ACORN Officials Videotaped Telling 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' How to Lie to IRS

[littlebuggy]

ACORN Officials Videotaped Telling 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' How to Lie to IRS
Thursday, September 10, 2009

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,548827,00.html?test=latestnews
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An employee at ACORN's Baltimore office advises a couple posing as a pimp and a prostitute during a videotaped meeting in July.
Officials with the controversial community organizing group ACORN were secretly videotaped offering to assist two individuals posing as a pimp and a prostitute, encouraging them to lie to the Internal Revenue Service and providing guidance on how to claim underage girls from South America as dependents.

The videotape was made public Thursday on BigGovernment.com, a political blog launched by Andrew Breitbart as a companion site to his BigHollywood.breitbart.com blog.

In the videotape, made on July 24, James O'Keefe, a 25-year-old independent filmmaker, posed as a pimp with a 20-year-old woman named "Kenya" who posed as a prostitute while visiting ACORN's office in Baltimore. The couple told ACORN staffers they wanted to secure housing where the woman could continue to maintain a prostitution business.

ACORN — the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — bills itself as the nation's largest community of low- and moderate-income families "working together for social justice and stronger communities," according to its Web site. The organization has been accused by Republicans and conservative activists with fraud in voter registration drives around the country and has been under fire since last year for its support of President Obama and for its planned participation in next year's census.

A spokesman for ACORN, Scott Levenson, when asked to comment on the videotape, said: "The portrayal is false and defamatory and an attempt at gotcha journalism. This film crew tried to pull this sham at other offices and failed. ACORN wants to see the full video before commenting further."

On the videotape, "Kenya" can be seen telling an ACORN staffer that she earns roughly $8,000 a month. The ACORN employee then suggests to "Kenya" that ACORN could submit a tax return for 2008 showing that she made $9,600 for the entire year — instead of $96,000 — and that ACORN would charge "Kenya" $50 instead of the usual $150 fee for preparing her taxes.

ACORN offers tax preparation and benefits application services free of charge during tax season; it charges nominal fees during non-tax season.

The ACORN staffer can also be seen suggesting that the prostitute list her occupation as a freelance "performing artist."

"It's not dancing, trust me," the "pimp" says.

"But dancing is considered an art," the ACORN staffer replies. "[Exotic dancers] usually go under performing artists, or yeah, they usually go under performing arts, which will be what you are — a performing artist."

The "pimp" later says that he and "Kenya" plan to bring up to 13 "very young" girls from El Salvador to work as prostitutes. Although an ACORN staffer points out their plans are illegal, she also suggests that the girls can be claimed as dependents.

"What if they are going to be making money because they are performing tricks too?" the pimp says.

"If they making money and they are underage, then you shouldn't be letting anybody know anyway," the ACORN staffer says, and laughs. "It's illegal. So I am not hearing this, I am not hearing this. You talk too much. Don't give up no information you're not asked."

The "pimp" then asks ACORN staffers to "promise" not to discriminate against his sex worker because of "who she is and what she does," according to the audiotape.

"If we don't have the information, then how are we going to discriminate?" the ACORN staffer replies. "You see what I am saying?"

If the girls are under age 16, the ACORN staffer says on the tape, then they are not legally allowed to work in the state, regardless of what they do.

"So it's like they don't even exist?" "Kenya" asks.

"Exactly," the ACORN staffer replies. "It's like they don't even exist."

The staffer goes on to suggest that as many as three of the underage girls can be listed as dependents at the home, but a "flag" will be raised if as many as 13 are listed.

"You are gonna use three of them," the staffer says. "They are gonna be under 16, so you is eligible to get child tax credit and additional child tax credit."

The ACORN workers also appear to be promoting the group's services to the "pimp" and "Kenya."

A second ACORN employee can be heard on the audiotape suggesting that the couple join the organization for an annual cost of $120 prior to attending one of its first-time homebuyer seminars, which are underwritten with taxpayer funds.

