Bachmann keeps up pressure on ACORN

by Mosheh Oinounou

Despite being dealt a setback last week, Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) is renewing her call for the government to cut off access to taxpayer money to the community organizing group, ACORN.

The Minnesota Republican said Thursday that she plans to reintroduce a bill in the coming weeks to ban ACORN and other groups facing indictments from access to nearly $8.5 billion in taxpayer funds for housing assistance.

"This is about how Congress spends the peoples money in our country and its about the bar that Congress sets for accessing federal funding. The question before us is it a right that anyone is entitled to or is it a privilege that must be earned?" Bachmann said at a press conference this morning.

The House killed a similar amendment she sponsored barring institutions facing indictment from receiving federal funds that was attached  to the mortgage reform bill passed by the body last week. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) led the charge against Bachmann arguing that the provision violates ACORN's right to due process.

Federal prosecutors have announced more than 30 indictments in the last month against ACORN employees for voter registration fraud in Nevada and Pennsylvania and the organization has served as a Republican punching bag since the '08 election.

Bachman says ACORN has received more than $50 million in federal money in the last decade and the group's homeowner assistance arm should be cut off from any more cash until the pending legals cases are complete.

"No matter how many times prosecutors investigate and even indict acorn and their employees, they emerge unblemished as far as the federal government is concerned," Bachmann added. "The question is do organizations have a right ot taxpayer money no matter what they do?"

ACORN is a potent issue for the right and Bachmann's latest call was followed up by the Republican National Committee fundraising email today (after the jump) seeking donations in order to tell President Obama and Democrats "that we won't tolerate using our tax dollars to pay off their electoral support machine."

UPDATE: ACORN RESPONSE:

From Minnesota ACORN Board Member Sunday Alabi:
"It is sad that Rep. Bachmann isn't focusing on the very real issues facing the 6 th Congressional District, which, for example, has the highest foreclosure rate in Minnesota. ACORN is working hard every day in Minnesota to stop predatory lending, and is even helping Rep. Bachmann's own constituents to save their homes. Meanwhile, Rep. Bachmann seems more interested in partisan witch hunts. We are concerned that she
is trying to paper over the fact that she has once again sided with the predatory lenders 1 and neglected the residents of the 6th Congressional District."

FULL RNC FUNDRAISING EMAIL:

Dear ###,

The Obama Democrats and their leftist allies at ACORN, the so-called "Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now," are doing all they can to cement left-wing rule in Washington for good.

Over $50 million in federal funding money has found its way into the hands of ACORN's leftist activists over the last several years, but now the Democrats are about to make $8.5 billion more in tax-payer funds available to this radical group.

All of this for an organization indicted just last week in Nevada, and charged with similar allegations in Pennsylvania, for paying money for fraudulent voter registrations in last November's election.

Minnesota Republican Rep. Michelle Bachmann's amendment to block indicted organizations from collecting more public funding passed unanimously through the U.S. House Financial Services Committee.

But now Committee Chairman Barney Frank, far-left Democrat from Massachusetts, has decided he made a mistake by supporting the amendment, and will now offer his own amendment to restore ACORN's opportunity of receiving billions of taxpayer dollars.

"I did not read it carefully, and it was in the last minute that the amendment was accepted," said Frank. "It is a deeply flawed amendment and I am opposed to it..." Didn't read it carefully -- or just now realized what it meant for his pals at ACORN?

Since ACORN's efforts are all about electing leftist Democrats like himself, why would Frank want them to go unrewarded?

It's time we told Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, and Barack Obama that we won't tolerate using our tax dollars to pay off their electoral support machine. That's why I hope you'll take this opportunity to send Barney and Nancy an eCard to let them know that the Democrats' assault against our free election right to "One Person, One Vote" and the Rule of Law will not be tolerated.

And when you do, I hope you will help the Republican Party's effort to spread the word about the Obama Democrats' misuse of power and plans to tighten their grip on our country by making a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $500 or $1,000 to the Republican National Committee today.

Your gift will also help support the recruitment and election of principled candidates who will defeat the Democrats in 2010 and pave the way to send Barack Obama packing in 2012. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Michael Steele
Chairman, Republican National Committee