# ACORN submits fraudulent voter registrations en masse **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 8, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984 "2008-10-08T13:55:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/281 "2008-10-10T22:38:02Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Oh, yes! > Nevada Republicans got in trouble over this back in 2004: > [Nevada investigates voter registration](http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/14/nevada.registration/) And yet it’s still being ignored in this thread. How interesting. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/282 "2008-10-10T22:39:47Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > False dilemma. That’s the first thing I thought of, and were this in the BBQ Pit, I’d think I was being whoosed. Since when is anybody but ACORN responsible for the potential crimes of ACORN? Registration Fraud is a crime and if there is probable cause then the DA can prosecute with my qualified support of innocent until proven guilty. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/283 "2008-10-10T22:41:58Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > And yet it’s still being ignored in this thread. How interesting. Bricker’s brain clearly has an IF/THEN loop that is resolved with IOKIARDI. OK, so I took basic programming back in the mid eighties and didn’t get a very good grade… ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/284 "2008-10-10T22:48:13Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > Damn straight. And even if some screwball state does not legally require voter registration organizations to turn in every application, the organization would be foolish not to do so anyway. Much, much better to turn in a few fraudulent applications than to put your non-governmental agency in the position of deciding which applications to accept and which to reject. I agree. I would be very surprised if Republicans after all this would like to give ACORN the ability to throw away presumed Republican registrations. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/285 "2008-10-10T23:08:59Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Well, in the affidavit the investigator filed in support of the application for a search warrant, there is no mention of this claim, and that was a claim made under oath, as opposed to a claim made in a press release. > > A self-serving claim, by the way. Why _would_ a affidavit in support of an application for a search warrant mention anything but the facts they think need to get the search warrant? I know enough about the law to know that they would only make claims they feel are necessary to get the search warrant, not anything mitigating or exculpatory. In other words, a self-serving claim, by the way. Also, cf. posts 261 and 262. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/286 "2008-10-10T23:32:46Z")
Voter fraud and intimidation is not completely foreign to me. My first husband’s registration ended up in the trunk of someone’s car along with hundreds of others. The little hippie went to vote and the polling place had never heard of him. We went to the Election Commission to file a complaint and were told by one of the officials that we were not to bother the mayor about this right now!" We were “just not gonna do it!” (Think high pitched and nasal with a clinched butt.) We had not asked to see the mayor, but it would have been a lot easier of everyone else’s nerves if we had. We were voting for him and I had worked in political campaigns with him years ago. As it was, we went to the newspaper and my husband ended up talking to television news and an investigation was begun. His vote still didn’t get counted, but by the time it was over, I’ll bet they wished they had. > [@](#): > > **Whack-A-Mole** : Then consider the neighborhoods they are working in…very low income, possibly dangerous neighborhoods. Who is going to go pound the pavement there? Answer: People who already live in those neighborhoods most likely. > > Given that pool of workers and low pay are you surprised by the results? I take it that you think that low income neighborhood residents are more dishonest than high income neighborhood residents. Does this mean that as the stock market falls we become more dishonest and as it rises, we have more integrity? Thoreau bad, bin Lauden good? Consider reexamining your assumptions. > [@](#): > > **Bricker** : And his claims are made under oath and subject to penalties for perjury. The criminal penalty for making a false statement press release … doesn’t exist. Yet I have absolutely no problem believing that people can lie under oath for self-serving reasons while a press release can speak the truth even though the motives of the writer(s) may also be self-serving. I’ve seen it bring down a President. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/287 "2008-10-10T23:42:00Z")
Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/288 "2008-10-11T12:24:18Z")
