The story in a nutshell:
- Bertha Lewis is the CEO of ACORN.
- In a review of Lewis’s contacts list, which was leaked to RedState, Bertha Lewis has the office, cell phone, home number, and private personal email address of Patrick Gaspard.
- Patrick Gaspard holds Karl Rove’s position in the White House and was Obama’s Political Director during the campaign.
- In addition to Patrick, Bertha has Patrick’s brother Michael in her rolodex. She lists Michael as working at the Advance Group.
- The Advance Group is ACORN’s lobbying organization.
- In other words, besides having Obama’s political director’s contact info, the political director’s brother works for ACORN via its lobbying shop.
On Sunday, Barack Obama played ignorant on the situation with ACORN. Obama told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, “Frankly, it’s not really something I’ve followed closely. I didn’t even know that ACORN was getting a whole lot of federal money.” Never mind that Barack Obama used to work for ACORN.
Based on information obtained by RedState, we think Barack Obama may live to regret those words.
With everybody focused on ACORN these days, what if we could dig around and see who in the Obama administration shows up in Bertha Lewis’s rolodex? Bertha Lewis is the CEO of ACORN.
Bertha Lewis is considered one of the 100 most influential women in New York according to Crain’s New York Business. She is an activist, organizer, and radical of the far left. When she calls, union bosses and others pick up the phone.
It’s not that hard to look into her contacts. RedState has seen a list of Bertha Lewis’s contacts. We did not seek it out. It just showed up one day unsolicited. We did not ask for it. We did not expect to get it. But now that we have it, we should see who is in there.
The contacts came from a credible source who is no fan of ACORN. An ACORN employee gave it to him. Having examined the file for a week and after consulting with others, we believe the list is legitimate. It fits a recent pattern of leaks out of ACORN as the rats scramble from the sinking ship.
The list contains the private email addresses and cell phones of scores of powerful and influential people from Al Sharpton to Charlie Rangel. It contains several people inside the Barack Obama administration including one of the closest ties to Barack Obama other than his wife.
One word about the list of contacts — some of the contacts are outdated. Like with most people’s contact lists, some of the people have not had their contact information updated in a while. I know the file has at least been updated because it also contains Michael Steele and lists him as Chairman of the GOP — an act that did not take place until this year. To be fair though, it is just his generic email address. That is not the case with some others. Likewise, other names on the list are very current and some have portions of their information outdated and other data current.
The Advance Group
To get a sense of the ties to the White House, one must first understand what the Advance Group is. The organization appears over and over again in the list of contacts.
Were you to look at its website you’d see nothing of interest. It is a rather innocuous “under construction” page. But behind that page is a host of connections.
A review of the Advance Group’s lobbyist filings with the State of New York shows it represents several organizations that fight for social justice, minority rights, etc. It also represents the New York Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, or ACORN. And not just any branch of ACORN, but the main branch. Though its name is New York ACORN, it’s registered address is New Orleans, LA. While ACORN keeps its organization somewhat nebulous, and also for profit so it does not have to reveal details about its organization, New York ACORN with a registered address in Louisiana is, for all intents and purposes, ACORN.
It’s registered lobbyist with the Advance Group is Scott Levenson. Mr. Levenson is also named ACORN’s national spokesman. He made headlines recently when Glenn Beck threw Mr. Levenson off his show during a segment on ACORN.
Patrick Gaspard
Patrick Gaspard was the Executive Vice President for the SEIU until Barack Obama asked Gaspard to become his Presidential Campaign’s National Political Director. Once in the White House, Gaspard became Barack Obama’s Director of the Office of Political Affairs. He is Barack Obama’s Karl Rove, but unlike Rove, eschews the spotlight, which is why so many compare David Axelrod to Rove.
Here is a good profile of Patrick Gaspard.
Mr. Gaspard’s official responsibility is to provide the president with an accurate assessment of the political dynamics affecting the work of his administration, and to remain in close contact with power brokers around the country to help push the president’s agenda.
In practice, he’s something of an all-purpose fixer, if not the carte blanche policy architect that Mr. Rove was for George W. Bush, or the number-one politics guru that David Axelrod is for Mr. Obama.
