02-10-2010, 11:21 PM
It's as though Acorn's sins can be cleansed with the blood of the now demonized, discredited messenger. In the Hollywood version, that's how it'll be spun. If only it were so.
Re: criminal allegations, let's compare misdeeds:
ACORN:
Engaged in tax evasion, obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting a cover-up of nearly $1 million embezzled by Dale Rathke, brother of group founder Wade Rathke
Committed investment fraud, depriving the public of the right to "honest services," and engaging in a racketeering enterprise affecting interstate commerce
Conspired to defraud the United States by using taxpayer dollars for partisan political activities;
Submitted false filings to the Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Department of Labor; and,
Violated the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act.
(From a report issued last summer by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
There's more. The group and its affiliates are currently the target of more than a dozen lawsuits related to voter fraud in the 2008 election alone.
O'Keefe:
Fraudulently represented himself as an employee of the phone company
----
I'm no fan of O'Keefe (we can toss him under the bus with half of Obama's staff, for all most of us care) but compared side-by-side, it takes a lot of wishful thinking to see O'Keefe's crucifixion as much of a victory, once the celebration champagne goes flat.
Though it would be nice to see O'Keefe and Acorn staff members as cellmates. They could do a musical version of "American History X" for cable TV!
Re: criminal allegations, let's compare misdeeds:
ACORN:
Engaged in tax evasion, obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting a cover-up of nearly $1 million embezzled by Dale Rathke, brother of group founder Wade Rathke
Committed investment fraud, depriving the public of the right to "honest services," and engaging in a racketeering enterprise affecting interstate commerce
Conspired to defraud the United States by using taxpayer dollars for partisan political activities;
Submitted false filings to the Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Department of Labor; and,
Violated the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act.
(From a report issued last summer by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee)
There's more. The group and its affiliates are currently the target of more than a dozen lawsuits related to voter fraud in the 2008 election alone.
O'Keefe:
Fraudulently represented himself as an employee of the phone company
----
I'm no fan of O'Keefe (we can toss him under the bus with half of Obama's staff, for all most of us care) but compared side-by-side, it takes a lot of wishful thinking to see O'Keefe's crucifixion as much of a victory, once the celebration champagne goes flat.
Though it would be nice to see O'Keefe and Acorn staff members as cellmates. They could do a musical version of "American History X" for cable TV!