# 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:** 37
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/721 "2009-09-28T20:56:56Z")
> [@](#): > > …shooting 17 innocent people to death, they are given an immunity deal. It’s moments like this when I most regret that we don’t have a “puking my guts out” smiley. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/722 "2009-09-28T20:59:17Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Conservatives are afraid of ACORN because it registers black people to vote. It’s just that simple. There is nothing more to it. Cite? You are so quick to dismiss all evidence against ACORN but so willing to accuse all conservatives of being racists without any evidence. Usually the ones who are willing to throw the RAAACIST accusation around so easily are the true racists (IMHO). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/723 "2009-09-28T21:08:23Z")
Well, in a way, you have a point. The very people who labored so hard to turn the Justice Dept into a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican National Committee are the very same people who are so anxious to see ACORN brought down. Yes, truly, hypocrisy is rife! Good catch! ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/724 "2009-09-28T21:10:01Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I, for one, would love to see an investigation of contractors in the middle east. Why aren’t the Democrats doing it? Oh, and sadly, I suspect part of the treason there are no investigations and/or prosecutions is that too many Dem connections would also have to take the fall. That, IMO is one of the BS double standards that is hurting us all. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/725 "2009-09-28T21:34:40Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > That’s a hell of a lot of supposition and spin, don’t you think? We’ve got far more on, say, Blackwater… and they aren’t being subjected to the same investigation. Why has ACORN been singled out? How much do you need to convince you that they should at least be investigated IF they want to continue getting taxpayer money?!? As far as other organizations, including Blackwater, investigate away. Dems control the House, Senate, and Presidency right now. Where are the investigations? Oh, I bet they won’t be as much fun since Bush is gone. ---
**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 28, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/726 "2009-09-28T21:50:29Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Cite? You are so quick to dismiss all evidence against ACORN Evidence of what? > [@](#): > > but so willing to accuse all conservatives of being racists without any evidence. Usually the ones who are willing to throw the RAAACIST accusation around so easily are the true racists (IMHO). I didn’t accuse anyone of being racist, I just said conservatives don’t like ACORN registering black people to vote. That bothers them not because they’re racist, but because black people vote for the Democrats. ---
**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 28, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/727 "2009-09-28T21:53:42Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > How much do you need to convince you that they should at least be investigated IF they want to continue getting taxpayer money?!? Investigated for what? > [@](#): > > As far as other organizations, including Blackwater, investigate away. Dems control the House, Senate, and Presidency right now. Where are the investigations? Oh, I bet they won’t be as much fun since Bush is gone. Bush gave Blackwater immunity from investigation. The other organizations have _already_ been investigated and found guilty of a great deal of fraud. I posted the list upthread. They still go on receiving taxpayer money regardless and without a peep of concern from the poitical right. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/728 "2009-09-29T01:39:53Z")
The witch hunt is not racist. it is classist. The people ACORN registered were poor people and incidentlaly mostly black. There would be no noise if they were middle class republicans registered. But the repubs were getting hurt so they tried everything they could think of to take ACORN down. Stupid crap that only Bricker would bleat about was tried but it had nothing behind it and failed. Then they get these kids to try a gotcha . It is a stupid farce but enough for them to take and run with. It does not say a thing about the organization at all. A couple employees playing along with obvious middle class geeks role playing is a joke. But constant coverage and endless crying succeeded where no other tactic worked. I hope those 2 get sued out of their shorts. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/729 "2009-09-29T02:53:47Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > How much do you need to convince you that they should at least be investigated IF they want to continue getting taxpayer money?!? [QUOTE=My own damn self, just upthread] _Investigate_, sure. I believe that any entity which receives public funds should be put under the microscope every so often- keeps 'em honest. [/QUOTE] Why is it that ACORN is a grave threat against Democracy, but Republican sweethearts like, say, Blackwater, get sweetheart immunity deals? Why is ACORN so dangerous when Republican organizations actively destroy Democrat voter responses and surreptitiously switch Dem voters to Pub? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/730 "2009-09-29T13:19:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by \*\*yorick73 \*\* > How much do you need to convince you that they should at least be investigated IF they want to continue getting taxpayer money?!? According to [former US attorney David Iglesias](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/28/david-iglesias-joins-madd_n_302433.html) they’ve already been investigated. > [@](#): > > I believed there to be prosecutable cases, but I wasn’t going to make up evidence. And at the end of two years I couldn’t find one case I could prosecute. Karl Rove called to push for his dismissal because he refused to provide the prosecutions they wanted. Are you outraged about that? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/731 "2009-09-29T13:37:24Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > What are you, some kind of Frenchie loving socialist? Or a freakin interlectual? No I’m a fuckin Amurican! I was born and Amurican and I,…{sniff} …really,…{SNIFF} ,…love, …{heavy sobbing} gimme a minute ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/732 "2009-09-29T15:10:41Z")
