# 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:** 41
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/801 "2009-12-11T21:05:58Z")
Isn’t the flip side of that equally valid? Can we reasonably expect ACORN to explicitly include policies against prostitution, drug trafficing, etc. etc. when they have no expectation of such? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/802 "2009-12-11T21:30:52Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So any organization that does not explicitly state its criminal intentions in its handbook is exempt from responsibility for what its employees do? I don’t think so. > > Say something else ridiculous - I need further chuckles. > > Regards, > Shodan I get the impression that you don’t laugh enough. It isn’t exempt from responsibility if it allows such shenanigans to go on. But as I said, and you must surely understand, you can’t blame an organization for the off track actions of employees that they would have no ability to predict. But you know that. You’re just waving arms to take focus off how utterly without merit your previous arguments were. It’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/803 "2009-12-11T21:33:30Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Of course. But surely you must know that the standard is not “acting in compliance with company policies.” If that were so, all any organization would have to do to shield itself from _respondeat superior_ liability is issue clean policies. > > There are a couple of principles that, on balance, establish that an organization is liable for the wrongful acts of its agents. One is whether the organization benefits from the wrongful act of the employee. In this case, it does, since it captures fees from completed transactions and uses its aggregate count of the people it assists to show the continued need for funding and grants. Another is, as you mentioned in your post above, whether the agents are acting within the time/space and subject matter scope of their agency. I know you know this one, because you said it. I’m assuming they taught you at lawyer school how to understand such things. Is it your contention that hiding underage prostitution money is within the scope of ACORN’s agency? Again, you are letting your partisan bias cloud that fine legal mind of yours. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/804 "2009-12-11T21:54:48Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Isn’t the flip side of that equally valid? Can we reasonably expect ACORN to explicitly include policies against prostitution, drug trafficing, etc. etc. when they have no expectation of such? Perhaps not specifically naming each and every possible problem, no. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some policy that workers not involve themselves in any activity which might bring the organisation into disrepute, or something along those lines. Or one which suggests that they keep the right to fire someone who breaks the law. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/805 "2009-12-12T00:37:15Z")
What evidence do we have that ACORN employees did something illegal and/or wrong in this situation? A section of video. Not the entire video, but heavily edited clips that have now been determined to be tampered with. A bit of video the creators refuse to release the raw footage for. ACORN was tried and declared guilty by right wing media seconds after this video came out. Based solely on this video the government cut off funding to the company, people lost their jobs, and the organization has been severely compromised. This has been bullshit from the beginning. So when are we going to see the makers sued? When is the government going to return their funding? When are we going to see the people who were screaming for ACORN’s blood earlier in the thread man up and admit they made a mistake? Is this going to be it from the right wing from now on? Nothing but bullshit hatchet jobs on anyone they don’t like? Hey that group of people doesn’t agree with us, let’s get some video of their leader raping puppies! Seriously, don’t you have any other tools in your belt? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/806 "2009-12-12T00:51:14Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I’m assuming they taught you at lawyer school how to understand such things. Is it your contention that hiding underage prostitution money is within the scope of ACORN’s agency? > > Again, you are letting your partisan bias cloud that fine legal mind of yours. Advising tax prep clients to report all income, from whatever source derived, is within ACORN’s agency, as is advising clients to hide illegal income. The specific issue of prostitution is not relevant here, although it makes splashier news than, say, disguising short-term capital gains as long term ones. So your question focuses on the wrong element: hiding money, if ACORN employees advise it, falls within the scope of their agency, since their purpose is to advise the client on tax and mortgage issues. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/807 "2009-12-12T00:53:08Z")
How tall are you? Do you mind if we call you “Stretch”? ---
**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:** [December 12, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/808 "2009-12-12T00:56:17Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > Is this going to be it from the right wing from now on? Nothing but bullshit hatchet jobs on anyone they don’t like? Hey that group of people doesn’t agree with us, let’s get some video of their leader raping puppies! Seriously, don’t you have any other tools in your belt? If someone has a video of your leader raping a puppy, I’m OK with the edited version. These tactics aren’t radically different from what 60 Minutes has been doing for decades. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/809 "2009-12-12T01:05:15Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Advising tax prep clients to report all income, from whatever source derived, is within ACORN’s agency, as is advising clients to hide illegal income. The specific issue of prostitution is not relevant here, although it makes splashier news than, say, disguising short-term capital gains as long term ones. So your question focuses on the wrong element: hiding money, if ACORN employees advise it, falls within the scope of their agency, since their purpose is to advise the client on tax and mortgage issues. Oh. Very good summation, actually. Thank you for it; you are, as always, a veritable font of the easily-understood-by-the-layman explanation of the law. I mean that sincerely. It’s probably a little late, but do you want to ask the admins to change the thread title to _“ACORN workers caught on tape apparently advising on hiding income from tax authorities”_? 