And while he looks after the president’s interests in Washington, he also uses his position as a lever to manage politically messy situations closer to home.
Gaspard is in the news this week as the man who delivered the horse head to New York Governor David Paterson — telling Paterson not to run for re-election.
Patrick Gaspard intentionally keeps a low profile, preferring to work behind the scenes. It makes him effective.
Michael Gaspard
Patrick Gaspard’s brother Michael Gaspard works for The Advance Group. Michael apparently keeps a lower profile than his brother. He does not appear on lobbyist disclosures for The Advance Group in the State of New York. Nonetheless, he works there. Ms. Lewis’s contacts list confirms Michael Gaspard’s employment there.
Tying Bertha Lewis to the Gaspard Brothers
The level of detail Bertha Lewis has for contacting Patrick Gaspard suggests a closeness between the two.
Ms. Lewis has Patrick Gaspard’s office number, home number, and cell phone number. Patrick’s information still contains the 212 area code, which suggests it has not been updated since he moved to Washington, D.C. However, only 131 of the 1,894 contacts, or 7% of the total, list home phone numbers, let alone home, office, and cell phone numbers. For perspective, only 31 of the 1,849 contacts have home, office, cell phone, and business email addresses listed. Patrick Gaspard makes that list.
Gaspard’s contact information also contains his private personal email address making him among the most detailed contacts on the list. Only Wade Rathke, the founder of ACORN, and a handful of others have as much personal information in Lewis’s contacts list as Patrick Gaspard.
Bertha Lewis also has Michael Gaspard’s office number and cell phone. In addition, as noted above, Michael Gaspard works for ACORN’s registered lobbying organization and with ACORN’s national spokesman.
Other Administration Connections
A cursory view of Ms. Lewis’s contacts lists shows a couple of other obvious administration contacts too.
It will come as no surprise that Ms. Lewis keeps up with Shaun Donovan. Mr. Donovan is now the Secretary for Housing and Urban Development. Before that, Mr. Donovan was the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). In New York City, he worked on affordable housing initiatives right up ACORN’s alley. His contact information has not been updated since he left the HPD.
Then there is Karine Jean-Pierre. She originally worked for John Edwards. In fact, Ms. Lewis’s contacts list still has her listed with John Edwards’ campaign, but also has Ms. Jean-Pierre’s personal and presumably still working personal email address, etc. Ms. Jean-Pierre left there to work for Congressman Anthony Weiner, then became Barack Obama’s regional political director.. She is now the White House liaison for the Department of Labor. That’s a handy contact.
The web of connections from Ms. Lewis’s contacts list goes straight into the White House and out the other door into the Departments of Labor and Housing and Urban Development, circling back to ACORN’s lobbying operation.
With the White House trying to distance itself from ACORN, Ms. Lewis’s contacts there might make it more difficult. She has clear ties to Patrick and Michael Gaspard, the President’s fixer and the man who gets ACORN projects and money.
The President can say “I didn’t even know that ACORN was getting a whole lot of federal money,” but a review of Ms. Lewis’s contacts list suggests that is not the case.
SURPRISE SURPRISE SUR-PRIZE
Deskpilot Tuesday, September 22nd at 5:48AM EDT (link)NOT.
I don’t even think that a forensic accountant could untangle this web of deceit before the second Tuesday in November 2012. There are more crossed connections than the wires above the streets of NYC in the 20’s
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can still read it in English, You’re Welcome
Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN (Ret)
Join the RedState Strike Force
And they have an audacity to claim innocen?e
voicefromthevoid Tuesday, September 22nd at 6:03AM EDT (link)Well, it might sound like plausible deniability should there would be only one or two such incidents, as were caught on tape. Three or more cases, in different branches across country, that shows an intent and a policy of the organization as a whole and it’s management. All the attempts to say otherwise are just blatant and impudent lies directly into our face.
As such, ACORN is a criminal (if not directly enemy) organization, created with the specific goal to aid and abet anyone who is working towards the destruction of the American society and American way of life, as well, as to help destruct the USA by all means possible (read election fraud among other things).