[http://www.alternet.org/blogs/politics/142841/could\_the\_righties'\_hatred\_of\_acorn\_take\_down\_the\_entire\_military-industrial-media\_complex/](http://www.alternet.org/blogs/politics/142841/could_the_righties%27_hatred_of_acorn_take_down_the_entire_military-industrial-media_complex/) Some good may come from this . The ACORN legislation is written so broadly that it could take military contractors who cheat the government down. It could get the banks who cheated TARP too. There are 20 banks criminal cases involving banks now. Blackwater could get cut off for the same reasons. Halliburton and Iraqi contractors have systematically looted the taxpayers. They could go down . I kid. They will rewrite the legislation to exempt them. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/733 "2009-12-08T14:20:10Z")
[FAKERY:](http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/acorn_report_finds_no_illegal_conduct.php?ref=fpblg) > [@](#): > > The videos that have been released appear to have been edited, in some cases substantially, including the insertion of a substitute voiceover for significant portions of Mr. O’Keefe’s and Ms. Giles’s comments, which makes it difficult to determine the questions to which ACORN employees are responding. A comparison of the publicly available transcripts to the released videos confirms that large portions of the original video have been omitted from the released versions. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/734 "2009-12-08T14:30:19Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [FAKERY:](http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/acorn_report_finds_no_illegal_conduct.php?ref=fpblg) “A comparison of the publicly available transcripts to the released videos confirms that large portions of the original video have been omitted from the released versions.” What does this mean? The fakers were so inept that they published transcripts that didn’t match the faked voiceovers? That seems… not credible as a statement. What were the specific differences? What did the transcripts say as opposed to what the videos said? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/735 "2009-12-08T14:45:08Z")
Good questions, **Bricker**. Maybe the answers’ll come out one of these days, though I don’t think any of us should hold our breath waiting for them. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/736 "2009-12-08T15:14:38Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > “A comparison of the publicly available transcripts to the released videos confirms that large portions of the original video have been omitted from the released versions.” > > What does this mean? The fakers were so inept that they published transcripts that didn’t match the faked voiceovers? That seems… not credible as a statement. > > What were the specific differences? What did the transcripts say as opposed to what the videos said? Appendix D of the linked report lists what the investigators found at the various offices that . Among the statements are > [@](#): > > Although Mr. O’Keefe appeared in all videos dressed as a pimp, in > fact, when he appeared at each and every office, he was dressed like a college student – in slacks > and a button down shirt. Ms. Giles, however, was dressed as she appears in the videos. > [@](#): > > While no video of this visit was released, some of the released videos contain scenes of the sign of the Philadelphia ACORN office and shots of Philadelphia’s head organizer with no audio. > [@](#): > > In San Diego, the ACORN employee who met with the videographers does not speak English as his first language. His colleagues usually converse with him in Spanish. In the released video, his participation amounts mostly to nodding or saying “OK.” It is difficult to determine what this employee is responding to because the videographers statements are obscured by a voiceover inserted later. ---
**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:** [December 8, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/737 "2009-12-08T15:17:37Z")
It was pretty obvious those videos had been doctored from the get go. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/738 "2009-12-08T15:20:03Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Appendix D of the linked report lists what the investigators found at the various offices that . Among the statements are OK. None of those statements seem to touch on the portions of the videos that garnered the most concern, though. And it’s unclear to me how they changed the image of O’Keefe from “pimp outfit” to “college student” on the video. Are they saying that some kind of digital alteration was done, _a la_ Forrest Gump? ---
**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:** [December 8, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/739 "2009-12-08T15:36:53Z")
Since the scammers who concocted these videos have refused to provide any of the full, unedited, original videos to anyone (it wouldn’t surprise me if they’ve destroyed them), then any obvious tampering discredits the entire thing. It’s disingenuous to to say the clearly tampered parts “don’t seem to touch on the portions of the videos that garnered the most concern.” Yes they do. It’s the same video. The provenance is tainted beyond any redemption, absent the ability to see the original. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/740 "2009-12-08T15:42:27Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > OK. > > None of those statements seem to touch on the portions of the videos that garnered the most concern, though. And it’s unclear to me how they changed the image of O’Keefe from “pimp outfit” to “college student” on the video. Are they saying that some kind of digital alteration was done, _a la_ Forrest Gump? That’s what I’m gathering from the report, that there was digital alteration, that there were edits, and that there were voice overs. Basically the videos are unreliable as to which questions elicited which answers and how. There’s enough obvious editing that it’s hard to say whether the released video is representative of the actual conversations that took place or a distortion of those conversations. The report doesn’t let ACORN off the hook; it clearly states there are systemic problems in the organization and there is a need for extreme changes throughout. But that doesn’t make the videos good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=36) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=38)