Group Files Suit Against ACORN

[truth2power]

Source: Local12 News, Cincinnati, OH

"The Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based think tank, today filed a state RICO action against the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) on behalf of two Warren County voters.

The action filed in Warren County Court of Common Pleas alleges ACORN engaged in a pattern of corrupt activity that amounts to organized crime. It seeks ACORN's dissolution as a legal entity, the revocation of any licenses in Ohio, and an injunction against fraudulent voter registration and other illegal activities."




Read more: http://www.local12.com/content/breaking_news/story.aspx?content_id=579cfc0b-0aba-47ea-a124-aba07d6aca32

---

So they filed a RICO action. Guess they're getting desperate. I hope ACORN has some good lawyers.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. So why the hell can't we file suits to disband Diebold, Sequoia, etc.? Based on the dumb ass reason

this one's filed on.

"Plaintiffs Jennifer Miller of Mason, Ohio and Kimberly Grant of Loveland, allege that ACORN's actions deprive them of the right to participate in an honest and effective elections process. They allege fraudulent voter registrations submitted by ACORN dilute the votes of legally registered voters."

[truth2power]

8. "...dilute the votes..." IANAL and even I could refute that one...

But it seems like what's just and what's legal doesn't seem to matter anymore.

[John Q. Citizen]

11. Anyone can file a suit for anything. Doesn't mean it's going any where fast.

[scytherius]

12. Exactly n/t

nt

[truth2power]

14. Isn't there a Rule 11 or something? Attys. can be sanctioned

for filing frivolous lawsuits?

[bitchkitty]

38. That's a fair question. Why doesn't someone? n/t

[Randomthought]

2. ok I'm confused

sorry if I'm being dense but isn't RICO a federal law? And doesn't a federal prosecutor have to file RICO charges?
Can someone explain, please?

[truth2power]

13. Federal issue?...

It's federal, U.S.C.

Here's a link to the text of the ACT:

http://www.ricoact.com/ricoact/theact.asp

If you scroll down to "venue and process" there's some helpful info. Guess they filed in US District Court -- concerns a federal issue -elections and all. :shrug:


edit> changed subject line. As I processed this, I'm thinking it's because it's a federal issue.

[Randomthought]

17. Thanks!

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Maybe we should file a RICO action aganst the GOP

Election fraud, defrauding the federal government and war profiteering.

[truedelphi]

18. Greg Palast kept wanting RICO actions agaisnt the major players in Ohio

During the 2004 elections cycle.

[Blue_Tires]

4. and i wonder who bankrolls this 'think tank'

as an aside, the term and concept behind "think tank" needed to die in the 90s...at least call them what they are: "Lobbying groups using private backroom deals to shape public policy"...Has anything good EVER come from a political 'think tank?'

[unpossibles]

6. this is who

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Atlas_Economic_Research_Foundation

[unpossibles]

5. I don't know

I'd say it gets thrown out. Acorn is following the law by submitting these, and the extra fake registrations don't matter if the fake people don't show up to vote.

For what it's worth, the Buckeye Institute was started by Alejandro Chafuen from Atlas Economic Research Foundation, which considers its purpose "to litter the world with free-market think-tanks."
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Atlas_Economic_Research_Foundation

[truth2power]

16. Yes, you put it very succinctly...

"Acorn is following the law by submitting these, and the extra fake registrations don't matter if the fake people don't show up to vote."

From what I've read, VOTER fraud (as opposed to ELECTION fraud) is practically non-existent. The whole thing about the pervasiveness of voter fraud and thus, the need for IDs etc, is just a canard perpetrated by the Repugs as a means of voter suppression.

I think all voter registration cards have to be submitted to the BOE. Those that are considered "iffy" can be flagged as such, but they all have to be submitted. And often people aren't certain they are registered, so they fill out another card, just to be sure.