Now, that their ties to White House are uncovered, given how strong those ties are, is not it the time to ask ourselves, who is it really, who sits in the White House and also lies into our collective face, this time that he was not aware of all the money he had siphoned to ACORN, just falling short of statement he was not aware that ACORN even exists?
Tip of the Iceberg
kervick Tuesday, September 22nd at 6:58AM EDT (link)What we are seeing is just a bit of the corrupt and illegal human services - democratic connection. Let’s be honest. Over the years these organizations have been given a pass because they “helped the poor”. Keep the investigation going - I agree it may be bigger than Watergate.
"IF YOU ONLY KNEW"
ecroper Tuesday, September 22nd at 1:55PM EDT (link)Its definatly much bigger than Watergate,Its a continuation of what Watergate has decieved us of. Both sides are covering things up that We cannot prove—Yet. We are the monitary source which enables them to continue their secret agendas. Conspiracy, peranoia call it what you may They know that we have the power to remove their power because we are their POWER. Follow the HISTORY OF THE GUN.They believe we cant handle the truth and are definatly afraid of what we will do if we find out the truth.As well they should be. Its just a matter of time when a free society gets fed up with with the President and his LIBERTY destroying agenda . If The partys remove all of our abilities then we cant defend LIBERTY and thats what they are trying to achieve. Look alive people. stay prepared and above all things Place GOD and ask for HIS Help. We still ar One Nation Under GOD.
This is not something I've been following
Socrates Tuesday, September 22nd at 7:00AM EDT (link)all that closely. It’s not the biggest issue facing our country. This is a distraction.
This is not the Bertha Lewis I knew.
–
Gone 2500 years, still not PC.
The Only Chicogoan who smells like
dsmurf Tuesday, September 22nd at 7:41AM EDT (link)a Rose is in the White House, and his former employer that smells like doo doo has contacts with the WH that intimate. Just a coincidence yes, well of course. Nothing of consequence.
I've heard those talking points
somerschool Tuesday, September 22nd at 8:40AM EDT (link)PLEASE. We can google. When every ACORN-sympathizer starts saying the same words (”What about Halliburton? What about Blackwater? What about the big oil companies?”) it becomes obvious to the meanest intelligence that you’ve all got the same script.
a vast network of criminals
kyle8 Tuesday, September 22nd at 8:47AM EDT (link)working within the system, getting federal money, violating voting rules, and working for the party in power. That is not important??
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
Kyle8
Steph C Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:12AM EDT (link)Lighten up and recognize snark when you see it. Otherwise, you’re going to have a heart attack and die way before your time.
“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics
Even thought the snark tag wasn't used
Richard Mullins Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:20AM EDT (link)it was implied. That was a good use of snark there.
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Yup
Steph C Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:25AM EDT (link)made me chuckle.
If we don’t approach some of this Shakespearean tragedy with a sense of humor we’ll all die of heart attacks way before our time.
“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics
coffee didn't kick in
kyle8 Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:33AM EDT (link)didn’t see it.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
No worries.
Socrates Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:43AM EDT (link)I was a little hurt, but after speaking to my analyst, two spiritual advisers, and application of appropriate pharmaceutical remedies, I was able to reach a point of temporary balance.
Yes, I think I’m somewhat better now.
–
Gone 2500 years, still not PC.
The smoking gun
EagleWatcher Tuesday, September 22nd at 7:29AM EDT (link)How dumb do you have to be to be a lib?
“I didn’t even know that APORN was getting all kinds of federal money.”
“I sat in Reverend Right’s church for twenty years and never knew he was a raving, racist, nut job.”
“I’m not in favor of big government.”
“My health care plan will save money by creating 47 new government agencies.”
http://pic.gd/27ab51
Adopt a Congressman
Soldiers’ Angels SarahPAC
Top Conservatives on Twitter
The President's proclaimed ignorance of ACORN's Federal funding is outrageous.
Vladimir Tuesday, September 22nd at 7:30AM EDT (link)ACORN first appeared on my radar around 1979. They staged a sit-in at the Houston HQ of Shell Oil Co. (then my employer), claiming that the office building was a “public place”. They were thrown out bodily in front of the TV news cameras.
I’ve known they were trouble for a long time. I’ve known that they receive federal funding for a long time.
