Videos: ACORN advising on tax evasion for pimps and prostitutes?
posted at 11:36 am on September 10, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
ACORN offered an undercover investigator for BigGovernment extensive advice on how to evade federal taxes. Not just tax evasion, but also welfare fraud and advice on how to cover a conspiracy to traffic in underage hookers, as the conversation continued to develop. Fox News has a headline blast on this story:
Officials with the controversial community organizing group ACORN were secretly videotaped offering to assist two individuals posing as a pimp and a prostitute, encouraging them to lie to the Internal Revenue Service and providing guidance on how to claim underage girls from South America as dependents.
The videotape was made public Thursday on BigGovernment.com, a political blog launched by Andrew Breitbart as a companion site to his BigHollywood.breitbart.com blog.
In the videotape, made on July 24, James O’Keefe, a 25-year-old independent filmmaker, posed as a pimp with a 20-year-old woman named “Kenya” who posed as a prostitute while visiting ACORN’s office in Baltimore. The couple told ACORN staffers they wanted to secure housing where the woman could continue to maintain a prostitution business.
ACORN denies everything:
A spokesman for ACORN, Scott Levenson, when asked to comment on the videotape, said: “The portrayal is false and defamatory and an attempt at gotcha journalism. This film crew tried to pull this sham at other offices and failed. ACORN wants to see the full video before commenting further.”
That’s a little contradictory. ACORN calls it false without having seen the video and says that the film crew tried this before and failed. Well, apparently they succeeded on this occasion. The video and the transcripts make this very clear:
Complete ACORN Baltimore Prostitution Investigation Transcript –
How do these ACORN community organizers express their concern for the downtrodden Salvadorean teens impressed into prostitution by this would-be madam and prospective politician? “They don’t even exist.” “Call them ‘exchange students’.” “Train them to keep their mouths shut.” Neither of the two bat an eyelash at human trafficking while advising them to evade taxes and prosecution for their crimes.
Despicable.
Blowback
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Well I can tell you in my sister’s neighborhood, it is expected. Her husband loves to flaunt his new girlfriend.
ladyingray on September 10, 2009 at 2:05 PM
pimpin aint easy
Alden Pyle on September 10, 2009 at 2:09 PM
Your arguments make no sense. On one hand you admit ACORN employees routinely circumvent election laws and now acknowledge that ACORN workers have been caught doing some pretty horrible things shown in the video….but you say ACORN is not to blame. Don’t you see a pattern here?
Your defense consists of…well ACORN just needs to practice better hiring procedures….HUH?
Yea, so do the Mexican drug cartels.
When a group is caught multiple times (regardless of the rank of the perps) committing fraud they are by definition corrupt….or I guess if you’re a lib and the defendant is one of your own…,just in need of reform, no need to investigate or consider defunding from the tax payer’s dime.
Goodeye_Closed on September 10, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Crawford:
I absolutely agree that the system to verify voters could be approved by forcing the states for voter id at the polls.
Now, as far as the allegations that the voter fraud is going on right now, I will grant you that there might be the possibility of fraud and the opportunity, but again you are working from the point where you say that there can’t be any way of knowing. If we can’t know, how can you make the assertion that it is going on? For voter registration fraud to truly effect the elections the perp would have to show up to the polls again and again, and the kicker is that no presidential election in recent history has not had the result not expected, based on the polls. For ACORN to be subverting the political process, there would have to be pockets of outliers and extreme variance from the polling. Statistically, it would be interesting to see if there might be any places where we could pinpoint any fraudulent behavior, but right now I don’t see it.
weilbourbaki on September 10, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Goodeye_Closed:
My arguments are that it is NOT a regular occurrence and that ACORN, out of their thousands of employees all over the country, has a few bad apples that disrespect the election system. ACORN promptly finds the employees who cheat the system and sends their names along with the suspicious voter cards to the election boards. If you were running a nationwide registration drive, how would you run things differently? Right now, the bad workers are being rung up for their cheating ways. And the problem with your drug cartel analogy is that drug cartels’ work is inherently illegal. I’m pretty sure there isn’t a law against registering real voters to vote. I would liken it to a shipping company. If the shipping company ships cars and in one of their shipments the manager finds illegal smuggled goods, does that make the whole company corrupt? No, it just means that they need to do something to make sure that it is harder to smuggle goods on their ships.
weilbourbaki on September 10, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Do you think that tax money should support acorn?
Johan Klaus on September 10, 2009 at 2:32 PM
This was a low paid employee?
