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Senate de-funds ACORN, but seven stand by them

By: David Freddoso
Online Opinion Editor
09/14/09 7:21 PM EDT

Sen. Dick Durbin, talks with reporters during a news conference in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

The Senate has voted overwhelmingly to strip ACORN of funding in the Transportation/Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill. After ACORN workers were caught on tape in three cities allegedly abetting what they believed was a fraudulent mortgage and sex-trafficking scheme, only seven senators were willing to stand by them:

Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
Roland Burris, D-Ill.
Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
Bob Casey, D-Pa.
Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.

Not voting were Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., and Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.

The key now is to see whether Democrats try to strip out this provision later in a House-Senate conference committee.

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Reader Comments

All comments on this page are subject to our Terms of Use and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Examiner or its staff. Comment box is limited to 250 words.

cvkathy

Sep 14, 2009

I'm truly sorry to hear this.

Sep 14, 2009

It is a disgrace that they get a single penny of taxpayer money. Hopefully this is only a beginning.

FredPinVT

Sep 14, 2009

Being from Vermont, I do not support my reps in Congress on this. Acorn needs to shape up and follow the rules like every other American~! And so does Congress!

djd

Sep 14, 2009

Ninety-one good senators! Wow!

Sep 14, 2009

I don't see how alleged fraud on the part of a few people means that Americans shouldn't be encouraged to register to vote.

Marie

Sep 14, 2009

I remain ashamed of the senate reps from Illinois. They have no conscience.

James

Sep 14, 2009

ACORN is an example of the background our President came from. And Dems think we are hateful for not believing anything he says! Amazing.

Ellen St John

Sep 14, 2009

I'm pleasantly surprised to find 91 Senators who are willing to stand up and do the right thing.

As for the "sad loss" re registered voters, I think we'll survive without Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck on the voter rolls.

As for ACORN, taxpayer dollars are hard earned and that should be respected by the people in gov't who spend them.

It is sad that a tax free dot.org like ACORN could have gotten away with so much, for so long, without oversight.

I'd like to see where ELSE my tax dollars go. Who ELSE is spending my money, where, and for what.

Accountability is not only responsible gov't, it's becoming a moral imperative.
Folks are sick of this kind of scandal, from BOTH PARTIES.

It's our money being thrown down a hole and nobody's even paying lip service to taking legal steps to force abusers like ACORN to pay it back.

Jack

Sep 14, 2009

Didn't ACORN change their name? Aren't they the Community Organizers International or COI? So the Senate Cut funding for a non-existent entity?

Johnny C

Sep 14, 2009

It's about time. This is the first display of common sense by our legislators in some time. Hope to see more fiscally responsible decisions!

Teresa

Sep 14, 2009

ACORN did a massive amount of cheating for Obama in the primaries. I am guessing he will NOT come to their rescue, but rather throw them under the bus with his grandmother and reverend Wright.
In the meantime congress did the right thing.

Rick

Sep 14, 2009

Ellen if you want to see where more of your earnings go then get Martin Gross' new book National Suicide, How Washington Is Destroying the American Dream from A to Z.

remarkable

Sep 15, 2009

Congress is now fearing the public as elections is approaching and 30 seats maybe taken away from the DEMS in 2010. It is a political stunt

Taddeo

Sep 15, 2009

Now that Acorn has been defunded, I wonder what they're going to call themselves. I know they're not going away!

Judith

Sep 15, 2009

At the risk of sounding "racists" and all that jazz what appalls me about this group of organizers is their uncanny ability to twist the thinking and conscience of Americans to believe that what is good for blighted neighborhoods includes an "anything goes" policy to get the job done. America works on a value system and a system of values that hopefully works for everyone in a fair and equitable manner. Some of these senators are really "out to lunch" on this sticky issue and these lost ones need to find their way back home soon!

ggordon

Sep 15, 2009

It will never last - the Dems will get a call from Rahm threatening them. Just think what ACORN means to them in the census. They are providing census workers to "count" the population and account for demographics. Take the voter registration fraud - and duplicate with longer term and deeper affects. Do you really think the feds are going to let this one get away from them? Expect the call from Rahm any time...

Shaun

Sep 15, 2009

Acorn is a cancer in our society. Those videos reveal the immorality and corruption that is accepted and promoted in the minority community. Instead of personal growth and community responsibility they perpetuate what we saw in those videos. Don't they realize that they are ensuring continuing cycles of dependency and depravity?...Hmmm

John

Sep 15, 2009

Dave, Sanders is not a Democrat. He is an "Independent," more accurately a Socialist. He votes only with the Democrats. more accurately the Socialists. Of course he supports Acorn, more accurately the nascent soviets.

Sep 15, 2009

Acorn is virus that mutates and grows much faster than lethargic gov't can act. Big show of defunding Acorn too easily reversed by name changes and closed doors. Congress, lie if you must, but we're watching and we vote.