This is a huge steaming pile!!! What these folks deal in. :grr:

[dkofos]

7. The only reason this would proceed is THEY BOUGHT THE JUDGE!!

[Blue Meany]

9. These attacks on ACORN are clearly coordinated at a national

level or they wouldn't have suddenly sprung from the woodwork 3 weeks before an election. I would say that a RICO case against the GOP, or the GOP-linked networks and organizaions that are both attacking voter registration and seeking to prevent citizens from voting using deception, legal obstruction, and various dirty tricks would be more appropriate.

[John Q. Citizen]

15. It's both diversionary and cover for caging votes by the Repos.

And they hope to stop the registration of more voters.

[Festivito]

10. Could ACORN counter sue along the same lines?

Take out the think tank and the funding organization.

I'd like to see this suit.

Maybe someone who plays with findlaw could find it.

[struggle4progress]

19. Soup rise! Buckeye employs Ken Blackwell, who's leading the voter suppression brigades

http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/bio/512
http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/article/1202

[prolesunited]

20. So, he can't do it as SOS this time around

so now he'll try to pull some B.S. in the courts.

[fascisthunter]

21. ACORN should counter-sue....

All groups going after ACORN should be exposed.....

[VP505]

22. From what I understand,

by law any registration forms given to an ACORN volunteer has to be submitted regardless if they are plainly phony. I also understand ACORN has a pretty through screening process and when a form is found to be fraudulent they flag it for the county clerk to look into further. On the surface I think this suit will be dropped as frivolous. I also agree that this phony ACORN crap makes a good cover for Republicker vote caging and lays some ground work for a challenge to an Obama win. I also don't think its possible to steal a Presidential election by simple voter fraud, how many millions would it take to gain a majority, it would have to be done during the vote count process, its just not practicable to get enough dead people or phony names, etc voting to make that big of a difference.

[HillbillyBob]

24. They do, I have been watching this bs since 2000

nt

[Realityhack]

31. It should be more than dropped...

every attorney who is involved should be disbarred. There is no excuse for filing such a frivolous suit.

[HillbillyBob]

23. Why can't we file a RICO suit against bushco naming everyone in his

crony list for manipulation of elections 2000,2004,the lies taking us to war, the theft of tax funds to play warmonger with, the gutting of our constitution..I am sure there are dozens of things they have done..the death of people in WTC because he ignored warnings from the Clinton admin, Britain, France, Germany and several more other countries Intell and including ours, and the faith based bullshit, the collapes of the markets due to the deregulation.
Like they do throw shit on the wall and see what sticks.

[tom_paine]

27. Beacuse, like the Nazis, all Americans are afraid of the Bushies. They fight so ruthlessly and dirty

They are more than willing to go after family members (in a nonviolent, career destroying, way) and have demotsrated it on more than one occasion.

Quite simply, so law is worth a plugged nickle if it is afraid to enforce the law.

That is it. It really is, pretty much as simple as that.

That, and the Bushies have so poisoned every leel of our society and system of checks and balances, that like the nazis, it's all sort of "legal".

It is a nigh irresistable combination, and it is but one of several dozen reasons the Bushies can literally melt and twist reality like mozarella cheese.

"The Emperor Wears No Clothes" writ LARGE.

"And the child was sent to Gitmo to have his nuts shocked, then he was sent home to find his future already destroyed. He wound up working at Dairy Queen for 50 years.

And Emperor laughed and laughed and laughed...

[tom_paine]

25. LOL. The GANGSTERS are filing for RICO. It is in keeping with the upside-down Orwellian

Nature of the Bushigandists.

And, of course, unlike REAL RICO charges needing to be brought against the Bush Cabal, I GUARANTEE YOU...100% GUARANTEE YOU, that given the corruption of the Amerikan law Enforcement System at ALL levels (thanks, Homeland Security Bribery Lucre), it is an absolute certainty that the RICO investigation will proeed MORE swifty and with 1,000,000 times (LITERALLY) the fanfare of a Mafia RICO.