Johan Klaus on September 10, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Johan Klaus:
No. ACORN is an activist organization. They should receive non-profit status, though.
weilbourbaki on September 10, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Are you serious? Firstly, voters could be bused in from out of state and handed phony registration cards in districts without photo i.d. requirements. Secondly, didn’t exit polls show that Kerry was supposed to win in 2000? Wasn’t that a huge scandal in the polling world?
There are reliable polls but there all sorts of polls which are unreliable and nothing but propaganda. Indeed just today CNN had a poll claiming support for Barack, but the fine print revealed that only 18% of the polled people were Republicans.
Have you read whistle-blower Anita Moncrief’s blog.
Buy Danish on September 10, 2009 at 2:51 PM
I think Obama’s friends at ACORN mistook the the Idiot-in-Chief’s promise to create “shovel-ready” jobs to mean “hoe-ready” jobs.
D2Boston on September 10, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Is it just me who hears the woman on the phone in the background taking about how she wants the person on the other end to “support Obama”? I’d be mighty curious if they could isolate that background conversation from the foreground talk of making sure that human traffic knew how to keep their mouths shut.
calbear on September 10, 2009 at 3:02 PM
Nice Job Acorn. Acorn will help someone setup a prostitution ring featuring underage illegal alien girls and even show them how to file taxes on it! All for a Political Contribution….WOW!
These Acorn workers should have gave TurboTax Tim lessons.
LMAO … LMAO … LMAO … LMAO
So, when do these two get arrested and this organization get investigated? Oops, I forgot…These are Hussein supporters and any case brought up against them will be dropped courtesy of Eric Holder.
CRIMINALS
BigMike252 on September 10, 2009 at 3:19 PM
The seriousness of the crime is not diminished by the fact it did not swing the election.
ACORN is by any definition one of the most anti-democracy organizations out there. To even attempt to rig an election in this country is reprehensible. These guys are dangerous, and I mean the whole organization. After this undercover sting, it is undeniable. The ACORN workers in Baltimore are no different than those in New Mexico.
http://townhall.com/columnists/AmandaCarpenter/2008/10/17/acorn_voter_fraud_in_nm
Goodeye_Closed on September 10, 2009 at 3:42 PM
After seeing this ruthless display by Baltimore ACORN workers, I have to wonder when placing hits on their opponents will be exposed…..and if anything will be done about it then?
Maybe ACORN and The New Black Panther Party could team up and give the SS a run for their money.
Goodeye_Closed on September 10, 2009 at 3:46 PM
LOL, only thing missing from that video is a giant red hand.
Only thing missing from this thread is more trolls to defend ACORN.
Del Dolemonte on September 10, 2009 at 3:50 PM
My arguments are that it is NOT a regular occurrence and that ACORN, out of their thousands of employees all over the country, has a few bad apples that disrespect the election system.
…
weilbourbaki on September 10, 2009 at 2:28 PM
What’s the litany at right now? Vegas, Miami, and now Baltimore? And those are just the places where they’ve been caught breaking the law, and (with the exception of the recent Baltimore dickery) been arrested – this year alone. I’m amazed (and not a little dismayed) that ACORN hasn’t found itself on the receiving end of a RICO investigation by now.
Blacksmith on September 10, 2009 at 4:02 PM
I wonder if ACORN will even bother to fire these two.
Browncoatone on September 10, 2009 at 4:16 PM
Yet another example of outright corruption from these criminals in DC, our so-called elected representatives. How much money, my tax dollars and yours is slated for ACORN? The U.S. tax payor is funding this bust-out of our treasury.
What will it take for the masses to awaken from their stupor?
mountainmanbob on September 10, 2009 at 4:21 PM
If history is any guide….it will be when it’s too late…and we’re almost there.
Goodeye_Closed on September 10, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Future Government Healthcare Employees of America.
ronsfi on September 10, 2009 at 4:26 PM
BTW THAT GIRL WAS SMOKIN!!!!!
kara26 on September 10, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Glenn Beck is doing this story now.
I’m actually shocked. I didn’t think I could be shocked anymore.
I’m shocked.
bridgetown on September 10, 2009 at 5:21 PM
It is pathetic that the MSM isn’t reporting this. If nothing else, I’m surprised they are not running the “Racism” angle against Beck and the two White reporters. Give em’ time. Every time an Acorn hits the roof, I can’t stop thinking about how much trouble this country is in.
ronnyraygun on September 10, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Beck is on Fire right now.
ronnyraygun on September 10, 2009 at 5:26 PM
We really need to be measuring the shock levels. Maybe create a shock-o-meter or something. My shock sensors were fried long ago and now it’s just bouncing from one end to the next from day to day. I don’t even know what normal shock is anymore.
