[StBernard] CYA Alert! - Congressman Barney Frank's Statement Regarding ACORN

[Westley Annis]

Congressman Barney Frank today issued the following statement:

 

 

A number of factors, one of which in particular is my own fault, have
contributed to my position on ACORN being unclear.  My biggest error was to
sign a letter to the Congressional Research Service which I had not
thoroughly read and which does not accurately represent my own position in
all aspects.

 

Part of the confusion arose from the fact that I had to miss the vote on the
motion to cut off funding for ACORN because I was about to enter the White
House for a ceremony in which a soldier who had lived in my district before
his tragic death was posthumously being awarded the Medal of Honor by
President Obama.  And through a misunderstanding with a member of my staff,
it was incorrectly reported that I said I would have voted against the
motion to defund ACORN.  In fact, I would have voted for the motion at that
time.  I am very disappointed in the actions that were taken by members of
ACORN, and I do not believe that ACORN's response has been adequate for an
organization that has received public funding.  

 

There are questions about the constitutionality of Congress passing a law
that singles out one organization, but the basic principle that ACORN should
not now be receiving public funding is an important one.  I have therefore
urged the Obama administration to withhold any additional funding for ACORN
at least until there is very firm evidence that the abuses of which ACORN
members have been guilty have not only ceased, but that procedures are in
place to prevent them from happening again.

 

I have previously communicated to ACORN my dissatisfaction with their lax
supervision of employees and volunteers.  The fact that people who were
improperly registered to vote did not actually cast ballots in no way
excuses the organization's failure to exercise better control in this way.
Further, the motivation of those who went to ACORN offices and initiated the
discussions involving prostitution are wholly irrelevant to the fact that
ACORN's employees' actions were outrageous and further indication of an
organization that is at best poorly run in many regards.  The defense
against sting operations is not to ban them, but to behave properly so that
they do not reveal as they did in this case clear evidence of gross
impropriety.

 

I cosigned the letter because I do think it is important that we get
accurate and complete information on ACORN funding.  While I share, as I
have indicated, the criticism of ACORN, I very much disagree with the
partisanship that has entered into this. ACORN was the recipient of funding
throughout the Bush administration, with $14.2 million going from the Bush
administration to ACORN through HUD.  And I can attest that this was an
entirely Executive Branch decision:  No congressional action in any way,
shape or form required that any of these funds go to ACORN as opposed to
other organization.  And I do not remember during the period from 2001 to
2006 when the Republicans controlled the White House, HUD, the House and the
Senate, and ACORN was receiving millions of dollars, any Republican
objection to this.

 

The wild claims that ACORN is the potential beneficiary of billions of
dollars in programs voted by Congress is similarly a sad example of
excessive partisanship.  At no point has the House voted to direct any funds
to ACORN.  We have passed programs to provide funding for housing
counseling, and for the acquisition of foreclosed property by cities.  ACORN
has never been mentioned in these.  It is true that, for example during the
Bush administration, ACORN received millions of dollars from HUD for housing
counseling.  But I do not think that ACORN has received any funding for the
purchase of foreclosed property, which in any case would have been the
decision of state and local governments, which are the dispensers of these
funds.  It is important for the public to know, given what has been made
public about these activities, what funds ACORN has received, under what
authority, in what administration etc.  It was for that reason that I signed
the letter of request and I will continue to press for that information.  I
have asked Subcommittee Chairman Dennis Moore of the Oversight Committee of
the Committee on Financial Services to be ready to hold a hearing on this
question when those figures are made available to us.  And I reiterate that
my own view is that the appropriate response here would be to have the Obama
administration continue what it began with regard to the Census and withhold
any funding or authority from ACORN pending a very serious examination of
their past behavior and significant changes regarding the future.