ACORN’s Power ProfileACORN’s Power Profile

• 175,000 member families

• > 75 organizations

• > $40 million budget (only 8% from members)

• > 80,000 union members (millions in dues)

• Bi-coastal political party

• Spent $20M on registration/GOTV in ‘04

• 175,000 member families

• > 75 organizations

• > $40 million budget (only 8% from members)

• > 80,000 union members (millions in dues)

• Bi-coastal political party

• Spent $20M on registration/GOTV in ‘04

ACORN: Why Wages?ACORN: Why Wages?

• “We would like it to become a fact of political life where every year the other side has to contend with a minimum-wage law in some state.”

• “This is what moves people to the polls now. This is our gay marriage.”

• “We would like it to become a fact of political life where every year the other side has to contend with a minimum-wage law in some state.”

• “This is what moves people to the polls now. This is our gay marriage.”

-- Jen Kern, head of ACORN’s Living Wage Resource Center

2004 Florida Min. Wage Campaign Goals

2004 Florida Min. Wage Campaign Goals

• Campaign GoalsThe goals of this campaign are threefold:• 1. To increase voter turnout of working class, mainly

Democratic voters without increasing opposition turnout;

• 2. To increase the power of progressive constituencies by moving a mass agenda, putting together the capacity to get on the ballot and win, and by putting our side on the offensive;

• 3. To deliver a wage increase to hundreds of thousands of Floridians.

• Campaign GoalsThe goals of this campaign are threefold:• 1. To increase voter turnout of working class, mainly

Democratic voters without increasing opposition turnout;

• 2. To increase the power of progressive constituencies by moving a mass agenda, putting together the capacity to get on the ballot and win, and by putting our side on the offensive;

• 3. To deliver a wage increase to hundreds of thousands of Floridians.

-- Floridians For All Campaign Plan, 2003

Black EyesBlack Eyes

• Voter fraud in 13 states since 1998

• Government-grant fraud

• Union Attack Dog (Wal-Mart, Overloads hospital emergency rooms for SEIU)

• Voter fraud in 13 states since 1998

• Government-grant fraud

• Union Attack Dog (Wal-Mart, Overloads hospital emergency rooms for SEIU)

2006 Voter Registration2006 Voter Registration• MO: 4 KC employees indicted for voter fraud;

thousands of potentially fraudulent STL cards; Allegations of illegal work w/ Claire McCaskill

• OH: 3 counties cite problems with hundreds of cards

• PA: 3,000 questionable cards, more than 100 told investigators someone wrongly tried to register them

• CO: 200 cards rejected for identical handwriting• NM: Problems in 2003, 2004, 2005; registered 13-

year-old to vote

• MO: 4 KC employees indicted for voter fraud; thousands of potentially fraudulent STL cards; Allegations of illegal work w/ Claire McCaskill

• OH: 3 counties cite problems with hundreds of cards

• PA: 3,000 questionable cards, more than 100 told investigators someone wrongly tried to register them

• CO: 200 cards rejected for identical handwriting• NM: Problems in 2003, 2004, 2005; registered 13-

year-old to vote

Govt Grant FraudGovt Grant Fraud

• Misused VISTA program grants under Carter for union organizing and politics

• Clinton Administration found ACORN misused $1 million AmeriCorps grant to build its own membership

• Arkansas ACORN leader alleged “all the money” for housing re-build project “ended up” under ACORN chief’s control

• Misused VISTA program grants under Carter for union organizing and politics

• Clinton Administration found ACORN misused $1 million AmeriCorps grant to build its own membership

• Arkansas ACORN leader alleged “all the money” for housing re-build project “ended up” under ACORN chief’s control

AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps

“the only reason for having the AmeriCorps program was to gain new ACORN members”

“the only reason for having the AmeriCorps program was to gain new ACORN members”

-- AmeriCorps Inspector General’s report

Govt Still Funding ACORN

Govt Still Funding ACORN

• $3 million from HUD to ACORN affiliates 2003-2004

• $3.2 million from HUD in 2005

• Grants continue: HUD (home counseling), IRS (tax counseling), etc.

• $3 million from HUD to ACORN affiliates 2003-2004

• $3.2 million from HUD in 2005

• Grants continue: HUD (home counseling), IRS (tax counseling), etc.

Govt Money, ACORN Coffers

Govt Money, ACORN Coffers

Govt Bodies

ACORN Housing Corporation

Fees/ Grants to ACORN Entities

$11.2M $5.1M

IRS Filings, 1997-2003

Govt Money, ACORN Coffers

Govt Money, ACORN Coffers

Govt Grants 2002-03

American Environmental Justice Project budget

ACORN Louisiana

100% 90%

Govt Grants 2000

American Environmental Justice Project budget

ACORN100% 100%

Govt Grants 1998

American Environmental Justice Project budget

ACORN’s SEIU 100

100% $9,000

IRS Filings, 1998-2003

ACORN’s Goal: PowerACORN’s Goal: Power

“ACORN’s lifeblood is conflict with targets outside the organization.”

“ACORN’s lifeblood is conflict with targets outside the organization.”

“Principles and Foundations of ACORN”

ACORN’s Method: Shakedown

ACORN’s Method: Shakedown

“In an interview last year with [ACORN head] Wade Rathke last year, one of the things Wade told us is that currently ACORN received more money in the form of settlements at the end of [corporate] campaigns … than they do from foundations and churches combined.”

“In an interview last year with [ACORN head] Wade Rathke last year, one of the things Wade told us is that currently ACORN received more money in the form of settlements at the end of [corporate] campaigns … than they do from foundations and churches combined.”

> Prof. Fred Brooks, Dec. 2005