The RNLA Press Page Has Been Temporarily Rededicated to Efforts to Expose the Truth on ACORN

Take Action!

1. Click here to sign the RNLA petition that calls on Congress to cease all government financial support and accommodation for the organization.
2. Contact the Inspectors General of the Internal Revenue Service and Housing and Urban Development and demand they pursue a full investigation of how taxpayer dollars to ACORN were spent. Please click here for the online complaint form at the IRS website. Please click here for information on how to file a complaint with the Inspector General of HUD.
3. Contact your Representative or Senator. Click here to contact your Representative and here to contact your Senators.

White Papers

The RNLA has issued a white paper detailing activities of ACORN and its effect on election integrity. This paper also deals with how concerned citizens can help combat ACORN’s vote fraud. Please click here to read the paper entitled: "ACORN & Fraudulent Voter Registrations: A Concerned Citizen's Guide to Helping Ensure the Integrity of Elections."

Press Releases and Statements on ACORN

RNLA Calls on Chairman Conyers to Investigate ACORN: On November 24, 2009, the RNLA issued a letter to Representative John Conyers, Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, calling on him to convene hearings on ACORN. In calling for a hearing, RNLA cites the limited scope of the current investigations by the Departments of Justice and Treasury and continuing revelations of ACORN’s improper activities. The letter also points to how fellow committee member Rep. Jerry Nadler has been actively counseling ACORN behind the scenes. Please click here for the letter.

RNLA Issues Letter to ACORN Investigator: On October 7, 2009, RNLA President Chuck Bell and First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh issued a letter to former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, who was recently selected by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) to conduct an internal investigation of the organization. Mr. Bell and Ms. Heidelbaugh challenge Harshbarger that the scope of the review prescribed by ACORN is extremely limited. Please click here to read the letter for the specific reccomendations made by RNLA leadership.

RNLA Chairman Responds to Lousiana Attorney General Subpoena: On October 6, 2009, RNLA Chair David Norcross responded to Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell's revelation that $5 million was embezzleed from ACORN as opposed to the previously reported $1 million. Norcross lamented the lack of congressional action by Representatives Nadler and Conyers on ACORN and noted that "[t]he call for a special prosecutor with respect to ACORN merits serious consideration." Please click here for the press release. Please click here to read the New York Times' report on the statement and here for U.S. News and World Report's take on how these continuing revelations could embarrass President Obama.

RNLA Response to ACORN’s “Independent” Investigation: On September 18, 2009, Republican National Lawyers Association Co-Chair Cleta Mitchell, issued a statement on behalf of the RNLA in response to ACORN’s announcement that their “independent Advisory Council” will appoint an independent auditor to investigate the organization’s “systems and processes.” Please click here for the statement.

RNLA Calls on HUD & DOJ to Investigate & Defund ACORN: On September 15, 2009, the Republican National Lawyers Association filed a formal complaint with the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting an immediate and thorough investigation of apparent ongoing and serious violations of federal law and regulations by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). Please click here for the complaint and click here for the RNLA press release. Please click here for The Hill’s coverage of the letter.

RNLA Statement on Arrest of Former Florida ACORN Employees: On September 9, 2009, the Republican National Lawyers Association released a statement in response to the announcement made by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office that arrest warrants had been issued for 11 individuals charged with felonies for submitting false voter registration information. Please click here for the press release.

Heidelbaugh Responds to Congresswoman: On July 1, 2009, RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh responded to a request for additional information concerning the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) issued by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), member of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary and Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. Please click here to read the press release containing Heidelbaugh's response.

Press Conference: On May 14, 2009, Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh participated in a press conference with Rep. Michele Bachmann and Anita MonCrief, a former employee with (ACORN), concerning the organization’s fraudulent activities, recent legal developments including the filing of criminal charges against the group, and ACORN’s continued access to taxpayer dollars. Please click here for a photo of Rep. Bachmann and Ms. Heidelbaugh at the press conference.

RNLA Testimony Spurs Concerns About ACORN’s Activities: Heidelbaugh’s March 19, 2009 testimony spurred controversy and more importantly may have spurred action on ACORN.

RNLA First Vice-President Testifies Before Congress: RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh testified before the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties regarding possible ACORN violations committed during the November 2008 General Election. Click here for a copy of her testimony.

Press Conference: On May 14, 2009, Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh participated in a press conference with Rep. Michele Bachmann and Anita MonCrief, a former employee with (ACORN), concerning the organization’s fraudulent activities, recent legal developments including the filing of criminal charges against the group, and ACORN’s continued access to taxpayer dollars. Please click here for a photo of Rep. Bachmann and Ms. Heidelbaugh.

