanks for tying her to this obscure political party. Does the corruption extend to this, too? Please note that there is a physical and financial tie-in with ACORN, the Democrat Party and unions like SEIU and the teachers (that also fund ACORN).

Taxpayers give ACORN money and then they work for one party - the Democrats (when they aren’t making up some shell game party as in NYS) and send money back to that party. Can you remember Obama’s 100s of million of dollars of unaccounted for campaign money? They were promised billions of dollars - now they have been thrown under the bus - they will be the target of every DA and every state AG from now on.

I predict that this woman will soon be in jail along with many of her employees.

I'm all for ACORN, but the fact is, and republicans don't get this, if ACORN didn't exist, disadvantaged people would still organize to vote and demand justice. For some people, the vote is all they've got. The legacy of redlining and institutional racism will not go away even if you put ACORN out of business. And neither will people stop demanding a fair shot. Call it ACORN or call it whatever, it's not a top-down false-front dependent on the funding of a Richard Scaife, and it's not going anywhere.

Yes, we all agree that the behavior of these ACORN reps caught on tape was reprehensible. But, it's a tempest in a teapot created by the right -- the same folks responsible for TORTURE as a US policy and breaking the WORLD economy. Let's put this in perspective and go after the BIG BADguys.

the vote in the house just goes to show conservatives rule this country and even the most ridiculous & outrageous claims can slay the entire democratic party.

A caller excused Acorn because there is also subprime bank fraud -- can we ask the guest about Acorn's role in putting minorities into subprime mortgages that they could not afford?

the actions of certain ACORN employees cant be defended. What I dont understand is the outcry to suspend the funding for this organization when we have spent billions of dollars on abstinence only education and pregnancy crisis centers that continue to give false lifechanging information.

Will she take responsibility?

@ #9: Where do you get the 8.5 Billion figure?

kai
they want obama to resign over this.

I did election protection work w/ACORN in Philadelphia in 2004 & was very impressed w/the operation of their office in that city. I'm glad that office wasn't one of those that had personnel willing to abet tax evasion by prostitutes & pimps! And of course, the people who ran this "sting" only released the videos of those who did. It does sound to me as though the ACORN as a whole needs to vet its employees better, & I was also disturbed by the embezzlement a couple of years ago, but I don't think the entire organization should be punished for the few who did the wrong thing. But ACORN does need to take organization-wide measures to make sure it doesn't hire anyone else who might do such things.

How can this organization receive Federal and State Funds when they have such a close relationship with a political party? Isn't this a violation of NYS Ethics Law?

This is the worst argument I have ever heard.

Bertha, stop speaking. Really.

God, people are so into being outraged. 40%, caller, really? Sample size, please. Get some perspective.

Brian, 50% of your callers are hysterical. Is this a joke? What kind of show are you airing?

Jerry,

No one is defending the bad judgement. But it's not the entire organization. There's no mandate from the top that says ACORN needs to support prostitution and help them evade taxes.

It's not like, I don't know, illegally torturing people on orders from the President.

As a left wing liberal, it is really hard to listen to this woman squirm. It's time to come clean.

It is the "few bad apples" defense, but ACORN has got to acknowledge that bad training and other systemic problems exist.

The right wing has tarred the left with ACORN. The bad politics of this alone means that ACORN has got to go. If not, they will be a non-stop punching bag for those who hate Obama and the Democrats.

That's all, they just must fold their tent. Hopefully, many smaller sprouts will grow.

If she's in charge of the organization, then she should probably resign. Ask her if she will resign.

Great scoops Brian!!

So ACORN has been Federally defunded, it is being investigated for voter fraud, and politicians are not supporting them. All major media outlets are covering the story.

What more do antagonists want?

I suppose what is truly desired is a society that moves away from any groups that work with the impoverished, immigrants, people of color. Those groups are not real Americans? Is that correct for you right-wing, alleged "patriots"?

ACORN employees supporting the global child slave trade,where are the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act indictments.

Peter-

Was there really human sexual trafficking involved here? No. The dupes lied. They weren't cops. There are no charges being filed.

What did Republicans, during their 8 years in power, ever do about human sexual trafficking, or tax evasion, other than expand it and allow it to unchecked and unprosecuted?

CAN SHE BE ANY MORE UNAPOLOGETIC? She is all up-in-arms about this "Republican attack" yet what we're talking about is folks in her offices giving advice about illegal sex workers. Isn't she a woman? Doesn't she CARE about this? She should say they forfeit public funds and will focus on empowering low income individuals to stay away from this line of work.