😃 ETA: **Shodan**? Still waiting to hear from you, buddy. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/810 "2009-12-12T01:53:48Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > If someone has a video of your leader raping a puppy, I’m OK with the edited version. These tactics aren’t radically different from what 60 Minutes has been doing for decades. So 60 minutes has been faking video to make organizations it doesn’t like look bad, and it’s been doing it for decades? Maybe it’s just been accepting faked video and using it to conduct smear campaigns against organizations it doesn’t like. Either way, cite please. ---
**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:** [December 12, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/811 "2009-12-12T02:10:19Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > So 60 minutes has been faking video to make organizations it doesn’t like look bad, and it’s been doing it for decades? Maybe it’s just been accepting faked video and using it to conduct smear campaigns against organizations it doesn’t like. Either way, cite please. The wiki article on 60 Minutes Controversies is a good place to start. [Link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60_Minutes#Controversies) ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/812 "2009-12-12T03:46:51Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > The wiki article on 60 Minutes Controversies is a good place to start. [Link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60_Minutes#Controversies) And guess what? They got sued for it, and rightly so. So now do we get to watch these asshats get sued? Can they be forced to produce the raw footage and reveal their backers? Can all the right wing blowholes who called for all kinds of horrible things done to ACORN the second it was handed to them get sued as well? It doesn’t matter if other people did it too, what they did was wrong, and they should be punished for it, criminal or civil. ---
**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:** [December 12, 2009, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/813 "2009-12-12T04:19:07Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > And guess what? They got sued for it, and rightly so. So now do we get to watch these asshats get sued? Can they be forced to produce the raw footage and reveal their backers? Can all the right wing blowholes who called for all kinds of horrible things done to ACORN the second it was handed to them get sued as well? It doesn’t matter if other people did it too, what they did was wrong, and they should be punished for it, criminal or civil. It wouldn’t bother me one bit if pimp and ho got sued for their actions. I was just pointing out that gotcha journalism is not solely the work of the rightwing. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/814 "2009-12-12T05:06:38Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > The wiki article on 60 Minutes Controversies is a good place to start. [Link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60_Minutes#Controversies) Thats all you have? The program has been on for decades and they have not been perfect. That is a pretty good track record, thanks for proving it. ---
**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:** [December 12, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/815 "2009-12-12T13:02:21Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Thats all you have? The program has been on for decades and they have not been perfect. That is a pretty good track record, thanks for proving it. No that’s not all, it’s a “good place to start.” There are plenty of others which Google would find for you quickly but I’m sure that no matter how many there are, you’d say that that proves they have a pretty good track record. I’m not going to argue Sorites paradox with you. ---
**Author:** ![Alienhand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Alienhand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alienhand)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/816 "2009-12-12T15:03:39Z")
[Judge blocks cutting off ACORN’s federal funding](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5goHmEoyYhLPQ7xhPuFBAM-gBjbUAD9CHEQDO0). > [@](#): > > Gershon said in her ruling that ACORN had raised a “fundamental issue of separation of powers. They have been singled out by Congress for punishment that directly and immediately affects their ability to continue to obtain federal funding, in the absence of any judicial, or even administrative, process adjudicating guilt.” > > The judge said the “public will not suffer harm by allowing the plaintiffs to continue work on contracts duly awarded by federal agencies.” Nice timing. ---
**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:** [December 12, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/817 "2009-12-12T15:19:41Z")
> [@Alienhand](#): > > [Judge blocks cutting off ACORN’s federal funding](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5goHmEoyYhLPQ7xhPuFBAM-gBjbUAD9CHEQDO0). That certainly explains why I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of Republican voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. When come back, ACORN haters, bring _evidence_. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/818 "2009-12-12T16:31:12Z")
Finally the repub hysteria has been properly responded to. It was a witch hunt. Now Fox can start to cry again. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/819 "2009-12-12T18:02:52Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Finally the repub hysteria has been properly responded to. God bless our activist judges: [ACTIVIST FED JUDGE AWARDS MILLIONS IN TAXPAYER $$ TO THE FRAUDULENT & CORRUPT ACORN!! GUESS THE OBAMAS WERE CELEBRATING THEIR ACTIVIST BUDDIES VICTORY BY SERVING ACORN SHAPED COOKIES AT THEIR “CHRISTMAS” PARTY!](http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?letter_id=4394311621) [Activist Judge: Congress Cannot Stop Payments To ACORN](http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405837/posts) [Nina Gershon: She was appointed by President Bill Clinton](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Gershon) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681/820 "2009-12-12T18:53:46Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Finally the repub hysteria has been properly responded to. It was a witch hunt. Now Fox can start to cry again. Ohhh, those sweet, sweet Fox tears! They taste like karmic justice! Which tastes like candy corn, for some reason. It’s very strange… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=40) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acorn-workers-caught-on-tape-apparently-advising-on-child-prostitution/509681.md?page=42)