Television and Select Media Appearances on ACORN

RNLA First Vice President Heidelbaugh: The ACORN Way: RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh penned an opinion piece in the October 22 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In the piece, Heidelbaugh discusses ACORN's voter registration quota schemes and how it likely violates a Pennsylvania law that makes it a crime to "give solicit or accept payment . . . to obtain a voter registration if the payment or incentive is based upon the number of registrations or applications obtained." In addition, Heidelbaugh's article discusses ACORN and the ACLU's lawsuit in federal court that attempts to declare the law unconstitutional.

RNLA Releases New Web Video on ACORN: The RNLA released a second web video on ACORN and challenges Rep. Nadler to honor his promise to hold a hearing on the organization when “he hears any credible allegations.”

RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh on Jim Bohannon: On September 16, RNLA Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh appeared on the Jim Bohannon Show to discuss ACORN's illegal activities. Please click here to listen to the broadcast.

RNLA Co-Chair Cleta Mitchell Appears on Fox News to Discuss ACORN: On September 15, 2009, RNLA Co-Chair Cleta Mitchell appeared on Fox News to discuss the rapidly unfolding revelations against ACORN and the organization's illegal activities.

Heidelbaugh: “The ACORN Way: Change the Law After You Break It:” On September 11, Townhall published an article by RNLA First Vice President Heidelbaugh that details ACORN’s attempts to change the Pennsylvania law that bars the offering of financial incentives to register voters on the grounds that impose a severe burden on ACORN’s First and Fourteenth Amendment Rights. Please click here to read Heidelbaugh’s article.

RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh in the Washington Examiner: On Friday, August 21, the Washington Examiner published an Op-ed by RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh entitled: "Obama is governing as a community organizer." Please click here to read the article.

RNLA Chairman David Norcross Appears on Glenn Beck Program: On July 1, RNLA Chairman David Norcross appeared on the Glenn Beck Program and discussed ACORN, its role in the Minnesota Senate Race, and RNLA's comprehensive efforts to expose the truth on the organization's activities.

RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh on Investor’s Business Daily: On Thursday, June 11, RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh appeared on Investor’s Business Daily’s weekly podcast in: “ACORN: Why these Community Organizers Need Reform Now.” In this wide-ranging interview, Ms. Heidelbaugh explains the initial lawsuit against ACORN in Pennsylvania prior to November’s election, The New York Times’ burial of a reporter’s ongoing ACORN investigation, and Democrat ties to ACORN. Please click here to listen to the conversation.

Recent News on ACORN

ACORN Sues O'Keefe, Giles, and Breitbart

Politico reports that ACORN has filed suit in Maryland state court against filmmakers Hannah Giles, James O'Keefe, and the website Breitbart.com "for secretly taping the organization's employees at it's Baltimore office." Please click here for a copy of the complaint. Please click here for the RNLA's response to the news of the suit.

Preliminary ACORN Probe by End of October

The Boston Globe has reported that "[f]ormer Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger plans to complete his preliminary findings on ACORN...by the end of October." The article also quotes the RNLA statement in response to ACORN's announcement of the 'independent' review:

This ‘independent’ review doesn’t pass the smell test, much less the laugh test," says the Republican National Lawyers Association. The reality is that ACORN has been accused of serious and criminal acts and it is the responsibility of Congress, as well as HUD and the Department of Justice to investigate their actions and the possible misuse of millions of taxpayer dollars. Any other actions are simply not sufficient and will not have the confidence of the American people.

The Washington Times: GOP Lawyers Demand Investigation Into ACORN’s Funding: On September 22, 2009, The Washington Times noted: “A powerful group of GOP lawyers is demanding that government officials open an investigation to determine if the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now has used government funds for illegal purposes.” Please click here for the article.

House Votes to End Federal Funding for ACORN

On Thursday, September 17, 2009, the House of Representatives voted 345 to 75 to stop all funding to ACORN.

With a whopping 152 cosponsors, H.R. 3571, the “Defund ACORN Act,” specifically prohibits the federal government for awarding “contracts, grants, or other agreements” to the organization.

In response to the bill, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the Chair of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties took to the House floor and complained that the bill amounted to an unconstitutional Bill of Attainder (See: Article I Section 9). (Yes, this is the same Rep. Nadler from Heather Heidelbaugh’s March testimony. Hans von Spakovsky debates the merits of this claim in: Defunding ACORN: Necessary and Proper, and Certainly Constitutional.

