McCain: Investigate ACORN for fraud. Gov. Crist not so sure

In response to someone shouting out "ACORN" at an event, Presidential candidate John McCain today in Wisconsin called for an investigation into the liberal get-out-the-vote group, saying "there are serious allegations of voter fraud in the battleground states across America. They must be investigated. And no one should corrupt the ... right to vote"

Florida Gov. and McCain backer Charlie Crist isn't so sure. Asked yesterday if he had any reason to believe ACORN was involved in anything shady or illegal in Florida, he said: "No."

ACORN, which has signed up more than 1 million new voters, has ties to Barack Obama, a former community organizer, and endorsed him.

ACORN's Las Vegas office was raided this week amid allegations of voter-registration fraud for turning in voter cards that listed the names of some Dallas Cowboys, such as Tony Romo. However, ACORN said in a statement that it notified officials of the problem cards, but officials ignored that in order to conduct a "stunt." The affidavit for the raid shows that ACORN has quality-control checks, and fired employees for filling out fictitious cards. One former employee said some of his peers were "lazy crackheads." Download ACORN.pdf

Why turn the cards in? Because it's the law (at least in Florida). So if someone fraudulently fills one out and ACORN submits it, guess who gets blamed? Under Florida's new "no-match" law (opposed by ACORN and Democrats) it's far harder to create fake voters and then have ballots cast on their behalf, but Secretary of State Kurt Browning said it's highly unlikely.

In Miami, Rep. Republican J.C. Planas said citizens have complained of third-party groups filling out fraudulent voter applications (for non citizens, for instance) and for throwing away Republican registrations at citizenship ceremonies. Planas had no names, no details nor any information that anyone filed a complaint for the illegal act of destroying a registration card.

ACORN's Florida director, Brian Kettenring, said the group finished up registration drives in broward and Dade in July, and that it doesn't operate at citizenship ceremonies, where Mi Familia Vota and Democracia operate. He said Republicans want to ""suppress the vote'' and scare people from the polls. Said Kettenring: "Senator McCain should make no mistake--the many, many citizens ACORN has helped join the ranks of the electorate are very real and many of them will be coming out to vote next month. His campaign would be served by appealing for the support of these new voters than by attacking the community organization that helped them register to vote."

Allegations of wrongdoing from Republicans have dogged ACORN since 2004. Some have been proven true and resulted in convictions in places like Washington state. Most investigations have gone nowhere, as in 2004 in Florida. In New Mexico, one U.S. Attorney was fired by the Bush administration for his refusal to prosecute the group.

The right has this to say about ACORN. And the left has this to say.

Comments

[Ewing]

McCain is jousting at windmills.

The American economy is being devastated by ill-advised Republican economic policy. McCain /Palin has resorted to "terrorist" accusations to the point where they may be inciting violence. You can see it in the crowds....

What is wrong with these people??? Do they want Americans to simply overlook our collapsing economy??

[by REPUBLICANS FOR OBAMA]

MCCAIN CAN'T BE TRUSTED BY CONSERVATIVES.

MCCAIN SECRETLY WANTS TO DO AWAY WITH SOCIAL SECURITY. MCCAIN WILL PUSH OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING ON FLORIDA.

MCCAIN IS NO FAN OF CUBAN AMERICANS. MCCAIN THINKS CUBAN REFUGEES SHOULD BE TURNED AWAY. MCCAIN WAS NO TOP GUN AVIATOR, IN FACT 3 CRASHES EARLY IN HIS CAREER LED NAVY OFFICIALS TO QUESTION OR FAULT HIS JUDGMENT.

McCAIN WILL CONTINUE THE DISASTROUS POLICIES OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.

VOTE FOR A NEW DIRECTION. VOTE FOR OBAMA.

[Virgilio Sklar]

Um, why is there no coverage on the Herald of the tens of thousands of voters who are illegally being dropped from voter roles? Most of the voters being dropped are Democrats. I am disturbed by what seems to be a rather right-of-center tilt suggested by the selection of political stories by the Herald in the past weeks.

[Ewing]

Is Palin inciting violence by revving up the crowd with her "terrorists" rants?? Where is the Secret Sevrice on this??

