# ACORN workers caught on tape apparently advising on child prostitution **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 11, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681 "2009-09-11T13:19:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/201 "2009-09-12T00:42:24Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Wait, okay… IS or IS NOT ACORN funded by public money? I’ve seen conservatives in this very thread say yes, and liberals say no. (Or at least what I interpret as “yes” and “no,” perhaps erroneously.) > > Please clarify. I don’t think that they are fully supported by federal money but they have been the recipients of federal grants. I think I’ve heard 58 million so far and stand to get much more from the stimulus plan. Here is one document showing they receive HUD grants. [http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr01-114.cfm](http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr01-114.cfm) They should not receive one more taxpayer dime until they are fully investigated. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/202 "2009-09-12T00:49:53Z")
Here’s a commentary that states that ACORN has received 53 million in federal funds. [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/special-editorial-reports/ACORN-got-53-million-in-federal-funds-since-94-now-eligible-for-up-to-8-billion-more-44406217.html](http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/special-editorial-reports/ACORN-got-53-million-in-federal-funds-since-94-now-eligible-for-up-to-8-billion-more-44406217.html) ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/203 "2009-09-12T00:55:09Z")
What about local/state funding? ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/204 "2009-09-12T00:57:48Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > What about local/state funding? HUD gives grants to states which may then go to ACORN but I don’t know that this happens. Regardless I don’t think that constitutes local funding. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/205 "2009-09-12T00:57:51Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Here’s a commentary that states that ACORN has received 53 million in federal funds. I didn’t know that, thank you. (I’ll trust that they have some basis for the figure, as the remainder of the article is . . . umm, shall we say . . . slanted.) ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/206 "2009-09-12T01:03:30Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I didn’t know that, thank you. (I’ll trust that they have some basis for the figure, as the remainder of the article is . . . umm, shall we say . . . slanted.) Yes, it is commentary. I had my hand on a HUD document earlier today that listed all the ACORN grants from 2007 but I’m having trouble finding it again. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/207 "2009-09-12T01:10:37Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > What are you talking about? All ACORN would have to say is, “If we find even one fraudulent registration in the pile a worker submits, no payment will be forthcoming for any of it.” As has been pointed out before (with cites), ACORN does not pay registration workers per registration. They pay an hourly wage. > [@Sam Stone](#): > > Even if they did random spot checking, the potential of losing all the money would greatly reduce the incentive to cheat, wouldn’t it? > > Or, if they don’t want to be that draconian, they could say that for every fraudulent registration they uncover, the worker involved will forfeit 50 good ones. Or something like that. As has been pointed out before, this would be illegal. > [@Sam Stone](#): > > Or even just, you know, FIRE the people who turn in bad registrations. As has been pointed out before, ACORN does indeed fire people who have turned in false registrations. > [@Sam Stone](#): > > As for not citing evidence that this is damaging the system, I gave you MULTIPLE cites. Did you even bother to read them? The CNN investigation went to an electoral office that had been swamped by ACORN dumping 5,000 registrations on them just at the deadline, with HALF of them being fraudulent. The Mercury News cited said that ACORN and other related organizations were dumping large numbers of fraudulent registrations on them late, and it was actually causing their system to break down. > > You consistently misrepresent what I’ve said, ignore my cites, refuse to read my actual arguments and respond to arguments you wish I had made instead of the ones I actually made. I have no idea why I waste any time with you. Masochism, I guess. The same could be said of you, since you repeatedly ignore all cites contrary to your own (fraudulently obtained, one might say) conclusions. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/208 "2009-09-12T01:19:26Z")
Youi simply must, repeat, must implore a mod to fix that quote for you. Cognitive whiplash, the acute but temporary form of cognitive dissonance. PS: Am I allowed to do that myself, or do I need to poke the OP? I mean, I’m pretty sure that paragraph before the orphaned [/quote] wasn’t friend **SnowBo**. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/209 "2009-09-12T01:26:35Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > If this group was closely associated with the Republicans, you can bet there would already be a half dozen Congressional investigations ongoing, computers seized, and funding cut off… You kid right. The dems have refused to go after the repubs who did so many sick and illegal things the last 2 terms. The dems always play too nice. The repubs spent mega millions trying to find a way to make legal trouble for Clinton. They launched investigations from the beginning to the end of his terms.They have no shame. By the way, show incidences of people actually voting illegally. ACORN registered voters and when they were suspicious ,they would flag the app to call attention to it. This is again repub noise .How long will you people allow them to play you for such suckers? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/210 "2009-09-12T01:41:58Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Youi simply must, repeat, must implore a mod to fix that quote for you. Cognitive whiplash, the acute but temporary form of cognitive dissonance. > > PS: Am I allowed to do that myself, or do I need to poke the OP? I mean, I’m pretty sure that paragraph before the orphaned [/quote] wasn’t friend **SnowBo**. The 2 paragraphs actually. I sent a note to mods to plz fix. Thanks for spotting my coding error. It should look like this: > [@Sam Stone](#): > > As for not citing evidence that this is damaging the system, I gave you MULTIPLE cites. Did you even bother to read them? The CNN investigation went to an electoral office that had been swamped by ACORN dumping 5,000 registrations on them just at the deadline, with HALF of them being fraudulent. The Mercury News cited said that ACORN and other related organizations were dumping large numbers of fraudulent registrations on them late, and it was actually causing their system to break down. > > You consistently misrepresent what I’ve said, ignore my cites, refuse to read my actual arguments and respond to arguments you wish I had made instead of the ones I actually made. I have no idea why I waste any time with you. Masochism, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/211 "2009-09-12T02:15:47Z")