Mr. Obama was a trainer for ACORN in Chicago in the 1990s.
Mr. Obama is not a stupid man.
Mr. Obama knows full well where ACORN gets their money.
There is no opinion, however absurd, which men will not readily embrace as soon as they can be brought to the conviction that it is generally adopted. - Arthur Schopenhauer
Isn't ACORN Supposed to Be BiPartisan By Law?
Spartan4Life Tuesday, September 22nd at 7:42AM EDT (link)Since they receive federal dollars? Can’t we use the law to shut them down(up) once and for all?
And maybe we could try to use the same laws against some of these other pseudo political organizations, some of which get tax exempt status. Hell, let’s even go after the teacher’s unions while we’re at it. I have always hated the fact that I pay their salary and then they use my money to fight against what I believe in. Can you say Unconstitutional?
This is a good "get." Start dialing and see who answers.
archer52 Tuesday, September 22nd at 7:59AM EDT (link)I don’t know how you got it, don’t care and hope nobody gets into trouble. But, you ought to start dialing and see who answers before they all change their numbers!
That Scott fellow looks like someone who should be spending time up state for some kind of fraud charge. The fact HE’S the contact point shows how crude they are in general.
Does Chris Matthews know about this?
gregofmich Tuesday, September 22nd at 7:59AM EDT (link)This could cause a crampy feeling up his leg if the media pursues the inconsistencies from Obama (D-Illinois).
"You Lie, You Lie"
bagsthatspeak Tuesday, September 22nd at 8:50AM EDT (link)Even when this and additional connections will be common knowledge, will Chris Matthews even admit in public that this information exists?
After all, our president threw any conversation he wanted to avoid talking about back in the face of Stephanapoulos…and he was the only reporter to remotely ask a legitimate question.
When Obama runs in 3 years that will be our chant…”you lie, you lie.”
We hit on his most redeeming characteristic.
Now, can we take a peek-a-loo at that Blackberry Zero's carrying?
RedWhite_and_Truth Tuesday, September 22nd at 8:59AM EDT (link)After all, isn’t our tax money paying for that? In all its souped-up, secure, encrypted glory?
Our tax money pays for a lot of secret things (nt)
Neil Stevens Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:14AM EDT (link)Want to run for conservatives? Give.
There Is No Crisis
Obama Signs Tens of Thousands of Questionable Pardons Submitted by Community Group ACORN
melvinwinter Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:25AM EDT (link)http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/09/obama-signs-tens-of-thousands-of.html
Strange, how a poster yesterday was saying Beck,
penguin2 Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:27AM EDT (link)was loony with crazy conspiracy theories. And those of us who followed and believed Beck (as well as others), were wasting out time, etc. No, I don’t believe we are loons, just smart enough to pay attention and believe the evidence with our own eyes.
BTW, the diary I’m referencing was Toby’s political cartoon Mad Magazine:
http://www.redstate.com/dia0420/2009/09/21/mad-magazine/#comment-639
Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.
Benjamin Franklin
On the news media
Duke Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:36AM EDT (link)With the ascendancy of the “new media” the old, formerly “mainstream media” becomes less and less relevant.
The fresh air we see now blowing into our country is coming from the likes of Red State and BigGovernement.com. There was once a day when television and newspapers had REAL reporters that investigated real stories. That era ended decades ago, following the War in Vietnam.
Good job, Erick!
So Obama has time to fill out Final Four brackets....
Buzz Brockway Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:47AM EDT (link)has an opinion as to how the White Sox will do this season, has heard about and formed an opinion on the whole Kayne West vs. Taylor Swift throw down but hasn’t heard about the ACORN scandal and wasn’t aware they received tons of federal funds?
Heck I bet he’d be surprised to learn the things Erick is reporting here. He’s probably never even heard of this Bertha Lewis person.
Don’t be too hard on the President, all this merely means he watches the Big Media. He only knows what Keith Olbermann, Katie Couric, et al tell him.
Buzz
Buzz Blog
Clearly Obama has a bunker mentality
Neil Stevens Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:53AM EDT (link)He’s living in a bubble detached from the world.
Isn’t that what they said about Bush?