If there were multiple locations that turned the 'investigators' out, why doesn't ACORN sue for libel? The scammers claimed on FOX that they were never turned out.

Learn the lesson.

The Far Right is attacking.
Be on guard.

With the amount of organization to set up this film project, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that the Acorn Representatives that were "caught" could have been planted to infiltrate Acorn ti get just this result. Has this been suggested?

Bertha Lewis, the Queen of Spin. She makes O'Reilly look like a cub reporter.

I'm listening to Bertha Lewis in disbelief. Saying that Acorn's loss of funding may be unconstitutional and that the situation that Acorn finds itself in is equvalent to McCarthy hearings!! What Kool Aid is she drinking?

so obvious, how can anybody to defend this, bad judment? they were willing to go along.

Learn the lesson.

The Far Right is attacking.
Be on guard.

Ms. Lewis needs to have an equistential moment asap. What are you doing with your life? What are you defending? What is Acorn?

Indefensible. "I'm Sorry." We are shutting down Acorn for one year and rebuild it from the bottom up. Period.

Oh my God! The cat's out of the bag, or should I say that the continuing corrupt criminal enterprise that is ACORN has now been exposed to NPR listeners. Has Hell frozen over?

As per his way, Obama has ordered his Democrat Senate and House to defund ACORN (they were scheduled to receive $8.5 billion under Obama's "stimulus" lol) and THROW them under the bus. Even the US Census has ruled that they will no longer be working with ACORN - and that was going to be a long term element of Obama’s power grab - by fudging the census and redrawing districts all over America to favor the Dems.

ACORN is an organization under investigation in 14 states before these great videos hit the air-ways. Dozens of ACORN people have been arrested and many jailed for all sorts of nonsense including voter registration fraud in 2008. LE agencies indicate that they submitted at least 400,000 fake voters. And please note that ACORN does have a central leadership despite appearing as a loose confederation of local “community organizations.”

The big story however will be the tie-in with Unions like SEIU and the teachers to Democrat politicians and the Democrat Party. Could get juicy. But, don't expect to hear much about in on WNYC. Obama may THROW his “friends” under the bus, but WNYC never will.

As usual, blame the right wing (or left wing) to cover your own wrong-doing.

Mike,

ACORN is a federally funded organization with huge support among Democrats and liberals. Some of its members, at a variety of different offices, were caught on video encouraging folks to commit sexual trafficking and perhaps sexual slavery and you are concerned about right wing conmen? Wow, if most Democrats and liberals think like you, that doesn’t say much for the fight against human/sexual trafficking.

Someone trained these people.What is it about ACORN that provides the atmosphere for this behavior?

Not only did Vitter support prostitution in a much more tangible way than the ACORN employees, but then all the other republican senators who lived in the "prayer house" (or whatever it was called) tried to cover it up. When it did come out, Vitter did the standard "it's a personal problem; I'll pray to Jesus" routine, and got to keep his job.

If fair is fair, couldn't the ACORN employees hold a press conference with their spouses, say they were wrong, pray to Jesus, and then keep their jobs like Vitter did?

From the bowels of these agenda driven film makers or whatever they are -- we have just seen a rare movement of significant journalism.

senator david vitter of louisiana seems to "have no problem supporting prostitution" in a different way, should he resign? beside the fact, that maybe prostitution shouldn't be a crime. since no money (taxpayer's or other) went from acorn to prostitutes, this is just another right wing distraction.
it might be too much to hope that americans can see beyond this.

The video pretty clearly shows a couple of naive and not-so-smart employees being duped by a couple of Right Wing conmen. Clearly the ACORN people wanted to help these people and were taken advantage of. Their actions were stupid and wrong, but that shouldn't condemn the entire organization.

Also, while there are absolutely a few damning things said on that video, most of it is cut in a way that you can't tell if they are really responding to the questions in that situation. It looks like a preview for an episode of Hell's Kitchen.

The idea that Obama should be held responsible for this is ludicrous. This is a thin excuse for an Obama slur.

Remember Bush was best friends with Ken Lay, Jack Abramoff, the Bin Laden family and every oil man on the planet. Cheney made more money for Halliburton as Vice President than he did when he ran the company. I wish the bar hadn't been set so low, but give me a break here.

As seen in the video, ACORN employees seemed to have no problem supporting prostitution, the prostitution of minors, sex trafficking and tax evasion. Please ask Ms. Lewis who is responsible for employees acting in such an awful, immoral manner.

Please also ask Ms. Lewis if President Obama should take any of the blame for the immoral advice being given by ACORN employees since President Obama is a strong supporter of ACORN.