# 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:** 31
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/601 "2009-09-22T20:26:37Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Well, Bertha Lewis says that she was outraged at what her employees did on the tapes, and anyone else should be, too. > > So is she lying? No, she wasn’t lying. But all she did was discipline (in this case, dismiss) an employee that was acting horribly unprofessionally. That is not a “scandal” in any sense of the word. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/602 "2009-09-22T20:31:45Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Wait…you forgot that both the House and Senate voted in large majorities to defund ACORN. And ACORN got kicked off the Census project. And that demonstrates what? The factuality and significance of the “scandal”, or mere political cowardice? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/603 "2009-09-22T20:53:01Z")
This is probably another thread but this topic reminds me of those times I wonder why people seem to tolerate bad or even unlawful behavior in their community. Does it seem that certain communities treat some unlawful behavior as if it’s just someone doing what they have to to survive. Then again I have friends who smoke dope. We probably know people who snort a little coke now and then. Could it be that in these poor communities looking the other way concerning certain unlawful acts is par for the course. And I’m still amazed when I see pictures of Okeefe and his Ho that anyone took them seriously. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/604 "2009-09-22T20:59:44Z")
whoops double post ---
**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:** [September 22, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/605 "2009-09-22T21:00:16Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Well, Bertha Lewis says that she was outraged at what her employees did on the tapes, and anyone else should be, too. > > So is she lying? How is an organization firing bad employees a scandal? ---
**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:** [September 22, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/606 "2009-09-22T21:01:26Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Wait…you forgot that both the House and Senate voted in large majorities to defund ACORN. And ACORN got kicked off the Census project. How is that a scandal? ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/607 "2009-09-22T21:03:17Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And that demonstrates what? The factuality and significance of the “scandal”, or mere political cowardice? Both. Were there any laws broken by ACORN in this whole thing? Nah, unless they can find a memo from upper management that tells employees that they should be doing these things. The term “scandal” does not imply that any law was broken. Remeber the Clinton scandal was the affair even though that in itself was not against the law. The FBI is trying to determine if ACORN broke any laws. We’ll see in time. But, this scandal has caused congress to quickly distance itself, and our money, from this organization. Good enough for me. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/608 "2009-09-22T21:06:56Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Would you expect ABC/NBC/CBS to do the same? Absent a court order, would they ever? I would expect them to do so, yes, but the person hiding the tapes is pimp boy, not any news networks, as far as I know. I’m sure you would agree that it’s impossible to make an informed evaluation, and certainly irresponsible to make accusations without being able to view the full tapes. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/609 "2009-09-22T21:21:31Z")
An interesting wrinkle has evolved… [http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009\_09/020067.php](http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_09/020067.php) > [@](#): > > It no doubt seemed like a good idea at the time. Republican lawmakers intended to stop federal funds that might go to ACORN, wrote a measure that blocked expenditures for “any organization that has filed a fraudulent form with any Federal or State regulatory agency.”… You already kinda know where this is going, don’t you? > [@](#): > > …Lockheed Martin and Northrop Gumman both popped up quickly, with 20 fraud cases between them, and the longer list is a Who’s Who of weapons manufacturers and defense contractors… ---
**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:** [September 22, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/610 "2009-09-22T21:26:21Z")
And the GOP is hoisted on it’s own retards. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/611 "2009-09-22T21:35:11Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > And the GOP is hoisted on it’s own retards. What are you, 12? Nars Glinley Proud older brother of a “retard”. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/612 "2009-09-22T21:46:14Z")
And then there is this little [nugget](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ACORN_HIDDEN_CAMERA?SITE=FLSTU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)… > [@](#): > > Police say a worker with the activist group ACORN who was caught on video giving advice about human smuggling to a couple posing as a pimp and a prostitute had reported the incident to authorities. Damn that ACORN!! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/613 "2009-09-22T21:50:58Z")
Update: When I read about the above reported bill, I had the impression that is was a _prospective_ bill, awaiting action. Not so, the bill was passed. I note this correction in gleeful anticipation… ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/614 "2009-09-22T21:51:08Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > And then there is this little [nugget](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ACORN_HIDDEN_CAMERA?SITE=FLSTU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)… > > Damn that ACORN!! You gotta keep [up.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11582259&postcount=564) ---
**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:** [September 22, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/615 "2009-09-22T21:59:23Z")
The bill might be unconstitutional anyway. Jerry Nadler is challenging it as a [Bill of attainder](http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0909/Nadler_ACORN_ban_unconstitutional.html). A lot of defense contractors better hope that Nadler is right. Either way, the whole thing still exposes the Republicans as shallow, disingenuous hypocrites. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/616 "2009-09-22T22:03:45Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The bill might be unconstitutional anyway. Jerry Nadler is challenging it as a [Bill of attainder](http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0909/Nadler_ACORN_ban_unconstitutional.html). Quick warning, if you value your brain cells, do not read the comments after the article in that link. ---
**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 22, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/617 "2009-09-22T22:12:23Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Quick warning, if you value your brain cells, do not read the comments after the article in that link. Yeah, the comments after are full of LOLs. I like how they argue that a Bill of Attainder has to be targeted at a person or a group, and that somehow ACORN is neither. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/618 "2009-09-22T22:23:34Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Both. Were there any laws broken by ACORN in this whole thing? Nah, unless they can find a memo from upper management that tells employees that they should be doing these things. The term “scandal” does not imply that any law was broken. Remeber the Clinton scandal was the affair even though that in itself was not against the law. > > The FBI is trying to determine if ACORN broke any laws. We’ll see in time. But, this scandal has caused congress to quickly distance itself, and our money, from this organization. Good enough for me. I dunno, mighta been [some laws broken](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2342824/posts) ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/619 "2009-09-23T00:37:15Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > It’s equally alarming – perhaps more so – to see OTHER people reflexively tying the President in to ACORN, as though he is some sort of masked villian with an alter ego as CEO of ACORN, and we’re just days away from the damning proof. > > The only real link Obama has to ACORN is that it seem clear ACORN wanted Obama to win the election. Since they appear to have been joined in this venture by about 50 million other people, it’s absurd to single them out for anything related to Obama. Seriously – do you people have some script that requires you to tie in Obama somehow? It’s ridiculous; cut it out. Not stopping [the Wall Street Journal.](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204488304574427041636360388.html?mod=djemEditorialPage) While its assertions about his history with the organization may be true, I just don’t see how they draw the conclusion from them that he “should have known” about the scandals. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/620 "2009-09-23T01:17:10Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The bill might be unconstitutional anyway. Jerry Nadler is challenging it as a [Bill of attainder](http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0909/Nadler_ACORN_ban_unconstitutional.html). > > A lot of defense contractors better hope that Nadler is right. Either way, the whole thing still exposes the Republicans as shallow, disingenuous hypocrites. No. That argument is not supported by any existing Bill of Attainder decisions. The prohibition forbids non-judicial punishments or determinations of guilt. The mere decision to fund or not fund a particular agency cannot be a bill of attainder (it would be if the bill sought to refuse to pay a specific named agency for work already done, of course). But … no. In fact, the defense contractors’ plight suggests an even farther distance from a bill of attainder. A bill that prohibits payment to ANY entity that’s filed a fraudulent submission is clearly not a bill of attainder. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=32)