Want to run for conservatives? Give.
There Is No Crisis
Yes, But Is It Real?
John Coonen Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:58AM EDT (link)How do you know:
1) Your list you obtained is legitimate and not forged; and
2) It’s Bertha’s
Is it electronic, or hand-written? Does Bertha admit it is hers?
John Coonen
Host, The Citisun Community
http://www.Citisun.com
two words
Streiff Tuesday, September 22nd at 9:59AM EDT (link)due diligence
“A man does what he can and endures what he must.”
Why on God's green earth would you expect the likes of Bertha to admit
janis Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:06AM EDT (link)this is her rolodex list? Even under oath I wouldn’t presume that such a close Obama associate would have so much as a fleeing acquaintance with the truth. She’s as corrupt as her boss and indeed, the entire organization.
I’d trust the folks here at RedState to have the goods, if I were you.
I wouldn't... Nor should we care...
tsquare Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:25AM EDT (link)Her choices are:
Be seen as a well connected insider, with connections that go ‘all the way to the top’ something that very likely she’s been telling people.
Or claim that you are a total buffoon that doesn’t know anyone, thus proving yourself a liar.
Now of course as a liberal she’ll get away with having it both ways as we are the only one that will ever hold her feet to the fire.
In the end this, while this is fine fine work by Erick, is almost pointless save making ACORN too ‘toxic’ for Democrats to openly support. It and 100 stories like it will never be able to kill them off.
Without open support...
Moe Lane Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:47AM EDT (link)…ACORN is doomed. And hidden support becomes a scandal, when revealed. It’s the coverup that truly hurts a politician.
Check out my new blog at http://moelane.com/.
http://twitter.com/moelane
My (blogging-related) wish list.
ACORN is too big to fail.
blooch Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:32AM EDT (link)I think we’ll see someone Czarry to reorganize the way it receives federal money, but it will be a continuing corrupt enterprise.
As far as the coverup goes, Obama will escape the carnage completely. He will maintain plausible ignorance and blame overzealous underlings as he swerves around the wreckage.
After Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers Van Jones, etc., Bertha Lewis will not become an albatross around his neck. You would think that the slow drip, drip, drip would be taking its toll on him, but the drops seem always seem to evaporate quickly in the sunny, blue sky MSM world.
“I have to admit that Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a smart man. He was, in many ways, a psychologist.”–drealoth
Exactly
azred Tuesday, September 22nd at 1:19PM EDT (link)The Dead Media (soon to be officially the government media) is on an IV drip. If it’s not reported there, it didn’t happen. So the ‘noise’ will be made irrelevant. The DOJ investigation will be a charade. Just some token ‘findings’ to appease the vultures circling. ACORN will be given a clean bill of health, with some remedial action, and the beat will keep going.
When you see the pathetic excuse for professional and ethical responsibility looking like melted butter on the floor, the only thing you can hope for is someone to slip and bust the ass on it.
I'm getting that 'Death Star' image
azred Tuesday, September 22nd at 1:21PM EDT (link)The deeper we dig the bigger it gets and we just can’t find the end of it.
Or maybe it’s the ship from the opening of Space Balls.
Or maybe Obama's own V'ger?
blooch Tuesday, September 22nd at 3:57PM EDT (link)If it’s a Death Star, it must be Death Star II, with no huge thermal exhaust ports leading directly to the reactor, and massive defenses against Rebel fighters.
“I have to admit that Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a smart man. He was, in many ways, a psychologist.”–drealoth
Acorn=Democrat Party
tskier Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:09AM EDT (link)The Democrat Party is a criminal enterprise.
Bertha Lewis and Michelle Obama
jeannieology Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:20AM EDT (link)Big Bertha and Bertha Lewis do Pilates together and therein is the extent of the connection.
http://www.jeannie-ology.com
ACORN helps out poor disenfranchised people
James_Reynolds Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:34AM EDT (link)well thts no excuse not to go after them. Mobsters and some drug dealers invest alot of money into thier communityfor very good causes, but we still take them down and bring them to justice.
Obama, dirty as a pig in mud.
johnt Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:38AM EDT (link)Not that that bothers liberals, so busy are they calling half the nation racist. The O is so corrupt that he doesn’t even have a chance to be a good liar, such a waste of potential talent.