Diane on September 10, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Could this mark the beginning of the end of ACORN?
Carl on September 10, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Not one dime should go to ACORN. Not one dime.
BuckeyeSam on September 10, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Good God….it’s one thing to think of pimps ..Men trafficking young girls in the sex trade.
But these are young women at acorn, helping this along.
And they didn’t even act like it was the first time they’ve done this. Just looked like another day at the office.
I’m….shocked. just wow….This is so sad.
Thank YOU Glenn Beck. Pray for that man’s safety.
bridgetown on September 10, 2009 at 5:34 PM
HOLY S*%T – THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.
redfoxbluestate on September 10, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Tip of the iceberg. looking for old links
William Amos on September 10, 2009 at 5:37 PM
This country needs one big F******G Squirrel to run around and collect and devour as many ACORNINAN‘s as possible.
ronnyraygun on September 10, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Funny how those who were all up in arms asking for Rumsfeld and Bushes head on a platter for what a few mal-contents did during a few nights in Abu-Grab (sp?) which was already being offically investigated are now all ‘well this is just a few bad apples…. nothing to see here… move along.’.
The fact that this was happening at an offical ACORN office – with the the door to the room wide open seems to signify that this is Standard Operating Procedure at ACORN.
CrazyFool on September 10, 2009 at 5:40 PM
LOL, Thank you for the laugh while I sit here almost in tears.
bridgetown on September 10, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Glad to see you’re on board. “Despicable” is the only word that accurately describes Ochimpy and the people he surrounds himself with. Namely…ACORN, Ayres, Wright, Rezko, et al.
csdeven on September 10, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Judge Napolitano (sp), just stated that the two Acornians could be charged with about 8 Federal counts, at 5 years each. I’m not going to hold my breath. To me, the fact they were assisting in the solicitation of children should get them THE CHAIR!
ronnyraygun on September 10, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Acorn wants to give you free government handouts
Al Franken and Keith Ellison want to give housing money to non us residents via Acorn
William Amos on September 10, 2009 at 5:47 PM
AND Ochimpy.
csdeven on September 10, 2009 at 5:47 PM
Come on…I’m pretty sure if a pro-life group were doing the same thing, the media would keep quiet about it as well.
StevefromMKE on September 10, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Those pimps and prostitutes (and drug dealers) are likely also welfare recipients.
A lot of emocrats want you to pay more in taxes. They however, see any reason why they should any themselves. They do that by cheating and lying like Charlie Rangel, and using Turbo Tax like Timmy.
bayview on September 10, 2009 at 6:10 PM
This country is 12+ TRILLION in debt and this “organization” is getting BILLIONS of our tax dollars. America, WAKE THE BLEEP UP!
mountainmanbob on September 10, 2009 at 6:10 PM
I’m shocked that this thread is as light as it is. Maybe people just aren’t getting the connection. This “organization” is directly tied to the WHite House. We are paying those sleazebags salaries. Barry loves him some ACORN, and he’s hellbent on legitimizing these cretins. I just couldn’t be more disgusted.
anniekc on September 10, 2009 at 6:14 PM
The RICO statute was designed for organizations like ACORN. When they get taken down it’ll be on RICO violations. Bank on it. The fact that they receive federal funds also opens them up to other anti corruption statutes.
elduende on September 10, 2009 at 6:14 PM
You are dishonest and have a criminal head. ACORN should have been removed from corporate standing the minute the 1 million dollar embezzlement was found and they started firing board members for wanting an investigation.
Rathke by firing board members without calling formal board meetins is acting like a sloe proprietorship and a sham corporation.
Any lawyer and accountant doing corporate work dreads this. Criminals support and defend/endorse criminal enterprises.
seven on September 10, 2009 at 6:23 PM
That’s ACORN for you.
That’s Baltimore for you.
jay12 on September 10, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Ehhhhhhhhh…….. If it is directly tied to Sheik Barack al-Husseini ibn Obooba, NOTHING surprises me.
CEA_Agent on September 10, 2009 at 6:25 PM
BTW THAT GIRL WAS SMOKIN!!!!!
kara26 on September 10, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Whatd’ya expect from us conservative chicks? :D\
I thought to myself, OMG another Carrie Prejean?
NO SARC THERE FELLAS SHE COULD GO FOR MISS USA!