Senate Votes to Deny ACORN Funding

Earlier, the Senate had also voted to deny ACORN funding. From Politico: "The Senate dealt a blow to ACORN Monday evening, voting to deny the Department of Housing and Urban Development from granting funds to the community organization." "Sen. Mike Johanns’s (R-Neb.) amendment to the appropriations bill providing funding to the department passed in a bipartisan, 83-7 vote." Please click here for more.

ACORN Launches “Independent Review”

After issuing denials and then threats, ACORN finally called for internal reform measures. The Washington Times reports that ACORN “has suspended advising new clients as part of its service programs and is setting up an independent review to see what happened.” Specifically, ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis took the following steps:

• No new intakes will be accepted into ACORN's offices for service programs, effective immediately;
• An immediate in-service training for all frontline staff has been ordered within 48 hours;
• ACORN's independent Advisory Council will help select an independent auditor/reviewer no later than September 18th to review all of the systems and processes called into question by the videos.

Additional Videos Released

Two additional videos surfaced during the week of September 14. This time O’Keefe and Giles head to California where their visits to ACORN offices result in more damaging evidence against the organization. The first video, shot in San Bernardino, shows an ACORN employee offering advice on how to set up a prostitution ring, specifically, that she could mold the ring into the “level of decency or indecency” Giles wanted to. Please click here for the San Bernardino video.

The second video has O’Keefe and Giles in an ACORN Office in San Diego with some of the most jaw dropping footage seen yet. The video shows ACORN employee, Juan Carlos Vera, offering advice on the proposed prostitution ring and even suggesting how to smuggle fictional underage El Salvadoran prostitutes across the border. Please click here to watch this video. Soon after, it was announced that the ACORN organizer was fired “for unacceptable conduct.”

Governor Schwarzenegger has also called on California Attorney General Jerry Brown to launch an investigation into ACORN in the wake of the release of the California videos. Please click here for more.

Third ACORN Video Emerges

A third video has emerged that again shows ACORN employees encouraging undercover investigators Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe to engage in illegal activity. Fox News reports that in the Brooklyn, New York ACORN office, the pair "received advice from ACORN workers on how to launder their earnings and avoid detection from law enforcement officials while running a prostitution business." Please click here for the video.

Bombshell Videos Prompt U.S. Census Bureau to Cut Ties With ACORN

The Wall Street Journal reports that "[t]he U.S. Census Bureau on Friday dropped Acorn as a partner for the 2010 Census after two separate hidden-camera videos captured four employees of the community organization giving tax advice on running a brothel to a man posing as an aspiring politician and a woman posing as his girlfriend and a prostitute." Please click here for the story. Please click here for the letter from Census Director Robert M. Groves to ACORN President Maude Hurd informing her that the Census Bureau is "terminating" its "Partnership Agreement with ACORN."

Please click here for an interesting piece by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Ranking Republican on the Census Oversight Subcommittee, on “How ACORN Got Dumped by the Census.”

Video from D.C. ACORN Office Surfaces Prompting Additional Firings of ACORN Employees

Soon after the release of the video from the Baltimore ACORN office, another video surfaced, this one from a Washington, DC ACORN office. As the Washington Times reports: "The latest firings, in the Washington office, come a day after two other ACORN workers in Baltimore were fired over hidden camera footage." "It shows a man and woman at the group's Washington office, asking for help in buying a house for her prostitution business." "The workers tell the woman not to list prostitution as her profession on housing loans. Instead, they suggest she create a false business name and tell banks that she's a consultant for her own company." "The couple tells the workers they plan to bring several girls from Central America to work in the house. Another option the workers suggest is that the man could buy the house and act as a landlord unaware of what's happening in the home." ACORN fired the two shown employees in the video soon after it was released. Please click here for the Washington Times piece. Please click here for the video.

ACORN Fires Two Workers Seen in Hidden-Camera-Footage Advising Woman Posing as Prostitute

On September 10, 2009, The Baltimore Sun reported that ACORN "fired two employees who were seen on hidden-camera video giving tax advice to a man posing as a pimp and a woman who pretended to be a prostitute."

In this bombshell video, two individuals, one posing as a prostitute and the other a pimp, visit a Baltimore, Maryland ACORN office. In the video, the two ask "about buying a house and how to account on tax forms for the woman's income. An ACORN employee advised the woman to list her occupation as 'performance artist.' " The Sun reports, "[t]he pair also claimed they planned to employ teenage girls from central America as prostitutes, and an ACORN employee suggested that up to three of the girls could be claimed as dependents...."