Later, when the "pimp" asks what would happen if the organization is somehow connected to the scheme, the ACORN staffer replies, "First of all, it's not gonna damage us because we not gonna know. And with your girls, you tell them, 'Be careful.' Train them to keep their mouth shut."

"These girls are like 14, how can we trust them?" the pimp asks.

"Just be very, very careful," the ACORN staffer says. "Whatever you do, always keep your eyes in the back of your head."

Reached by FOX News, O'Keefe said he was "shocked" at the level of assistance provided by ACORN staffers.

"I was prepared for them to call the police, throw me out of the office and be hostile," he said. "Without hesitation, they helped me every way they could with evading taxes and setting me up with a brothel, with getting around federal tax laws — doing everything they could to help us. I was completely shocked."

House Republicans issued a report in July accusing ACORN of engaging in a scheme to use taxpayer money to support a partisan political agenda. California Rep. Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, called for a criminal investigation into the group, which dismissed the report as a "partisan attack job."

here's a link to the video
http://www.comcast.net/video/ACORN-Caught-on-Tape/1248712541/FoxNews/newest/

[gmyers]

Good grief. I hope something is done to them this time. If it had been a real pimp wanting to use underage girls and he was telling them these things. He needs to be fired. Talk about a bunch of crooks. Acorn is very crooked if you ask me.

[SHELBYDOG]

Where did this story come from or the link please.

[hesnothere]

Where did this story come from or the link please.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,548827,00.html?test=latestnews

original apparently here

http://biggovernment.breitbart.com/

[krisharry]

Cool, so I don't need to report any of my "ho" money? LMAO Seriously though, we all know ACORN is full of corruption so this wouldn't surprise me.

[Bahet]

$96,000? I wants to be a ho! Where's Velvet Jones? :lol

Seriously though, if that's true they are a bunch of morons. I don't care if it was a set up. They didn't know it at the time so they acted as they would if it was real.

[SurferGirl]

Sorry littlebuggy I didn't notice you had started a thread already.
I guess I haven't had much time lately to read very many threads.

Well I sure hope that people realize just how corrupt ACORN is and hope they remember that BHO was once a member of ACORN and this is his group.
Remember this is the group that got him elected along with the unions and the Chicago style politics.

[SHELBYDOG]

Well I sure hope that people realize just how corrupt ACORN is and hope they remember that BHO was once a member of ACORN and this is his group.
Remember this is the group that got him elected along with the unions and the Chicago style politics.


It feels like Groundhog Day everyday in here.

[Char]

Un-friggin'-real

[Char]

Ok... I just read it again... this happened in July, and NOTHING has been done. Makes me sick.

[galeane29]

And I highly doubt there will be anything done about it. It's Acorn....they are never held accountable for their actions.


Hi Char!!! :)

[gmyers]

Doesn't surprise me it seems like no matter what they do they don't get into trouble. It seems like someones protecting them.

[Char]

Hi Char!!! :)


Back at ya woman ! :)

[SurferGirl]

Unfortunately ACORN seems to be protected by the "powers that be"
at least that is why they weren't investigated last time.

[janelle]

Sen. John Conyers was going to investigate ACORN but stopped when the "powers that be" (Conyers' words) called it off.

How are these people going to be stopped when they are protected by the highest powers?

[gmyers]

I remember reading about that. I wonder who didn't want them investigated.

[janelle]

And these people are going to do our census. Heaven help us.

[Bahet]

Sen. John Conyers was going to investigate ACORN but stopped when the "powers that be" (Conyers' words) called it off.

How are these people going to be stopped when they are protected by the highest powers?

They aren't. It's like Blackwater and Halliburton and every other corrupt organization with ties to high level politics.

It's not just at high levels either. Police chiefs tend not to investigate their friends' businesses or don't write a ticket when they realize they pulled over their neighbor for speeding in a school zone. It's almost expected. There is a high degree of hypocrisy in how people want places like Acorn and Blackwater investigated though. The same people who say "It's not right that they can get away with that just because they are connected to some high level politician." are also the ones who get upset when their neighbor the police officer writes them a ticket for speeding. In reality, they are doing, albeit on a much smaller scale, exactly what the corrupt companies are doing in exploiting their ties to people in positions of power for their own benefit and thinking the law doesn't apply to them because of those ties.