And all of this just slips by our watchdogs in the media, the grand moralizers, always prattling about a free press, but only mongrels of the gutter.
“a man’s admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him”. Tocqueville
You slander pigs. And mud. nt
janis Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:40AM EDT (link)Well the Pigs and mud should sue
Richard Mullins Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:46AM EDT (link)the Democratic party and the O admin for slander. They don’t want to be a part of this either.
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Rats abandoning a sinking ship indeed!!!...
JadedByPolitics Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:38AM EDT (link)good work at getting this information and perhaps this is information that can be turned over to all the IG’s who will be investigating ACORN which we all know is a CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE!
Whoever has his enemy at his mercy &
does not destroy him is his own enemy
They're not going to investigate ACORN.
Achance Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:51AM EDT (link)This is one of those “let’s not and say we did” things that governments, especially Democrat governments, do so well. Comrade Obama’s junta will lie, the media will swear to it, and that’ll will be the end of it.
If ACORN and the other Soros lackeys are to be brought to justice, it will have to be under state laws in the Red states; neither the Fed nor any Blue state will lay a hand on them.
In Vino Veritas
The CIA first, ACORN never.
johnt Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:09AM EDT (link)Can’t say liberals[?] don’t have their priorities, and when better to do it then in wartime.
The head spins at the lunatic corruption.
“a man’s admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him”. Tocqueville
If reported at all, the media will have a good laugh
Read Chesterton in New Improved Jersey Tuesday, September 22nd at 2:15PM EDT (link)and report that Michael Steele made it to the list. The scandal will be that RS had a copy of the list in its possession.
“Nature is not our mother: Nature is our sister. We can be proud of her beauty, since we have the same father; but she has no authority over us; we have to admire, but not to imitate.” - G. K. Chesterton, “Orthodoxy,” Chapter VIII.
What About Podesta's(Soros') Center for American Progress?
Spartan4Life Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:40AM EDT (link)Why do these hacks get 501C3 status? I thought to get tax exemption you had to be non-partisan.
The GOP is so stupid. They are letting the Democrat party set up a massive political operation funded with taxpayer money. Then, when they get rolled, they say, “Gee, what happened?” How can I soar with eagles when I am surrounded by turkeys.
Outlawyered again.
Just because Comrade Obama's IRS says they're non-profit
Achance Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:54AM EDT (link)doesn’t necessarily mean they’re non-profit under state laws and maybe somebody could look at that in Red states with income taxes. Only trouble is, that’s one of those, “when the enemy is in range, so are you” things. Any state that started peeking under these thugs’ skirts would be invaded by federal auditors and investigators.
In Vino Veritas
Here's the 501(c)(3) language
Spartan4Life Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:01AM EDT (link)Right from the IRS:
Exemption Requirements
To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.
Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.
The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization’s net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.
Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues.
I believe any organization that is granted 501 c 3 status is subject to audit by the GAO. Senator Grassley has made some noise about ACORN in the past.
I just think the GOP is a bunch of whimps on these kinds of issues.
just two points
Streiff Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:16AM EDT (link)1. Tax status is audited by the IRS. The GAO could probably look at those activities receiving direct federal payments but most of ACORN would be exempt from that scrutiny.
2. On paper ACORN had done a good job of maintaining the fiction of being non-partisan. We all know they aren’t, but their voter drives, etc. are non-partisan they are just focused in heavily democrat areas.
“A man does what he can and endures what he must.”
ACORN Soup a White House Favorite
jeannieology Tuesday, September 22nd at 10:53AM EDT (link)You people are all so cynical.
Bertha Lewis, before heading up ACORN, was a famous chef. One of Obama’s favorite dishes, which Bertha made famous in Chicago, is ACORN soup where she was able to concoct a delicious dish with stolen ingredients, which she then served to the poor at soup kitchens.
All the community organizers ate the soup with the poor and indigent in Chicago and in turn Obama, now at the White House asked Bertha for the recipe in order to make sure he doesn’t ever forget his roots with the people.
http://www.jeannie-ology.com
ACORNGATE
Castor Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:06AM EDT (link)If we all push hard enough and if Beck, O´Reilly, Hannity and Greta keep the ball rolling this could well become Acorngate for Obama.