ProudPalinFan on September 10, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Kinda like Quaker Steak Wings. Fire-red shocka is Atomic. Sign a waiver and eat six, you get in da hall of fame and get a BUMPER STICKER.
Are we there yet?
ProudPalinFan on September 10, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Yes!! 8,000 per month with only working 3 weeks a month.
seven on September 10, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Okay I’m not the only one…
Theworldisnotenough on September 10, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Oh wow, busted for real. Sleazy is as sleazy does.
elclynn on September 10, 2009 at 6:45 PM
In California, you can inform someone that you are recording them on the telephone. If they object, they can hang up. You don’t have to stop recording.
As to just recording people, at least in California it has to be a “confidential communication.” What about the ACORN creeps made it confidential? Are they attys? One way to get around it is to have a person with you who isn’t part of the communication. They can’t claim it’s confidential then if the communication occurred in front of a third party.
One thing that always bugs me about this is who holds the privilege? The client? The patient? Why should the other party be allowed to object to being recorded if they do not hold the privilege?
The way I look at it, anyone advising anyone on how to break the law should be on notice that the communication may be recorded.
Blake on September 10, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Guys, we have on tape now that the ACORN people are scum…
But I’m afraid that it is the guys who made the hidden camera recording, and NOT ACORN, who are in big trouble here.
This recording was made in Baltimore. That’s Maryland.
Do the words “Linda Tripp” mean anything to you?
newton on September 10, 2009 at 6:48 PM
I’m with you – maybe I’m old fashoned but I think those who are knowingly involved in human trafficing – particulary in kids – do not deserve to live.
Odd how a black woman, who you might suspect would be a little sensitive to slavery, didn’t bat an eye at supporting and advising sexual slavers. Must be a liberal.
And, as I said earlier, they talked about this out in the open – at the Acorn office with the door wide open. They had no fear that they might be overheard. This is not a few ‘bad apples’.
CrazyFool on September 10, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Clinton’s approval rating actually rose after performing the head of State in the Oral Office. There has been a steady decline in morality since then. Why should a nation unconcerned with a White Trash president’s crimes and misdemeanors in the White House, concern itself with conspiracy to 1 Set up a prostitution ring. 2 Hire 13 year child prostitutes 3 Who are illegal aliens from El Salvador 4 Lie about the nature of the business 5 Evade income taxes. This is business as usual in Chicago and now in the Obama White House in Washington, DC. Unfortunately.
MaiDee on September 10, 2009 at 6:53 PM
Breaking: ACORN fires 2 after hidden-camera footage aired.
Enoxo on September 10, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Back in March, Rep. (D-MI) Mike Conyers asked Rep. (D-NY) Jerrold Nadler to investigate ACORN & Nadler said he would as soon as he saw some credible evidence against them. Then on June 24 Conyers told the Wash Times “the powers that be decided against it” Glenn Beck’s report of Conyers/Nadler meeting etc. on YouTube HERE.
.
I had hoped that now that the bloom was off Obama’s rose, ACORN would get “Becked”. So far none of the State-Run-Media is touching today’s new ACORN-Child-Prositution-Brothel story. Anyone have a townhall meeting at which they could bring it up and post their video on YouTube?
NightmareOnKStreet on September 10, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Bullsh*t! ACORN is a partisan organization with a criminal record in all 50 states.
Chaz706 on September 10, 2009 at 7:13 PM
As expected: Report linked by DrudgeBreitbart: “The nonprofit housing group ACORN has fired two employees at its Baltimore office… …Maryland ACORN board member Margaret Williams says in a statement the employees ‘did not meet ACORN’s standards of professionalism.’”
The statement also says the video was an attempt to smear ACORN and that undercover teams attempted similar stunts at three other ACORN offices…”
NightmareOnKStreet on September 10, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Sorry, Enoxo, didn’t see your post.
NightmareOnKStreet on September 10, 2009 at 7:19 PM
The two ACORN folks have been fired.
Chris of Rights on September 10, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Exactly what Glenn Beck said would happen to them.
bridgetown on September 10, 2009 at 7:33 PM
ACORN does the same thing every election, gets the same “investigations, firings with obligatory ‘rogue employees, yada yada yada’, indictments, slaps on the wrist, etc” only to come back to fight again.
.
They need to be prosecuted like the mafia- under the RICO Statute (9-110.100 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) to stop the cycle and put them out of business before they get their hands on the $8.3 BILLION taxpayer’s money Obama has earmarked for them this year. (Obama’s own campaign was caught red handed paying them $800,000 last year alone. I think it was for “lighting”. I didn’t know halos were that expensive.)