[gmyers]

There was so much evidence against them during the election and now this and other things that someone is definitely protecting them. What I don't uderstand is where are the watchdog groups and news reporters or anyone that would call for them to be investigated and prosecuted for the things they've done. With them getting away with all this stuff they're going to do more illegal things because they don't think they'll be brought up on charges. I dread to see what they do during the next election.

[janelle]

Why do you think they are doing the census? The population and how many people are in each district has a lot to do with the voting in each area and how many people are represented on the hill.

[gmyers]

They said on HLN this morning that Acorn fired the employees inbolved.

[galeane29]

They said on HLN this morning that Acorn fired the employees inbolved.


They were fired but not held responsible for their actions. There should be criminal charges against these people.

[janelle]

I'd like to see what really happens to them. Will they show up somewhere else working for ACORN. LOL, you could see the dollar signs in their eyes probably thinking how they could set up a partnership with the brothel to rake in some of the profits.

[SurferGirl]

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/11/acornprostitution-sting-part-ii-d-c-edition/

http://michellemalkin.cachefly.net/michellemalkin.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/1obacornlog003.jpg

ACORN/prostitution sting, Part II: D.C. edition
By Michelle Malkin • September 11, 2009 11:20 AM
Photoshop credit: Leo Alberti

Andrew Breitbart’s investigative team at Big Government has penetrated another ACORN office.

Go watch now.

James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles are performing an invaluable public service.

As I note in Culture of Corruption and have reported previously, the Bush administration bears ample blame for fueling the ACORN housing/mortgage counseling racket. The GOP increased funding for left-wing-operated housing counseling programs by 150 percent since taking office in 2001.

Are there any Democrats who care about how all that money is being spent? John Conyers chickened out.

Bueller? Bueller?

***

Flashback June 2008:

Under the guise of “consumer advocacy,” ACORN has lined its pockets. The Department of Housing and Urban Development funds hundreds, if not thousands, of left-wing “anti-poverty” groups across the country led by ACORN. Last October, HUD announced more than $44 million in new housing counseling grants to over 400 state and local efforts. The White House has increased funding for housing counseling by 150 percent since taking office in 2001, despite the role most of these recipients play as activist satellites of the Democratic Party. The AARP scored nearly $400,000 for training; the National Council of La Raza (”The Race”) scooped up more than $1.3 million; the National Urban League raked in nearly $1 million; and the ACORN Housing Corporation received more than $1.6 million.

As the Consumer Rights League points out in its new expose, the ACORN Housing Corporation has worked to obtain mortgages for illegal aliens in partnership with Citibank. It relies on undocumented income, “under the table” money, which may not be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. Moreover, the group’s “financial justice” operations attack lenders for “exotic” loans, while recommending 10-year interest-only loans (which deny equity to the buyer) and risky reverse mortgages. Whistleblower documents reveal internal discussions among the group that blur the lines between its tax-exempt housing work and its aggressive electioneering activities. The group appears to shake down corporate interests with relentless PR attacks, and then enters “no lobby” agreements with targeted corporations after receiving payment.

Republicans have largely looked the other way as ACORN has expanded its government-funded empire. But finally, a few conservative voices in Congress have called for investigation of the group’s apparent extortion schemes. This week, GOP Reps. Tom Feeney, Jeb Hensarling and Ed Royce called on Democrat Barney Frank, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, to convene a hearing to probe potential illegalities and abuse of taxpayer funds by ACORN’s management and minions alike.
Posted in: ACORN Watch

[janelle]

The film maker did make a very good observation about ACORN's offices. They are not fancy at all, they are just a hole in the wall so just where is all this money going? Did it go to Obama's campaign to get him elected. If it did then the taxpayers paid to get him elected.

