# "ACORN did absolutely nothing wrong" no longer true **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 6, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467 "2011-04-06T23:23:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/101 "2011-04-07T02:05:24Z")
So I’m wondering if **Bricker** , in his time as a public defender, ever used the phrase “my client did nothing wrong” in court, recklessly disregarding the fact that his client shoplifted a lollipop from 7-11 when he was nine. As a longtime lurker, I remember when **Bricker** was an interesting and worthwhile poster. Sometime in the last few years, he turned into the second coming of **december**. He’d rather be technically right than honest. That’s his choice, I guess. :rolleyes: He’s right. Who cares? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/102 "2011-04-07T02:07:54Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’m going from memory (sorry, it’s getting too late to spend a lot of time looking for the threads) but in general, the liberal response to O’Keefe’s sting (including me) was that ACORN had done nothing wrong. In side-conversations about the voter registration issues, a subset of that liberal response (as also seen here, and not including me) insisted that ACORN had done nothing wrong. > > It is the latter that **Bricker** refers to. I’m pretty sure. > > Does that help? > [@zoid](#): > > I was kind of hoping for a response from **Bricker** to clear up what he intended but I think I have a better picture now - thanks **Frank**! Yes, exactly correct. Someone who says, “ACORN may have done things wrong, but the reaction was entirely out of proportion to what they did!” I have no problem with. In fact, I agree with that person. Someone who refuses to admit that ACORN did one thing wrong, ever – that’s the guy I have a problem with. And so should everyone reading this. But for many of you, it’s seemingly more important to be on the correct liberal side than admit the obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/103 "2011-04-07T02:08:51Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I was kind of hoping for a response from **Bricker** Hope is the thing with feathers . . . 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/104 "2011-04-07T02:09:08Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So let me be very clear: O’Keefe is still a lying scum, and this does nothing to change that; O’Keefe is utterly irrelevant to the point I am making. Which is that ACORN plead guilty to a crime in Nevada; one of their employees paid people per registration. Plead guilty so that they could pay the $5,000 fine, rather than spend thousands more on lawyers. But they plead guilty. Of a crime. And ACORN also counts cards in Vegas. ACORN once shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die. ACORN took a pencil home from the office supply cupboard . ACORN ate a grape in the produce section without paying. ACORN double parks. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/105 "2011-04-07T02:11:13Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > So I’m wondering if **Bricker** , in his time as a public defender, ever used the phrase “my client did nothing wrong” in court, recklessly disregarding the fact that his client shoplifted a lollipop from 7-11 when he was nine. If I ever did, then I was an advocate. My duty in those cases was to zealously defend my client. And I wasn’t a witness. When I would say something like that, the context was always argument: _The evidence shows that_ my client did nothing wrong. My job was not to lead the jury to the truth as a neutral analyst. Are ACORN’s defenders here also advocates, zealously advancing its interests ahead of the truth? Are you saying that they may be relied upon to never admit ACORN’s guilt, even if they believe it? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/106 "2011-04-07T02:11:32Z")
Really fucking petty, **Bricker**. You continue to make yourself smaller and smaller. I used to have some respect for you as a reasonable conservative. It’s getting harder to maintain. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/107 "2011-04-07T02:12:25Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Which is that ACORN plead guilty to a crime in Nevada; one of their employees paid people per registration. > > Plead guilty so that they could pay the $5,000 fine, rather than spend thousands more on lawyers. > > But they plead guilty. Of a crime. > > And ACORN also counts cards in Vegas. > > ACORN once shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die. > > ACORN took a pencil home from the office supply cupboard . > > ACORN ate a grape in the produce section without paying. > > ACORN double parks. And then there’s this tactic. “I can’t really deny this without looking idiotic, so I’ll mock it.” Good. Fine. As long as you’re willing to admit their guilt, you can chortle all you like. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/108 "2011-04-07T02:16:46Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Someone who refuses to admit that ACORN did one thing wrong, ever – that’s the guy I have a problem with. > > And so should everyone reading this. > > But for many of you, it’s seemingly more important to be on the correct liberal side than admit the obvious. ACORN plead guilty to a crime. This means they are “guilty”. It does not mean that they necessarily committed the act. Sometimes people or entities will plead out for reasons of expediency. However, you are technically correct. You may have a cookie. And ACORN once paid for only one newspaper from a box, but took two. ETA: You invite mocking with your technical nit-pickery. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/109 "2011-04-07T02:17:07Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Really fucking petty, **Bricker**. You continue to make yourself smaller and smaller. I used to have some respect for you as a reasonable conservative. It’s getting harder to maintain. Why? Why is it, in the middle of a debate, I’m stymied by the idiotic demand for a cite when I say that ACORN engaged in wrongdoing? Why didn’t you step up then, **jayjay** , and say, “Look, let’s be honest here and admit that ACORN did some shady things.” Why didn’t you do that then? Do I come back to you and say, “Gosh, **jayjay** , I used to have some respect for you as a reasonable liberal, but your failure to do that has really diminished that respect.” Why can my opposition insist on ridiculous levels of proof, and then, when that proof finally materializes, I am vilified for pointing it out? Is it that we all sort of understood that the claim that ACORN did nothing wrong was bullshit, but wejust weren’t going to actually say it? And now it’s a social faux pas that I call attention to it? Seriously – explain this to me. How is it that one side gets to do all this shit? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/110 "2011-04-07T02:18:07Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > ACORN plead guilty to a crime. This means they are “guilty”. It does not mean that they necessarily committed the act. Sometimes people or entities will plead out for reasons of expediency. However, you are technically correct. You may have a cookie. > > And ACORN once paid for only one newspaper from a box, but took two. What do you think? Do you think they really committed the crime? Or do you believe still the **Diogenes** theory of absolute, snow-pure innocence? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/111 "2011-04-07T02:20:26Z")
It means they didn’t do anything “wrong,” which is not the same thing as saying a partsan DA didn’t extort a trivial plea agreement out of them for a contrived offense. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/112 "2011-04-07T02:22:10Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It means they didn’t do anything “wrong,” which is not the same thing as saying a partsan DA didn’t extort a trivial plea agreement out of them for a contrived offense. So what evidence would it take to convince you that they did, in fact, pay workers per registration form? ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/113 "2011-04-07T02:24:54Z")
So, does Obama have to resign now? Or does he just cease to be President effective with this plea? How long before McCain is sworn in? Who’s in charge until then? So many questions. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/114 "2011-04-07T02:26:36Z")
> [@cuauhtemoc](#): > > So, does Obama have to resign now? Or does he just cease to be President effective with this plea? How long before McCain is sworn in? Who’s in charge until then? So many questions. No, oddly enough Obama gets to remain President. What’s your position on the actual question, though? I notice you didn’t really address that. Afraid they’ll take your HiveMind Liberal Card away if you admit it, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/115 "2011-04-07T02:28:55Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > So what evidence would it take to convince you that they did, in fact, pay workers per registration form? I’m saying it’s not wrong that they did. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/116 "2011-04-07T02:29:08Z")
I’ve no problem admitting that ACORN violated a minor law in Nevada, a law which has a sufficient amount of merit to not be casually dismissed as inherently useless, outdated or unfair. Of course, this being true allows for a claim of victory over… well… Dio, I guess. Not exactly an Everest of accomplishment. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/117 "2011-04-07T02:33:16Z")
I think I need to start another thread. I’ll call it “ **Frank** is not a liberal.” My argument? It’s obvious from the response in this thread that a liberal is not permitted to admit to the fact that ACORN actually did anything wrong. Acceptable responses are the Diogenes method (deny, deny, deny) and the Star Trek method (deflector shields up! mock, evade, remonstrate Bricker for your loss of respect) but in no event is the participating liberal ever allowed to simply admit that ACORN did anything wrong. That **Frank** is willing to do so simply proves that Frank is no liberal (and probably doesn’t like haggis either). It’s amazing. All these responses, and such a lack of admissions for something that is obvious to every single reader. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/118 "2011-04-07T02:34:23Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’ve no problem admitting that ACORN violated a minor law in Nevada, a law which has a sufficient amount of merit to not be casually dismissed as inherently useless, outdated or unfair. > > Of course, this being true allows for a claim of victory over… well… Dio, I guess. Not exactly an Everest of accomplishment. You’re not a liberal, then? 🙂 Seriously – thanks. And it’s more than Dio, although he’s the most obstinate and vocal. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/119 "2011-04-07T02:35:37Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I’m saying it’s not wrong that they did. Do you acknowledge that doing so is illegal in Nevada? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467/120 "2011-04-07T02:35:42Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I’m saying it’s not wrong that they did. The law was broken. In what way does that violation differ from DeLay’s shuttling of money from federal to state campaign funds? Was DeLay’s violation also not wrong? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-did-absolutely-nothing-wrong-no-longer-true/577467.md?page=7)