Advertisement

Obama backs probe of ACORN programs
Monday,  September 21, 2009 3:19 AM

DispatchPolitics

  • DispatchPolitics.com
    Complete coverage of Ohio politics
  • The Daily Briefing
    The Dispatch’s public affairs team sates the appetites of political junkies with bite-sized portions of the news and what's behind it.
  • Buckeye Forum
    Veteran political reporters examine Ohio politics in this weekly podcast.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama says there should be an investigation into the hidden-camera video involving employees at the community-organizing group ACORN and a couple posing as a prostitute and her pimp.

The two ACORN workers are seen apparently advising the couple to lie about her profession and launder her earnings to get housing aid.

The video is only the latest problem for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which had nearly $1 million embezzled by its founder's brother and has been accused of voter-registration fraud. The House and Senate voted last week to deny federal funds to ACORN.

Obama told ABC's This Week in an interview broadcast yesterday that what he saw on the video "was certainly inappropriate and deserves to be investigated." But the president did not say who should investigate, and he said it is not a major national issue he pays much attention to.

Asked about the president calling for an investigation, ACORN chief executive Bertha Lewis said yesterday, "Well, that's his opinion."

ACORN said last week that it would order its own investigation of the video scandal. Lewis, who had promised to name an independent auditor by Friday, told Fox News Sunday that the announcement would take place today.

Later yesterday, Lewis issued this statement: "We agree with President Obama's comments today that issues raised by the videos need to be investigated."

In the meantime, the group has suspended the admission of new clients to its housing program.

"Over the next several weeks, you will see us working triple time to get this review right so that we can refocus attention on ACORN's critical work for low- and moderate-income families," Lewis said in the statement.

The government is investigating ACORN's activities, although the scope of its activity is unknown. Voter-registration fraud cases involving ACORN workers are pending. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's inspector general has acknowledged an investigation is under way.



Story tools

---- Advertisement ----

Visitors’ Guide

January brought some frigid (at least for D.C.) weather to the nation's capital, and for Redskins fans the end of a long, miserable losing season. But sports fans can still catch one of the nation's hottest teams even in the coldest of weather.

More visitor information


Multimedia

Audio Podcasts


Capitol Square

Go behind the scenes at Broad & High Streets. Download our weekly look at state government.