Just what government office is funneling all this money to them and for what? All I see is them sending their people around to protest one thing after another. AND setting up neighborhood brothels it seems.

[kelblend]

I don't think they can prosecute the two employees if they hadn't filled out any paperwork yet. One lawyer said that advising people isn't a crime unless they follow through with it.
As for the census, I've seen repeatedly on the news today that ACORN will no longer be involved in it. Thank God.

[gmyers]

Thats good to hear. I hope they don't do it. I mean I'm glad if ACORN doesn't do the census.

[janelle]

I heard they are now trying to see if the whistleblowers broke any laws. OMG

Those ACORN workers will not be found to do any prosecution of them but I would also be careful with the young whistleblowers. The ACORN thugs may do them harm. When you have comedians saying Sarah Palin better be careful or she may be gang raped you know there are people out there with some screws loose.

[gmyers]

Acorns's threatening to sue them and FOX news too. I don't see how they could win, the women did what was on the tape.

[hblueeyes]

They are threatening to sue but if they do it will open up a vast can of worms that ACORN may not want to deal with. Plus ACORN is already telling untruths in their defense.

Also, maybe then all those pediphiles could then sue NBC for being taped without their consent. How do you do an undercover sting if the party you are stinging must give permission.

Me

[gmyers]

Maybe it would be good if they sue then their skeletons would come out of the closet.

[littlebuggy]

ACORN is really mad now because there are now 2 other videos. One from an office in washington, and one from an office in NY. Guess that shows that this is not an isolated incident.

[boopster]

http://www.lohud.com/article/20090917/NEWS05/909170343/State%20officials%20aim%20to%20halt%20ACORN%20fund ing

State officials aim to halt ACORN funding

By Cara Matthews • Albany Bureau • September 17, 2009


Following a U.S. Senate vote this week to block funding to the community group ACORN and an investigation by the Brooklyn district attorney, some New York officials want to prevent or delay state grants from going to the organization.

Advertisement

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is monitoring the district attorney's probe, ensuring taxpayer money is being spent appropriately, and may block new member-item spending from the Legislature from going to the grass-roots community organizing group, a spokesman said.

ACORN, or Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, has come under fire recently because two conservative activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute spoke to ACORN workers in several cities, including New York City, and secretly videotaped employees giving them tax and housing advice for their illegal line of work.

ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis said in a statement Wednesday that she was halting any new intakes into the organization's service programs until an independent review was completed. The move was "as a result of the indefensible action of a handful of our employees," she said.

ACORN will hire an independent auditor and investigator to review the organization and give training to frontline employees, she said.

The state has funded ACORN to help with efforts to prevent foreclosures, assist low-income New Yorkers with tax preparation and provide other services. Six contracts with the New York Agency for Community Affairs, a sister group that receives and forwards funds to ACORN, expired June 30 and there are no current ones, a spokesman for state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said.

But this year's budget includes $175,000 in grants from nine Democratic senators and $240,000 in grants from 35 Assembly members, including Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, spokesmen for the Senate and Assembly majorities said. The money hasn't been made available yet, they said.

Senate leaders await the findings of agencies investigating the group and could withhold money, based on what they find, Senate Democratic spokesman Austin Shafran said. It's important to find out whether the incident is isolated to a few employees or widespread, he said.

"You don't want to hold tens of thousands of people across our Senate districts who rely on the services of ACORN hostage for the actions of a few bad apples," Shafran said.

Silver is concerned by what was depicted in the videos, spokesman Dan Weiller said. He will monitor the Brooklyn district attorney's investigation to ensure no state money has been misspent, he said.

Sen. Tom Libous, R-Binghamton, wants to amend the "green jobs" bill recently passed by the Senate to explicitly prevent ACORN from receiving any state funds. The bill would provide $112 million to make homes and businesses more energy efficient and to train workers. It was passed by the Assembly and goes to Gov. David Paterson.

The governor does not comment on proposed legislation, spokesman Morgan Hook said. If the amendment were sent to him, he would decide then, Hook said.