An Independent Voice

[WillyNamVet]

Republicans for Obama? Get real. Lying liberal cowards. Identify your sources for your allegations (if you can). Obama's direction? As far as (the U.S. Constitution) it's all downhill. Vote for McCain not for the (inexperienced) Socialist Muslim Kenyan B. Hussein Obama.

btw Are you a pilot? Do you know how difficult it is to shoot a Carrier landing? people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

P.S. check your facts, slick. It's the Democratic Congress that refused to take action on Fanny Mae/Freddie Mac. Bush and staff issued warnings to Congress as far back as 2002 and every year since then!

[djelnene]

Kick some ass MCcain, No to Obama, Miami is with you

[Ewing]

The Fannie Mae issue was about accounting practices, not unsecured loans! Lame misdirection by Republican apologists. The Republican Party has ruined America....

And Palin / McCain may be inciting violence with their "terrorist" rants.... Hope that they don't end up with serious regrets!

[Ewing]

Look at some of the crowd reactions while Palin is ranting about "terrorists." Is she inciting violence?? Frightening..........

An Independent Voice

[alance]

ACORN is responsible for massive voter fraud for Obama in over a dozen states, including Florida.

ACORN is responsible for massive lobbying to get banks and financial institutions to give mortgages to people who cannot afford to make payments. They are partly responsible for this gigantic crash on Wall Street.

ACORN is actively committing voter fraud and fake voter registrations all over America to get Obama elected president.

[BeenthroughchangeB4]

U.S. Citizens registered to vote can legally cast one vote. Who are these special people who want to vote more than once? Are they more equal than the rest of us? Where are we headed? Where is the outrage?

[Andrew Casademunt]

Cubans for McCain and Hillary supporters for McCain !!!

[Ewing]

Is Cindy McCain anti-G.I. ? McCain sure votes that way.......

[Ewing]

ACORN is a joke compared to the costs that Republicans have caused to all Americans! Look at their record of disasters..........

[cubalibre305]

Speaking of bombing innocent civilians, how about we investigate McCain for war crimes in Vietnam?

[Ewing]

Does Palin the Pentecostal also believe in "saving" the Jews?? Her church sure does....

[Ewing]

Check out Joe Vogler, Sarah Palin's buddy. Scary...

[roseann]

the dem are so desperate they are now fiddling with the electorate. Plus they are trying to get free pass Obama to the White house. Whose side are they on Obama or America?

[roseann]

the dem are so desperate they are now fiddling with the electorate. Plus they are trying to get free pass Obama to the White house. Whose side are they on Obama or America?

[save democracy]

Wait one darn moment - involvement with known terrorist, slum lord TonyR, tyrannt haters Wright, wife not sure of her allegiance and now VOTERS FRAUD. AND this suppose to go down well with the voters to digest? Absolutely NOT!

[Ian]

FU%KKKKKKKKK BUSH!
SCREW THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!
AND I HATE THE MAD COW PALIN AND MCCAIN.

[Ewing]

Palen substitutes racism and incites violence in place of providing substance in these trying times......

[Ewing]

And Palin's buddy Joe Vogler is not a concern for Americans???

[Jose]

ACORN is a joke? Are you an idiot? This is a National corrupt organization that drives voting fraud in key states in order for the democrat party to steal elections. Is that a joke?

Funny how democrats point fingers at republicans for voting fraud when all along these SOB's are the ones stealing votes by the thousands!

Scumbags as usual.

[Florida Votes]

Louis Farrakhan Calls Barack Obama The Messiah-

NEW ON YOU TUBE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OowxMcVTjTE

[Imani22]

When I pass through Liberty City, I see vacant apartment complexes, purchased by investors trying to get rich off of the market. Applications for section 8 and the number of renters have increased dramatically. All as a result of greed!!! Don't blame poor people for this problem, blame greedy people.
Look at the foreclorsure list for Florida and you will find a number of homes in upper middle income neighborhoods. You will also find investment projects(condos, townhomes etc.) from builders who tried to get rich. The whole world has gotten drunk off our blood and now it is time to pay the piper!

[FDuran]

Obama's ACORN pushed the subprime mandates all the way through Congress up to the White House, and President Clinton (Not Bush)signed those into Law together with the financial deregulation law. Obama later obstructed Congress' oversight to Fannie Mae while receiving juicy donations...
Obama Hussein and Democrats are the PRIME responsibles for the subprime financial crisis!