At the same time it´s necessary to do a full scale attack on the commie-czars and see how many of them could be tied to Acorn.
Can anybody spell RICO?
sccrenny Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:14PM EDT (link)Surely if it can be used against abortion protestors effectively, then ACORN would be fine fodder for an investigation.
When I look at Barack Obama I don’t see black. I don’t see white. I do, however see RED! It’s the same color I see when I look at Pelosi, Reid, ACORN, SEIU…
RICO is a federal statute
LJ "Beaglescout" Miller Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:53PM EDT (link)Federal prosecutor needs to do it. How likely do you think that is?
“Each of us has a natural right, from God, to defend his person, his liberty, and his property.”
Many states have a parallel law
Lammo Wednesday, September 23rd at 1:29AM EDT (link)e.g., WA’s Criminal Profiteering Act, RCW 9A.82.
ACORN: Association of Criminals Obama Represented in the Nineties. (jupitersuite)
Don’t be so open minded that your brains fall out. (Fr. John Corapi, SOLT)
Crime never takes a holiday. (Dennis J. O’Shea, R.I.P.)
Unlawful is against the law. Illegal is a sick bird. (Ooold joke)
Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. (Groucho Marx)
Truth and time go hand in hand.
toughintn Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:24AM EDT (link)The President is getting entirely too comfortable with espousing two opposing absolutes and not being called on it.
He’s piling up a mountain of lies, and will eventually be caught in the avalanche of his own making.
ACORN NYC
proudgop Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:41AM EDT (link)There was a story the other day which I read that said that ACORN has a substantial amount of prime real estate in NYC; it was pretty shocking.
That's not the ACORN I knew, which I thought was a gardening club
streetwise Tuesday, September 22nd at 11:51AM EDT (link)Wait for these and other excuses from the White House and the blogoshpere Obamites.
Investigation
proudgop Tuesday, September 22nd at 12:02PM EDT (link)Via politico
With the group ACORN realizing that its very survival may depend on a credible, public effort at internal reform, it announced today that former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger will lead an “independent inquiry into the organizational systems and processes surrounding the social services of the organization.”
Harshbarger, a Democrat, is a lawyer at Proskauer Rose.
Shocking the have Democrat do the investigating and from MA to boot? The entire MA delegation minus 1 voting present and 1 voting yea sided with ACORN in house. Kerry did vote yea too although
oh, the tangled web of lies and deceit
spritelywatchdog Tuesday, September 22nd at 12:07PM EDT (link)It must get really hard to keep your story straight when you’ve got so many different stories to tell, and your compelling story is the only thing that you have going for you. I wonder how the propaganda arm of the administration is going to spin this.
More of my views can be read at http://spritelywatchdog.blogspot.com
Accountability in 2010 and in 2012.
Give me Liberty, or give me Death. - Patrick Henry
Campaign payment of $800,000
Husker Tuesday, September 22nd at 12:11PM EDT (link)According to Dick Morris, ACORN was in arrears to the IRS for $800,000. Is it a coincidence the Obama campaign wrote a check to an ACORN subsidiary for just over that amount for services rendered?
Those services were “misclassfied” as staging and lighting, only until a local newspaper uncovered their obvious rouse, they were forced to list that service rendered as voter outreach.
Outstanding!
Flagstaff Tuesday, September 22nd at 1:02PM EDT (link)Get this word out on other blogs and the broadcast and cable media.
Pluto, the Ninth Planet - Forever!
ACORN gave Berth-a to a rotten egg...
jeannieology Tuesday, September 22nd at 1:52PM EDT (link)…and now we have a President who keeps attempting to make a cheese omelet out of it.
http://www.jeannie-ology.com
obama
sarge324 Tuesday, September 22nd at 3:44PM EDT (link)he lied out right about acorn.why dont someone ask this guy some hard questions.jouralist where are you.you are suppose to get the truth.thats is why he wont come on fox.because they will ask the questions not have a conversation with him.remember they walked the party line in very one oif the marxist states.