As for money ACORN receives, the state does due diligence to ensure funding is used properly, "and we are confident that is the case with these grants as well," he said.

Shafran said the "green jobs" bill has nothing to do with ACORN and the group wouldn't get funding under it.

The comptroller will flag for scrutiny any future request for contracts with or payments to ACORN or the New York Agency for Community Affairs, spokesman Dennis Tompkins said.

Sen. Stephen Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, called two weeks ago for Cuomo and DiNapoli to investigate ACORN.

"ACORN's activities certainly are substantially in the political realm and the idea that state dollars from a variety of legislators who benefit from the activities of ACORN are being funneled through this community organization to ACORN ... it cries out for investigation," Saland said.

[Jolie Rouge]

ACORN is really mad now because there are now 2 other videos. One from an office in washington, and one from an office in NY. Guess that shows that this is not an isolated incident.

More then that ....

ACORN Scandals Across America
September 17, 2009

Big Government strikes again, this time in San Diego, California where Juan Carlos not only gives advice on how to smuggle 13 year olds across the border for prostitution but offers to get in on the action! Disgusting! Can we please stop funding this corrupt organization with tax money?

http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2009/09/17/acorn-scandals-across-america/

Juan also attended a rally on 8/27/09 representing ACORN – delivering petitions to Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

http://speakmymindblog.com/2009/09/16/acorn-san-diego/

ACORN Story Resources
Baltimore: Exclusive Story http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/10/chaos-for-glory/

DC: Exclusive Story http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/washington-dc-acorn-video-child-prostitution-investigation/

New York : Exclusive Story http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/14/acorn-video-prostitution-scandal-in-new-york-ny/

San Bernadino : Exclusive Story http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/15/acorn-prostitution-scandal-california-here-we-come/

San Diego : Exclusive Story http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/17/acorn-video-prostitution-scandal-in-san-diego-ca/



Understanding ACORN’s Taxpayer Scheme
http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/17/understanding-acorns-taxpayer-scheme/

[gmyers]

Good grief! It seems like they hired every scum bag they could find. Where did they go to hire these people. It sounds like prisons. They sound like criminals.

[hblueeyes]

So ACORN is hiring an auditor. Reminds me of how Arthur Anderson audited Enron.

Me

[janelle]

I bet if the ACORN workers are investigated a huge number of them will be ex felons, etc. with a prison background. Can't they hire honest poor people? Maybe the honest ones quit ACORN years ago when they saw what was going on. I like to see poor people get jobs but not the ones who break the law. Wall Street crooks are bad as well and ALL crooks need to be stopped.

Maybe the film maker will go after Wall Street next. We have seen lots of men on top fall down from the ivory tower----keep going after crooks everywhere they can be found.

[SHELBYDOG]

Obama favors investigation into ACORN scandal



Mon Sep 21, 12:20 am ET
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says there should be an investigation into the hidden-camera video involving employees at the activist group ACORN and a couple posing as a prostitute and her pimp.

The two ACORN workers are seen apparently advising the couple to lie about her profession and launder her earnings to get housing aid.

The video is only the latest problem for the group, which had nearly $1 million embezzled by its founder's brother and has been accused of voter registration fraud. The House and Senate voted last week to deny federal funds to ACORN.

Obama told ABC's "This Week" in an interview broadcast Sunday that what he saw on the video "was certainly inappropriate and deserves to be investigated." But the president did not say who should investigate. And he said it is not a major national issue he pays much attention to.

"Frankly, it's not really something I've followed closely," Obama said. "I didn't even know that ACORN was getting a whole lot of federal money."

Asked about the president calling for an investigation, ACORN chief executive Bertha Lewis said Sunday, "Well, that's his opinion."

ACORN said last week it would order its own investigation of the video scandal. Lewis, who had promised to name an independent auditor by Friday, told "Fox News Sunday" that the announcement would take place Monday. She would not reveal the auditor.