Plus, it will al be baseless, and obvious proven so the whole time. As is ALWAYS the nature of Totalitarianism, no matter how plain and clear-spoken and demonstrable the truth is, the victim's cries will not be heard against The Cacophonous Roar of the Totalitarian State.

Watch. Here it comes.

[VoodooGuru]

26. These people are brazen, aren't they?

What a load of crap.

[tom_paine]

28. Totalitarian Monsters usually are. n/t

[glinda]

29. Repubs using projection to get their focus off of their own cheating

They have been doing this the whole stinking Campaign season. THe whole time!!!!!!!!!!! I think that there has to be a public announcement on all news media over and over again on the issues arising. I think in the end we could easily loose and that the whole damn thing should have been paper ballots. I don't care. It can be done!

[mod mom]

30. KEN BLACKWELL is a "distinguished fellow" at the Buckeye Institute

On The Buckeye Institute:
Ken Blackwell
Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow

Ken Blackwell is the Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow for Public Policy at the Buckeye Institute in Columbus, Ohio, a Senior Fellow for Family Empowerment at the Family Research Council in Washington, DC. and a member of the Club for Growth's Leadership Council. He is a columnist for the New York Sun, a contributing editor and columnist for the conservative news and opinion site Townhall.com, and a public affairs commentator for the Salem Radio Network.

He has a distinguished record of achievement as a finance executive, entrepreneur, diplomat, educator and independent corporate director. He is one of the nation�s leading conservative voices and a strong advocate for free market enterprise. In 2006, he became the first African-American in Ohio history to be a major party nominee for governor.

In 2004, the American Conservative Union and the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs honored Mr. Blackwell with the John M. Ashbrook Award for his steadfast conservative leadership. Past recipients of the award include President Ronald Reagan, Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick and Charlton Heston.

Mr. Blackwell�s public service includes terms as mayor of Cincinnati, an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. In 1994, he became the first African-American elected to a statewide executive office in Ohio when he was elected treasurer of state. He subsequently was elected to two terms as secretary of state.
-snip
http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/bio/512

Here is a link to others at the Buckeye Institute:
http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/staff.php

You'll recall Carlo LoParo as Blackwell's sidekick in 2004 while SOS.

[truth2power]

36. Ken Blackwell is a loathsome individual. n/t

[cosmicdot]

32. if this is a 501(c)(3) group ... can they legally do this?

a tax exempt, tax-deductible charitable, educational organizaton

501(c)(3)

Political activity

Organizations with this classification are prohibited from conducting political campaign activities to influence elections to public office.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501c3#501.28c.29.283.29


"The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) education organization. All contributions are fully tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law." from the bottom of the http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/donate.php page

[unpossibles]

37. They are a conservative think tank partially funded by Exxon and Phillip Morris

and are part of a larger think tank whose goal is to create as many "free market" think tanks as possible.

[EFerrari]

33. Bring it! Give ACORN a venue to confront these asshooles!

[and-justice-for-all]

34. Bullshit...utter bullshit...

creating an issue out of desperation to tie Obama to anything ill.

Fuck you, you lying repuke assholes.

[pink-o]

35. Once again, the timing of this tells us everything we need to know.

It just stinks of Rovian manipulations. If there is anything to find, it would have been found at least 6 months ago! Is this their only October surprise?

October: the most interesting month in even-numbered years! Honestly, I was immediately suspicious of the Iraq war due to the fact that the Neo-cons starting banging the drums for it in October 2002. Just before the mid-term elections, so that they could strongarm the Dems to vote for the Resolution--otherwise, they would have looked like post 911 wussies. That whole drumming up to March 2003 was obvious and ham-fisted to any of us paying attention.

This is no different, just put out by a weaker neo-con force than there was in 2002 (and 2004 with the Swift-boating). Just fuckin pathetic, KKKarl!