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ACORN drops tarnished name and moves to silence critics
By: Kevin Mooney
Examiner Investigative Reporter
06/21/09 5:07 PM EDT
Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) leaders are using the threat of a law suit to silence and intimidate critics, according to current and former members of the liberal activist group.
In a letter dated June 11 an attorney for ACORN advised top whistleblowers that their unauthorized use of the organizations name could make them liable for monetary damages and injunctive relief.
ACORN executives have also changed their organizations name, which was tarnished by investigations in at least 14 states of allegations of voter registration fraud during the 2008 presidential campaign, and charges by current and former members of financial mismanagement and misrepresentation.
The new name will let ACORN leaders continue their operations without worrying about prior bad publicity, according to Marcel Reid of ACORN 8, a group of present and former members.
Weve known for many months now that the name ACORN is going to be retired, Reid said. The name has been so damaged to the point where the leadership knows it simply cant go on as it has with the ACORN label out front and center, especially after all of the reporting.
In fact, the process has already begun, she noted. Wade Rathke, who founded the organization, announced on his blog that ACORN International has officially changed its name to Community Organizations International.
Reid also said ACORN is in the process of dismantling Citizens Consulting Inc. (CCI), a New-Orleans based non-profit, which has been used to maintain centralized financial control, ACORN 8 activists claim. Tax records show that CCI is interlinked with several ACORN affiliates.
Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke, embezzled almost $1 million from the organization in 1999 and 2000, while he was employed as the organizations chief financial officer with the CCI affiliate. For almost a decade Wade Rathke and other staff members concealed the embezzlement from ACORNs board of trustees, according to the criminal complaint ACORN 8 members filed against the organization.
ACORNs national leaders withdrew a lawsuit Reid filed with fellow board member Karen Inman last October seeking access to internal financial records. Reid and Inman were also expelled from their board positions; a move they say was illegal. Reid and Inman then came together with six other colleagues to form ACORN 8.
More about these pathetic hucksters:
ACORN drops tarnished name and moves to silence critics | Washington Examiner
By: Kevin Mooney
Examiner Investigative Reporter
06/21/09 5:07 PM EDT
Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) leaders are using the threat of a law suit to silence and intimidate critics, according to current and former members of the liberal activist group.
In a letter dated June 11 an attorney for ACORN advised top whistleblowers that their unauthorized use of the organizations name could make them liable for monetary damages and injunctive relief.
ACORN executives have also changed their organizations name, which was tarnished by investigations in at least 14 states of allegations of voter registration fraud during the 2008 presidential campaign, and charges by current and former members of financial mismanagement and misrepresentation.
The new name will let ACORN leaders continue their operations without worrying about prior bad publicity, according to Marcel Reid of ACORN 8, a group of present and former members.
Weve known for many months now that the name ACORN is going to be retired, Reid said. The name has been so damaged to the point where the leadership knows it simply cant go on as it has with the ACORN label out front and center, especially after all of the reporting.
In fact, the process has already begun, she noted. Wade Rathke, who founded the organization, announced on his blog that ACORN International has officially changed its name to Community Organizations International.
Reid also said ACORN is in the process of dismantling Citizens Consulting Inc. (CCI), a New-Orleans based non-profit, which has been used to maintain centralized financial control, ACORN 8 activists claim. Tax records show that CCI is interlinked with several ACORN affiliates.
Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke, embezzled almost $1 million from the organization in 1999 and 2000, while he was employed as the organizations chief financial officer with the CCI affiliate. For almost a decade Wade Rathke and other staff members concealed the embezzlement from ACORNs board of trustees, according to the criminal complaint ACORN 8 members filed against the organization.
ACORNs national leaders withdrew a lawsuit Reid filed with fellow board member Karen Inman last October seeking access to internal financial records. Reid and Inman were also expelled from their board positions; a move they say was illegal. Reid and Inman then came together with six other colleagues to form ACORN 8.
More about these pathetic hucksters:
ACORN drops tarnished name and moves to silence critics | Washington Examiner
