Only problem is this makes them more dangerous as they will be able to
work undercover which they could not as a national organization. We
have to be vigilant to see that they are not able to get away with what
they have gotten away with in the next election.
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* ACORN 'dissolved as a national structure'
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ACORN 'dissolved as a national structure' - Ben Smith: ACORN
'dissolved as a national structure'
<http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith>
February 22, 2010
Categories:
* Misc <http://dyn.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/index.cfm/category/Misc>
ACORN 'dissolved as a national structure'
<http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0210/ACORN_dissolved_as_a_national_structure.html#>
The embattled liberal group ACORN is in the process of dissolving its
national structure, with state and local-chapters splitting off from the
underfunded, controversial national group, an official close to the
group confirmed.
"ACORN has dissolved as a national structure of state organizations,"
said a senior official close to the group, who declined to be identified
by name because of the fierce conservative attacks on the group that
began when a conservative filmmaker caught some staffers of its tax
advisory arms on tape appearing to offer advice on incorporating a
prostitution business.
The videos proved a rallying point for conservatives who had long
accused the group of fomenting voting fraud. Though the videos did not
produce criminal charges, they appear to have been fatal to the national
organization.
"Consistent with what the internal recommendations have been, each of
the states are developing plans for reconstitution independence and
self-sufficiency," said the official, citing ACORN's "diminished
resources, damage to the brand, unprecedented attacks."
The new organizations, he said "will be constituted under new banners
and new bylaws and new governance," he said, consistent with the
recommendations of an outside panel.
Much of the group's strength lay in its local chapters in places like
New York, which appear to be continuing to operate as normal. New York's
City Hall News reported
<http://www.cityhallnews.com/newyork/article-1147-empty-on-funding-acorn-shutters-around-the-country.html>
today that the local group there had re-emerged under the name "New York
Communities for Change."
UPDATE: A person familiar with the New York reorganization said the new
group has a new board, including some relative outsiders, like an
official at the union Workers United, Wilfredo Larancuent, as well as
most of the old leadership.
But the impact appears to be minimal.
"It's not like this is some kind of hostile thing," said the New York
source. "This is what Fox has produced. National Acorn and Bertha Lewis
are continuing doing their thing, but the New York flagship has been
forced into this new organization."
"As far as the work in the communities and policy campaigns, no one will
notice the difference," the source said. "It's people who still believe
in their basic mission of fighting for poor people."
ALSO: National ACORN says
<http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=02&year=2010&base_name=acorn_were_still_here>
it continues to exist, despite the departure of state chapters,
including also California's, which departed
<http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/13/nation/la-na-acorn13-2010jan13>
under similar terms last month.
Posted by Ben Smith 03:08 PM
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