Later Sunday, Lewis issued a statement saying, "We agree with President Obama's comments today that issues raised by the videos need to be investigated."

In the meantime, the group has suspended the admission of new clients to its housing program.

"Over the next several weeks, you will see us working triple time to get this review right so that we can refocus attention on ACORN's critical work for low- and moderate-income families," Lewis said in the statement.

The government is investigating ACORN's activities, though the scope of its activity is unknown. Voter registration fraud cases involving ACORN workers are pending. The Housing and Urban Development Department's inspector general has acknowledged an investigation is under way.

ACORN — short for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — started in 1970 in Arkansas to help the poor and today is a national, multimillion-dollar conglomerate. ACORN's political action committee endorsed Obama for president, and his campaign paid an ACORN subsidiary $832,000 to help get out the vote.

Obama, himself a former community organizer, has long-standing ties to the group, which he represented in 1995 in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois over the "motor-voter" law.

The group's Democratic leanings and political work have make it a target of Republicans, who led the drive last week to deny it any further federal funds.

California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, pressed Lewis to reveal more about the group's operations.

"The bottom line is, there's no transparency in ACORN," said Issa, who also was on Fox.

"Here we have literally hundreds of organizations tied under the ACORN umbrella, and you can't even find out what their incorporation is, whether they pay taxes, who makes what," Issa said.

Lewis said she has made sure, since becoming chief executive last year, that affiliates have "firewalls" between them. "I've completely overhauled all of our finances, all of our controls," she said.

She also said founder Wade Rathke was fired immediately after it was discovered his brother, Dale, stole nearly $1 million from the organization nine years ago. In fact, Wade Rathke learned of the embezzlement in 2000, told only a few people but failed to report the embezzlement to law enforcement. An anonymous donor compensated the group for the missing money.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090921/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_acorn

[gmyers]

Does anybody believe Obama didn't know ACORN was getting a lot of federal money? And I find it strange he says he hasn't really been keeping up with the stories about them.

[Jolie Rouge]

Obama: I had no idea ACORN was getting so much federal money
Posted by: Sister Toldjah on September 21, 2009 at 10:52 am
http://sistertoldjah.com/archives/2009/09/21/obama-i-had-no-idea-acorn-was-getting-so-much-federal-money/

I know in Liberal Land, calling out a Democrat President on lies is considered blasphemous, but – well, when he talks about allegedly not knowing that his pet group ACORN was getting so much federal money, he’s lying. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/09/21/obama_i_didnt_know_acorn_was_getting_a_lot_of_fede ral_money.html

Gotta take my hat off to George Stephanopoulos for really holding Obama’s feet to the fire on a number of issues in his pre-taped interview with him, which aired yesterday.
http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/Politics/transcript-president-barack-obama/story?id=8618937

Related to Obama’s network blitz yesterday, Howie Kurtz writes about how some in the MSM feel Obama might be “diluting the product” by “wearing out his welcome” on TV. http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/Politics/transcript-president-barack-obama/story?id=8618937 I should point out that Obama made sure to deliberately snub Fox News, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/obamas-media-tour-include-fox-news/story?id=8621065 which of course has been the only network out there which has tried to do what others in the mainstream media are supposed to do but frequently don’t, and that’s hold the government accountable.

We’ll just forget for five minutes the widespread outrage and complaints from lefties when members of the Bush administration would allegedly “snub” liberal media news outlets in favor of Fox. I seem to remember the suggestion that Bush and Co. “couldn’t take the tough questions” CBS, NBC, etc had for him and instead supposedly preferred “softballs.” Hmmm – where are those same critics now?

Fox’s Chris Wallace has a must-watch/read response to the WH’s decision to not include Fox News in on the interview schedule. Money quote: http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0909/Wallace_calls_WH_biggest_bunch_of_crybabies.html


“They are the biggest bunch of crybabies I have dealt with in my 30 years in Washington,” he said.

Ya think ? :dontknow:

[janelle]

Can U repost pease Janelle? I edited this one by accident.