Police Make Arrests as ACORN Turns in Florida Workers on Voter Fraud Charges

On September 9, 2009, authorities in Miami-Dade County "began arresting 11 people suspected of falsifying hundreds of voter applications during a registration drive last year." "The 11 workers each face multiple counts of two felony charges: false swearing in connection with voting and submission of false voter registration information. Each count is punishable by up to five years in prison."

The Miami Herald reported the RNLA's reaction to the story:

The Florida Chapter of the Republican National Lawyers Association praised Rundle for pursuing the case, saying the alleged crime is ‘a serious matter.’

“Hundreds of fraudulent registrations create a clear risk of fraudulent `votes' on Election Day,” said RNLA Florida Chapter Chair and former Broward County prosecutor Paul Renner in a statement.

Christopher Edwards, former Las Vegas field director for ACORN has pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Nevada law prohibiting compensation for registration of voters. Edwards was accused of leading an incentive program for voter registration canvassers in Nevada. The program, named blackjack, provided a $5 bonus to any canvasser who brought in 21 completed voter registration applications per shift. For more, please click here

ACORN and ACLU Sue to Overturn Pennsylvania Anti-Fraud Measure

On July 22, 2009, ACORN and the ACLU filed a lawsuit to overturn a Pennsylvania statue that prohibits payment of voter registration canvassers "based upon the number of registrations or applications obtained." Several former ACORN employees have been charged with violating this law. For more, please click here

Conyers Update: The Powers That Be Decided Against It

The RNLA has repeatedly pointed to Rep. John Conyers’(D-MI) remarks during RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh’s testimony to Congress during a March committee hearing. Conyers called for an investigation into ACORN’s activities on a few separate occasions during the hearing much to the consternation of the subcommittee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). Conyers later backed off his call for an investigation. Now, Conyers has finally stated why he backed off. The Washington Times reports:

"The powers that be decided against it," Mr. Conyers told The Washington Times.

The chairman declined to elaborate, shrugging off questions about who told him how to run his committee and give the Democrat-allied group a pass.

Pittsburgh lawyer Heather Heidelbaugh, whose testimony about ACORN at a March 19 hearing on voting issues prompted Mr. Conyers to call for a probe, said she was perplexed by Mr. Conyers' explanation for his change of heart.

"If the chair of the Judiciary Committee cannot hold a hearing if he want to [then] who are the powers that he is beholden to?" she said. "Is it the leadership, is it the White House, is it contributors? Who is 'the power?'"

Capitol Hill Democrats had bristled at proposed hearings because it threatened to rekindle criticism of the financial ties and close cooperation between President Obama's campaign and ACORN and its sister organizations Citizens Services Inc. and Project Vote.

In RNLA's June Republican Lawyer, Michelle Marston, member of RNLA and Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, discusses the Congresswoman's efforts against ACORN and the RNLA's important role in confronting its shenanigans.

Please click here to read Ms. Marston's article.

Congressional (In)action on ACORN (Part 2)

May 4, 2009: Rep. Conyers (D-MI) has reversed course on his former statements calling for hearings on ACORN. Rep. Conyers delivered the following statement to Lou Dobbs: “Based on my review of the information regarding the complaints against ACORN, I have concluded that a hearing on this matter appears unwarranted at this time."

April 1st, 2009: The Washington Times reports that House Judiciary Chairman Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) is open to holding hearings on the pre-electoral actions of ACORN and possible connections to the Obama campaign. In looking to hold hearings into the actions of ACORN, Chairman Conyers is heeding the testimony of RNLA members who testified before a House subcommittee hearing that further exposed the actions of ACORN. The Times article also notes that the testimony of RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh was pivotal in the change of heart on ACORN’s actions in the 2008 election.

March 19, 2009: RNLA Member’s Testimony before the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Leads Partisan Democrat to Suggest Probe of ACORN: RNLA First Vice President Heather Heidelbaugh’s testimony (you can read it here) led Rep. John Conyers to make several statements indicating he would favor holding hearings on ACORN. The testimony also led to the following exchange between Conyers and Chair of the Subcommittee Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY):

Conyers: “May I ask respectfully that the Chairman consider such a hearing so that we can get to the bottom of this.”
Nadler: “Let me just say that I would certainly consider a hearing on ACORN, if I ever hear any credible allegations.”
Conyers: “Whoa. Wait a minute. This is a member of the bar here that got a successful partial injunction against ACORN.”
Nadler: “The chairman makes a good point and we will certainly consider it.”

Another Democrat on the Subcommittee, Congressman Mel Watts (D-NC) had this to say during the hearing: “I would even stipulate if I were in court that voter fraud does in fact take place. I might even stipulate that ACORN or some of its employees have participated in voter fraud.”