NightmareOnKStreet on September 10, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Well, unfortunately there are more dishonest/non-integrous people than honest, if you count the entire world…so how “we” police so many?
Nalea on September 10, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Well, what a surprise.
mizflame98 on September 10, 2009 at 7:40 PM
.
Didn’t Beck say “people will be going to jail by the end of the week”?
NightmareOnKStreet on September 10, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Are there any more pics of her in the hooker outfit?
Oh, the two fired ACORN employees have been hired by John Podesta. :)
toliver on September 10, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Not that I saw. He inquired with Judge Napalitano about the criminality of the situation.
I also watched him take the pictures of these two women and wad them up to illustrate what ACORN would do with them.
bridgetown on September 10, 2009 at 8:16 PM
They also were talking about a home loan. Check out Acorn Housing’s website.
http://www.acornhousing.org/TEXT/mortgage1.php
They say you can get a loan with “non-traditional income” like prostitution? How about drug dealers? Those who sell guns illegally? Do they have codes for those too?
They need to shut ALL of these Acorn arms down.
njpat on September 10, 2009 at 9:01 PM
WOW – This is on ALL the major news outlets…not…
Now, if the Republicans had any testicular fortitude, which they don’t, they would run with this.
PS – the tax broad really needs to find some shirts with different necklines that make her less bovineish
bullseye on September 10, 2009 at 9:12 PM
And people still believe Obama will fulfill one term. At this pace, I still stand by my forecast. This dude is toast.
ProudPalinFan on September 10, 2009 at 9:16 PM
This is huge. How many felonies were committed in this little ditty? 8? 10? Tax fraud, child prostitution, interstate crime? international crime?
I ain’t be no lawyer but ACORN probably needs one… er, wait… wasn’t Obama…an … ACORN … lawyer… once….?
hmmmmm.
But i guess he can’t be blamed for something done by someone in an organization he worked at when he was like 30 years old.
ted c on September 10, 2009 at 9:27 PM
Mwahahahah! Glenn Beck should show these clips at the start of his show every day for a few weeks without commentary. They stand on their own and people need to see them.
popularpeoplesfront on September 10, 2009 at 9:37 PM
I wish these two young reporters would have done this at many more acorn offices. They should have asked Glenn Beck to fund it for them. Two people in one office of many is easy for Acorn to hush down.
But, a dozen of these from across the country would have been devastating.
bridgetown on September 10, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Come work for Pimp Daddy Geo baby. I’ll treat you good, 10K per Month. No Problemo.
Geochelone on September 10, 2009 at 9:59 PM
And apparently, $8,000 a month adds up to $9,600/year in Acorn math, lol.
I’d pay….is that wrong?
xblade on September 10, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Things have changed. Take rap. Rap used to be about having fun. Now it seems to be about putting wheels on your car and slapping women.
xblade on September 10, 2009 at 11:18 PM
I propose and request the immediate formation and funding for:
B I G O A K
Bureau
to
Investigate
Govermental
Organized
Alliance
Kickbacks
I further propose that this new department be headed by General David Pertreus as a non Czar assignment.
Those caught with blood on their hands to be shipped to N. Korea, Afghanistan or Iran at his choosing with a pair of Birkenstocks and a turban which will be required to be worn at all times. Color coding of the turban is optional.
Oh, wait! That would mean emptying D.C! You mean, we’d have to start all over? NM
OkieDoc on September 10, 2009 at 11:30 PM
ACORN’s Response: “It’s not heavy, it’s my brothel.”
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on September 10, 2009 at 11:46 PM
I’m not one to use professional services, but then she’s not a professional, and I would most definitely spring for dinner, movie, limo, champagne….the list goes on……
Call me! ;)
quikstrike98 on September 11, 2009 at 12:04 AM
“Obama Signs Tens of Thousands of Questionable Pardons Submitted by Community Group ACORN” http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/09/obama-signs-tens-of-thousands-of.html
Mervis Winter on September 11, 2009 at 12:08 AM
Kind of off topic but damn Hannah Giles is hot.
lavell12 on September 11, 2009 at 12:08 AM
Same feelings here, pre- and post-election. God is sovereign in all things! :)
citrus on September 11, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Not one thread about this on Daily Krap. Big shocker there. I think its illegal to post anything there about ACORN showing them in a bad light.
Speedwagon82 on September 11, 2009 at 5:41 AM
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