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http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/acorn_report_finds_no_illegal_conduct.php?ref=fpblg

Not that this shouldn't have been done before ACORN was stripped of funding... not at all...

So ACORN says it didn't do anything illegal and you believe it? It was caught of VIDEO that they were encouraging illegal activity. Come on dude, they are guilty as sin...

Perhaps I am missing something here, but all I noticed in the videos were a couple of pretty incompetent employees being used by a rather cunning 'journalist'.

This aside, maybe I am missing something else, but this report is supposedly independent; and there was little besides the video (which appeared to be edited regardless... by a guy who dressed up like a parody of SuperFly... I mean come on, I don't take them THAT seriously...) that confirmed their claims. An awful lot of noise, most definitely, but ACORN got a bunch of that when they were accused of other 'supposed illegal activities'. So far, neither of these cases are open and shut by a long shot.

MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF NOISE, DEAFENING MY ABILITY TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND A SITUATION... FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.....

On that note...

@ JEB Well, there was an independent report, and it pointed out the difference between unproffesional and illegal.

On a side note, I'd just offer a friendly note that it's possible that you'll be typecast as a straight ticket right after your recent rash of posts. It's fine, and I'm not judging your choice, but keep in mind that it's hard to break people's perceptions.

Thanks polonius, I will keep that in mind. I am definitely not a party line person, especially considering the fact that I hate the Neocon movement as much as I hate the modern American "Liberal" movement. Classic Liberalism anyone? On that note, I have no sympathy for ACORN, as the list of problems it has and rather shady practices it engages in is continually growing. Besides this was done by the Mass. AG office. So unless other states were willing to release evidence and information that they have in their own investigation, then it simply means they couldn't find any wrong doing on ACORN's part in Mass. That is a huge difference between they didn't do anything illegal and they didn't do anything illegal in Massachusetts.

Well, it was done by the former Mass AG, as Massachusetts has no jurisdiction over a federal program.

And that's the sort of thing that can paint you as arguing from a prepared position, rather than discussing the facts as they come up.

I'm only saying this because you do seem to have a desire to be a fair minded poster.

Like most such reports, trying to get a decent picture of it based on headlines won't achieve anything. Even a quick reading of the exec summary (which is all I did) gives a pretty clear idea of where ACORN is at. The report is quite clear that ACORN's recent expansion has led to a considerable management failings, with inadequate training and supervision of staff.

The recommendations are also quite interesting, arguing ACORN should refocus on its core practice, community organisation and advocacy, while improving governance controls and management. It's pretty typical for any organisation that's gotten too big, too fast and has gotten somewhat out of control.

The report is quick to dismiss the idea of ACORN as part of some left wing conspiracy or that it might have a culture of crime... do we really need to spend money on consultants to tell people that Glenn Beck makes stuff up?

JEB_Stuart wrote:Besides this was done by the Mass. AG office. So unless other states were willing to release evidence and information that they have in their own investigation, then it simply means they couldn't find any wrong doing on ACORN's part in Mass. That is a huge difference between they didn't do anything illegal and they didn't do anything illegal in Massachusetts.

Nah, it was done by a former Mass. AG, acting entirely outside his former role, with a brief from ACORN to review the whole of the organisation.

Wrexasaur wrote:http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/acorn_report_finds_no_illegal_conduct.php?ref=fpblg

Not that this shouldn't have been done before ACORN was stripped of funding... not at all...

Who guards the guards?

I think I'll wait until all the state attorney general indictments working through before I believe this...

No surprises for me here. Too little training, too quick expansion = mistakes and unprofessionalism.