In response to the hearing and Congressman Conyers’ call for a hearing, former House Judiciary Committee Chairman and current Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Congressman Sensenbrenner (R-WI) issued a press release agreeing that the House Judiciary Committee should have a hearing on ACORN. “The allegations brought forth against the practices of . . . ACORN. . . deserve to be examined closely. I am in complete agreement with Judiciary Chairman Conyers repeated requests that we should hold an oversight hearing dedicated to examining ACORN’s activities.”

Other Important News

The Washington Times has reported that the “Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility has begun an official inquiry” into the matter. In a letter to Rep. Smith, “Mary Patrice Brown, acting OPR counsel, told the veteran congressman … that the office had ‘initiated an inquiry into the matter’ and that it would ‘contact you with the results of our inquiry once it is completed.’ ” “Rep. Smith noted that he was “pleased that someone at the Justice Department is finally taking the dismissal … seriously.” Finally, Smith said: "The Justice Department's decision to drop a case against political allies who allegedly intimidated voters on Election Day 2008 reeks of political interference." Please click here for more.

Renewed Calls for Probe into Department of Justice’s Dismissal of New Black Panther Suit

Representative Smith has reiterated the call for a probe into the Department of Justice’s Dismissal of the Black Panther suit in an Op-Ed published by the Washington Times

However, rather than seek a default judgment to ensure that members of the New Black Panther Party could not participate in future voter intimidation tactics, the Justice Department abruptly moved to dismiss the case.

This sudden reversal had nothing to do with the facts of the case -- the Justice Department already had won. In a Chicago-style political move, Mr. Obama decided to give a free pass to his political allies who had broken the law on Election Day 2008.

In an effort to be fair, before I came to the conclusion that Obama appointees at the Justice Department had interfered politically in this case, I asked the assistant attorney general of the Civil Rights Division to explain the department's actions. The Justice Department officials not only refused to deny the allegations of political interference, they refused to respond at all. This from the self-proclaimed "most transparent" administration in American history.

Rep. Smith has now turned to the Inspector General of the Department of Justice in attempts to shed light on the controversy. In the letter, Rep. Smith and other Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee ask the Inspector General to investigate whether “improper political considerations led the Justice Department to dismiss” the case:

The dismissal of the Department’s case against the New Black Panther Party raises significant concerns about possible politicization of the Justice Department. The case in question was filed by the Department against members of the New Black Panther Party and two individuals affiliated with it. Significantly, one of those individuals carried credentials indicating he was a member of the local Democratic Committee. As both of our letters recount, the individuals are alleged to have engaged in brazen acts of voter intimidation outside of polling locations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Election Day 2008. After reviewing the facts the Justice Department brought charges against the two individuals and the Party under the Voting Rights Act.

Despite the fact that a judge essentially ruled in favor of the Justice Department’s complaint when the defendants failed to respond to the allegations, the Civil Rights Division under the Obama Administration decided to dismiss the case instead of obtaining a default judgment. We are unaware of any changes in the facts underlying this case between the Department’s filing of its initial complaint and the subsequent filing of its motion to dismiss. Nor are we aware of any allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in the bringing of the initial complaint.

Representatives Wolf and Smith Call for Inquiry into Justice Department’s Voluntary Dismissal of New Black Panther Suit

On May 28, 2009 Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), Ranking Member on the House Committee on the Judiciary, sent a letter to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division inquiring into the reasons for the Department of Justice’s voluntary dismissal of a civil suit against the New Black Panther Party and several of its members. Click here to read Rep. Smith’s letter.

On June 8, 2009, Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA), sent a similar letter, this time to Attorney General Eric Holder, again asking for an explanation for why the Department of Justice dismissed a suit they had already effectively won.(The judge directed the DOJ to file for a motion for default judgment after the parties’ failure to respond to the complaint.) Click here for Rep. Wolf’s letter.

Department of Justice Drops New Black Panther Suit

The Washington Times has reported: "Justice Department political appointees overruled career lawyers and ended a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense of wielding a nightstick and intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place last Election Day, according to documents and interviews."

"Career lawyers pursued the case for months, including obtaining an affidavit from a prominent 1960s civil rights activist who witnessed the confrontation and described it as "the most blatant form of voter intimidation" that he had seen, even during the voting rights crisis in Mississippi a half-century ago." "The career Justice lawyers were on the verge of securing sanctions against the men earlier this month when their superiors ordered them to reverse course, according to interviews and documents. The court had already entered a default judgment against the men on April 20."

For More Information Go To:

ACORN Press Archive

Minnesota Election Contest Archive
Press Releasees, White Papers, etc.