John

Sep 15, 2009

Dave, Sanders is not a Democrat. He is an "Independent," more accurately a Socialist. He always votes with the Democrats, more accurately the Socialists. Of course he supports Acorn, more accurately described as the nascent soviets.

ssquared

Sep 15, 2009

You can always count on Durbin and Leahy to do the STUPID thing and defend the indefenseable.
What a pair of worthless scumbags these guys are.

ssquared

Sep 15, 2009

Teresa....you are right.
It is getting very crowded under that bus.
Not only is grandma and the Reverend Wright under there; there's also Bill Ayres and Van Jones.
Add all those ACORN scum and it is really getting crowded and stinky.

greg

Sep 15, 2009

Show me a case of voter fraud. There are none dope. A bunch of folks send in fraudulent applications to get paid is not voter fraud. Ann Coulter is accused of voter fraud. Voting in two states.
Ohhh how horrible. FOX is so proud of themselves. Going to all these offices trying to entrap for their ignorant viewers' pleasure. Can you say David Vitter - hypocrites. Bottom line is
ACORN gets Democrats elected.

Mike

Sep 15, 2009

The democrats will find a way to get ACORN the money. They'll create some new front group to accept the funds. Something sweet like, National Organization To Stop Starvation.

Jamie

Sep 15, 2009

John McCain didn't have the kahones to vote to stop fundng ACORN. I hope he goes down in November. I for one will not be voting for him. Not just because of this but we need to clean out the house and senate and start all over. Some of these guys have been there waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy too long.

the aura of truthiness

Sep 15, 2009

The 2010 election has begun, and this vote is a clear indication of that fact. It's posturing, of course, but posture is important. And we have 14 months to review these postures, and realign them, which is time better spent than on bankrupting us with nonsense spending programs.

evermc

Sep 15, 2009

the senate taking funding away from acorn, Is just what the republicans wanted. Just because someone got paid to sign voters up and they invented a few is not voter fraud,they did not vote.

Ruth

Sep 15, 2009

The Rep. who didn't vote on this issue need to be giving a piece of our mind as well as the Dem's who voted no. Not voting was a CYA moment.I am certainly not surprised by Durbin & Leahy.

depaz

Sep 15, 2009

Note to ggordon - I'm pretty sure ACORN is no longer involved in the census. What's truly pathetic is it was a couple of amateur kids who put this whole thing in motion. I'm sure someone will try to throw THEM under the bus for their clandestine intentions.

evermc - legislative districts are made up according to voter rolls, whether or not they vote, so I'd say it most certainly DOES constitute fraud

texexpatriate

Sep 15, 2009

Don't celebrate yet. I have the idea that Democrats will somehow strip this defunding from the bill. Democrats know how important ACORN is to their party.

ashamed

Sep 15, 2009

I am ashamed to admit that the two Illinois Senators supposedly represent myopinion.The Chicago machine at its"finest"

Sonja

Sep 15, 2009

greg, 14 states have filed charges of voter fraud against ACORN, 30 guilties so far. Google it!

Sonja

Sep 15, 2009

Vote all the scumbags out! It's time to rid Washington of corruption.

Sep 15, 2009

Dick Durbin could have simply voted for suspension of acorn funds until an investigation was held or abstained. Why didn't he? There is something wrong with some of these politicos that brings home the huge gap between the parties. If you want non-partisn politics, you go along with the majority once in a while.

OttoDog

Sep 16, 2009

Sen. Leahy, in the immortal words of Dick Cheney,'Go fark yourself'.

JustAReader

Sep 16, 2009

Come on, this is a good turn out! The real news is that the former MSM is so totally out of the loop. That pampered little darling Charlie Gibson hadn't ever HEARD of the ACORN scandal! The day of the former MSM is GONE! Soon they will have about as much power as the Utne Reader. The real story is that the US Senate responded en masse to coverage from the internet, talk radio and Fox News. And all in a week when the first of Obama's communist advisers quit and around 100,000 people turned up in DC to protest. Don't get so mad about the MSM - sometimes it seems that the only people listening to them anymore are conservatives looking to get mad. Relax, we're winning.

Jack Love

Sep 16, 2009

Congratulations to those seven Senators for standing up to the hate and noise machine.

killdemos

Sep 16, 2009

the democrat scum that supported acorn should be killed

FedUp

Sep 16, 2009

How long before Jimmy Carter says that this is racially motivated?

bill

Sep 16, 2009

Acorn did change their name,so this isnt over.Our government is corrupt dem and rep.The government controlled media cant even over look the corruption that is going on.They want to bankrupt this country and take it over.They will give you all of the free stuff you can stand,but who will pay for it.You will the cost is your freedom.

Sep 17, 2009

ACORN Senate Vote: The ACORN Senate vote is being watched closely, as devotees of the social reform group are particularly worried about what this is going to mean.

Pam

Sep 18, 2009

Acorn did just change their name and Washington has got to stay on top of this or they will have egg on their faces. Note Acorn has another alias!!!

podge5

Sep 18, 2009

The New Name for Acorn is COMMUNITY ORGANIZER'S INTERNATIONAL. So Washington BEWARE!!!!

brown

Dec 2, 2009

They just have themselves to blame, they should have had stringent policy against hiring criminal employees, i dont think the vote is going to last, but it is definitely a lesson for them.
I'm surprised to see Kristin Gillibrand on that list. She is fairly moderate isn't she? Either way, that's good
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Senate de-funds ACORN, but seven stand by them

By: David Freddoso
Online Opinion Editor
09/14/09 7:21 PM EDT