Why haven’t we heard more about this, because I’d like to know. For instance, I would like to know who this documentary guy is. Where he got the courage to take on the shadow empire of ACORN. Must have gotten some money from somewhere, even Greyhounds to six or seven cities costs money. Not that I’m suspicious! Well, yeah, actually, it is. I don’t want this story to die, I want to know all about it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/212 "2009-09-12T02:32:05Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Why haven’t we heard more about this, because I’d like to know. For instance, I would like to know who this documentary guy is. Where he got the courage to take on the shadow empire of ACORN. Must have gotten some money from somewhere, even Greyhounds to six or seven cities costs money. > > Not that I’m suspicious! Well, yeah, actually, it is. I don’t want this story to die, I want to know all about it. You know, that’s a good point. Where did this guy get his funding from? Who is he? Do we even know his name? ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/213 "2009-09-12T03:41:58Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Why haven’t we heard more about this, because I’d like to know. For instance, I would like to know who this documentary guy is. Where he got the courage to take on the shadow empire of ACORN. Must have gotten some money from somewhere, even Greyhounds to six or seven cities costs money. > > Not that I’m suspicious! Well, yeah, actually, it is. I don’t want this story to die, I want to know all about it. You haven’t heard about it because you don’t watch Fox News. They were the only network to report the story. CNN finally mentioned it today I think. The NYT ran an AP blurb on their online version only. ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC and the Wash Post did not mention this story. Actually, I think Glenn Beck gets credit for breaking this story. He’s also the one who did the legwork on the Van Jones commie story. I personally detest Beck but you have to give him some credit on these two. Also, I think Andrew Breitbart’s group was behind the investigative reporting. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/214 "2009-09-12T03:49:41Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > You know, that’s a good point. Where did this guy get his funding from? Who is he? Do we even know his name? His name is James O’Keefe. He also claims that CNN was passing on an ACORN lie when they reported that his crew tried this at other ACORN offices but failed. [http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#more-1018](http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#more-1018) ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/215 "2009-09-12T04:00:02Z")
Looks like I was wrong about Breitbart. It appears O’Keefe had already done this investigation before approaching Breitbart. Here is Breitbart’s account and a link to the transcript and audio in its entirety. [http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/10/introducing-james-o’keefe/#more-402](http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/10/introducing-james-o%e2%80%99keefe/#more-402) ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/216 "2009-09-12T04:08:33Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > His name is James O’Keefe. He also claims that CNN was passing on an ACORN lie when they reported that his crew tried this at other ACORN offices but failed. > > [http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#more-1018](http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#more-1018) Why is that that yahoo filmmaker (and I call him that for his moronic reply in that opinion piece) ignores that it is normal for the media to make an effort to offer both points of view in a history? When he comes saying that **CNN is lying** for pointing to what acorn and others said about what the filmmaker did at other locations, the filmmaker is going way beyond “journalistic ethics” if he is serious here. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/217 "2009-09-12T04:15:13Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Why is that that yahoo filmmaker (and I call him that for the moronic reply in that opinion piece) ignores that it is normal for the media to make an effort to offer both points of view in a history? When he comes saying that **CNN is lying** for pointing to what acorn and others said about what the filmmaker did at other locations, the filmmaker is going way beyond “journalistic ethics” if he is serious here. Um…if the filmmaker did not go to other locations then he is correct to point out that ACORN is lying. He says that CNN pushed the ACORN lie, not that CNN is lying. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/218 "2009-09-12T04:36:12Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Um…if the filmmaker did not go to other locations then he is correct to point out that ACORN is lying. He says that CNN pushed the ACORN lie, not that CNN is lying. The title says “On why I do not return calls from an intrepid CNN producer” He is clearly implicating CNN on this. > [@](#): > > When you air the raw ACORN footage that is now viral on the Internet, and being played on FOX NEWS and countless talk radio shows, then and only then — when America can see, hear and smell the stench we have exposed — will I subject myself to a CNN hit job. IMHO he is more in favor of the FOX system of reporting, no other view points should be considered, only they have the access to the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/219 "2009-09-12T04:37:37Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > His name is James O’Keefe. He also claims that CNN was passing on an ACORN lie when they reported that his crew tried this at other ACORN offices but failed. > > [http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#more-1018](http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/11/on-why-i-dont-return-phone-calls-from-an-intrepid-cnn-producer/#more-1018) Thanks for the name and the links. Mr. O’Keefe himself is not very honest, and is definitely pushing an agenda. This isn’t journalism at all; it’s a hatchet job. He claims to have exposed “blatant ACORN CORRUPTION” and “ACORN caught on tape trying to help create a brothel featuring illegal immigrant age range 13-15 from El Salvador”, but the transcript doesn’t back that up. ACORN had nothing to do with this, other than being the employer of the people he taped. And, in the end, ACORN did fire the people involved, as any decent employer would. I doubt that will stop Mr. O’Keefe from wailing and gnashing his teeth, tho. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/220 "2009-09-12T04:44:05Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > The title says “On why I do not return calls from an intrepid CNN producer” > > He is clearly implicating CNN on this. > > IMHO he is more in favor of the FOX system of reporting, no other view points should be considered, only they have the access to the truth. I think he is saying that he will consider talking to CNN when CNN bothers to air the footage and report on the story. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=12)