[Jose]

Here is Mr.Obama for you. SCARY STUFF:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-45A6I-N5I

[Mistahkleen]

William Ayers, ACORN, Muslim ties, blah blah blah. Dear GOP: You have f-d up for 8 years. Please vacate immediately. You geniuses said Bush was THE choice in the last 2 elections. Well, that hasn't gone well. Now YOU PEOPLE want to trash Obama, good luck losers. McCain is an eratic, lying, desperate weasel. Same for his gumar, Palin. Obama/08

[Chris Crowley]

Blaming RNC is misdirection tactic of the DNC.

McCaain is a hero

News Flash - Barrack not Jesus.

John cares Country first

Change is here thanks to Barack, fannie and DNC. Can we afford more of this change?

Wake up!!

[Sam Deakins]

Barney Frank
Chris Dodd
Chuck Schumer
Franklin Raines
Joe Johnson
Balack Obama

What do they all have in common? All are prime suspects in the economic collapse...and Democrats.

[Sam Deakins]

Barack Hubert Obama
Barack Hobart Obama
Barack Horatio Obama
Barack Henry Obama
Barack Hubie Obama
Barack Horace Obama
Barack Humbart Obama
Barack Harry Obama
Barack Hussein Obama
Barack Honas Obama
Barack Hibbert Obama

[Cecil]

Voter fraud is NOW's job in Florida.
Gee Crist don't you know anything.

[2Anglico]

So, Charlie sees no evil, what else is new? The State of Florida is at risk in excess of $500billion (in an insurance scheme, Citizens and others he supports)with MAYBE $10billion in reserve. 90% of this risk is in Dade and Broward counties, the MOST hurricane suseptible area in the US. Let's do the math: $50billion hurricane minus $10billion makes $40billion. Where's the other 40 going to come from? Sell Muni's? What interest rate would Florida have to pay on those Muni's? Can you say total bankruptcy? Crisis? What crisis?

[Jim]

Clearly the other respondants to this article are driven by a desire to confiscate the truth about the tactics in use by the radicals in our society. We face today a revolution in the making. The prime tactic of socialist agenda is to undermind the institutions that support a democratic form of government. The truth is shouted down at all opportunities. Acorn has been successful in casting doubt about the legitamacy of the election that will happen in November. If the voters lists in contested states are in doubt then there is reason to discredit the results of a close election. Freedom is at sake for all and if the election process is faulty then freedom is denied to all. This is the aim of the left and a tactic that was used by the old Soviet power to take over and dominate the people of Eastern Europe for 40 years. It is hte same tactic in play in Venezuela. There is a bait and switch process underway. The end result is America follows this path is to take it down as world power. Socialism is an ideal that has a history of repression and failure to measure up to the ideal. This is what is a stake in the coming weeks.

[Bob]

So the governor has no reason to believe that ACORN is involved in anything shady or illegal in Florida? Oh, right. That must be because they have been so upright and above-board in all the other states where they have been at work.

[Marc Caputo]

To Virgilio Sklar: are you referring to the no-match law? We were the first to report the first batch of no-match numbers, we followed up with a second story and will continue to report this out. So maybe your reading has been selective and not our coverage?

[GlW1948]

This country will be destroyed under Obama.
The economy is tanking because of Freddie/Fannie Frank Dodd Waters Acorn etc.
It is despicable what they have done.
Give Bush CREDIT. He tried to get legislative reform passed in June to reform Freddie and Fannie. It was blocked by the Socialists i.e. Democrats. He warned again in July... again no action. He is not my favorite President but he tried. If mainstream people lose their homes because they were screwed by Acorn, Frank Dodd Waters etc. Then they better get plenty of bodyguards, because mainstream America will revolt. We won't be sheep anymore.

[GlW1948]

Oh, and for anybody who takes offense at what I have said. Take offense at Bill Ayers.

[Karen]

CBS reported on Republicans for Obama
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/13/opinion/main4347525.shtml

[MCMiller]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/election/s_584284.html

Read how Obama and ACORN are related here.

[MCMiller]

"Barack Obama's failure to accurately report his campaign's financial records is an incredibly suspicious situation that appears to be an attempt to hide his campaign's interaction with a left-wing organization previously convicted of voter fraud. For a candidate who claims to be practicing 'new' politics, his FEC reports look an awful lot like the 'old-style' Chicago politics of yesterday."

[Bob White]

Charlene Crist has her panties in a wad because McCain did'nt pick him and instead chose a real woman.

[GlW48]

I just saw McCain wimp out. He said that Obama was trustworthy and we should be respectful of him! He CANNOT be trusted!!
I will still vote for McCain, but he has no fire, he has no passion. What a shame.