Reason
03-23-2010, 12:30 PM
ACORN to Cease Existence as National Organization (http://www.democracynow.org/2010/3/23/headlines#13)
The anti-poverty group ACORN has announced it’s shutting down as a national organization. ACORN says a sharp decline in funding will force its remaining local chapters to close their doors at the end of the month. ACORN has been embroiled in legal and financial difficulty since last year’s release of videos appearing to show staffers offering advice to two right-wing activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute. The videos helped fuel a new right-wing campaign against ACORN, which has long been targeted for its work helping low-income Americans with voter registration, tax problems and foreclosures. Congress vote to defund ACORN last year, only to have the move ruled unconstitutional. A number of large chapters, including ACORN New York and California, have already broken off from the national group. Another offshoot formerly known as ACORN Housing will continue its work advising low-income homeowners under the name of Affordable Housing Centers of America.
The anti-poverty group ACORN has announced it’s shutting down as a national organization. ACORN says a sharp decline in funding will force its remaining local chapters to close their doors at the end of the month. ACORN has been embroiled in legal and financial difficulty since last year’s release of videos appearing to show staffers offering advice to two right-wing activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute. The videos helped fuel a new right-wing campaign against ACORN, which has long been targeted for its work helping low-income Americans with voter registration, tax problems and foreclosures. Congress vote to defund ACORN last year, only to have the move ruled unconstitutional. A number of large chapters, including ACORN New York and California, have already broken off from the national group. Another offshoot formerly known as ACORN Housing will continue its work advising low-income homeowners under the name of Affordable Housing Centers of America.