> [@5-4-Fighting](#): > > Why _would_ a affidavit in support of an application for a search warrant mention anything but the facts they think need to get the search warrant? > > I know enough about the law to know that they would only make claims they feel are necessary to get the search warrant, not anything mitigating or exculpatory. > > In other words, a self-serving claim, by the way. > > Also, cf. posts 261 and 262. It appears that the thread has been abandoned since it no longer plays like a gotcha to the libruls. It’s amusing how a thread started for one purpose can end up serving the opposite purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/289 "2008-10-11T15:25:30Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > I take it that you think that low income neighborhood residents are more dishonest than high income neighborhood residents. Does this mean that as the stock market falls we become more dishonest and as it rises, we have more integrity? Thoreau bad, bin Lauden good? Consider reexamining your assumptions. Good people can be found anywhere. Bad people can be found anywhere. You can be as PC about this as you like but it does not change the obvious. For instance, would you rather recruit people for a job on the University of Chicago campus or a few miles west in the Projects (notoriously bad in Chicago)? ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/290 "2008-10-11T15:28:27Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > For instance, would you rather recruit people for a job on the University of Chicago campus or a few miles west in the Projects (notoriously bad in Chicago)? Depends on the job, doesn’t it? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/291 "2008-10-11T15:44:42Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Depends on the job, doesn’t it? 🙂 Good point! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/292 "2008-10-11T16:47:45Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes – when you get to define “real problem,” I suppose it’s pretty easy to win those sorts of contests. If we define a “real [voter-fraud] problem” as “potentially producing an electoral result that does not truly reflect the majority choice of lawfully eligible voters who cast votes” – then, it remains the case that no credible proof of such has been posted. In fact, if we define it as “producing a statistically cognizable variation in results from the majority choice, etc., without actually changing the legal outcome of the election,” then that **still** remains the case. How are **you** defining “real problem”? ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/293 "2008-10-11T17:06:09Z")
Hello it is comming. Elections will be descided before the elections. California is pushing real hard to people to vote by mail. The first time I voted I used a absentee ballot. I had to have a valid reason on my application before it was granted, that was 1968 and was good for that election only. Now they mail you the form, it it is included with your sample ballot, when you vote they hand you a form for next time and all the forms are for perminate absentee voter status. If the county register is not on top of it all the time dead people will register, sign up as perminate absentee voters and vote. It is comming. And top of all with the paperless electronic voting for non absentee voters do we know how your vote is really recorded? I do not know about others but I only see bad things about all this. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/294 "2008-10-11T17:18:32Z")
Six pages in and I’m left with my only thought being - “this is no way to run a railroad, people.” **Private** companies registering people to vote? The mind reels and it’s a wonder the whole system hasn’t blown up before now. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/295 "2008-10-11T17:19:00Z")
I watched FOX news for the first time yesterday, to see how they were reporting the results of the Palin probe. They were focused on ACORN and had the head guy there to answer questions. It was fun to watch. The anchorperson – I don’t know their names, this one was a blonde woman – was unable to get him off message, despite constant interruptions. She was really quite frustrated with him and I doubt he’ll be back. He did a good job, and refuted her claim, er, question about Obama’s campaign channeling funds to the group. He made her look like an idiot and didn’t lose his composure. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/296 "2008-10-11T23:48:05Z")
I’m not really convinced by the OP. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/297 "2008-10-12T04:16:23Z")
Bricker, this is beneath your usual, much more well-thought-out posting efforts. This is a non-story from the standpoint of “voter fraud.” You should know better. I’m disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/298 "2008-10-12T22:13:15Z")
[http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx\_ttnews[tt\_news]=22383&tx\_ttnews[backPid]=12387&cHash=41ba018b65](http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=22383&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=12387&cHash=41ba018b65) Here is ACORNs response. There is fraud. It is on Brickers head not ACORNs. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/299 "2008-10-12T22:23:07Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > [http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx\_ttnews[tt\_news]=22383&tx\_ttnews[backPid]=12387&cHash=41ba018b65](http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=22383&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=12387&cHash=41ba018b65) Here is ACORNs response. There is fraud. It is on Brickers head not ACORNs. Better work on that coding there, sport. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984/300 "2008-10-12T23:00:36Z")
[http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx\_ttnews[tt\_news]=22382&tx\_ttnews[backPid]=12387&cHash=4507a6d2a0](http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=22382&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=12387&cHash=4507a6d2a0) Try again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-submits-fraudulent-voter-registrations-en-masse/466984.md?page=16)