IRS dumps ACORN
posted at 4:45 pm on September 23, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Bertha Lewis may continue to request that we believe her rather than our eyes and the video produced by Big Government of ACORN staffers repeatedly offering assistance for tax evasion and hiding child prostitution, but the IRS has seen enough. The agency responsible for collecting the nation’s taxes and enforcing tax laws surprisingly doesn’t want to partner with a group that actively undermines their mission:
The IRS says it is severing ties with ACORN, the community activist group involved in a scandal after employees were caught on video giving advice to a couple posing as a prostitute and pimp.
The Internal Revenue Service said Wednesday it would no longer include ACORN in its volunteer tax assistance program. The program offered free tax advice to about 3 million low- and moderate-income tax filers this spring.
The IRS follows the lead of the Census Bureau, which cut ties with ACORN last week. The Senate and House have voted separately to stop federal dollars from reaching the organization, but those restrictions have to survive a conference committee on two different bills. The likelihood of the momentum lasting long enough to make that happen seems low.
Or is it? Big Government, which published the videos on a daily basis for five days, hinted that more ACORN videos will be forthcoming. If so, they appear to be biding their time, waiting for the right moment to catapult the story back to the top of the pile. Those conference committees might just be the time they pick. Stay tuned.
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I can’t believe this miscarriage of justice.
It’s not the fault of those tireless, noble paragons of virtue at ACORN that TurboTax says that prostitutes should be listed as “performance artists” on tax forms.
malclave on September 23, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Is there no honour among thieves?
fronclynne on September 23, 2009 at 4:47 PM
The crazy train needs to make more stops in Realityville.
Grafted on September 23, 2009 at 4:48 PM
All is not lost yet…
Harry Schell on September 23, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Is Rangel next?
Abby Adams on September 23, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Hope Big Government does come out with more. ACORN’s tax funding must stop. It would be awful (but not surprising) if the conference committee gives them our money.
batter on September 23, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Chooooo chooooo! All aboard! Next stop…AMERICORPS!
I think the old but reliable engine of liberty has sputtered back to life and will be firing on all cylinders very quickly. If you’re squatting on the rails of liberty and freedom, you’re about to get run over.
BobMbx on September 23, 2009 at 4:50 PM
I guess they are going to partner with Code Pick now?
Hening on September 23, 2009 at 4:50 PM
POTD
ladyingray on September 23, 2009 at 4:51 PM
When Bertha Lewis is before our eyes, there’s so much to believe that it boggles the mind.
unclesmrgol on September 23, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Other titles you’ll never read:
IRS investigating Tim Geitner
IRS investigating Charles Rangel
IRS investigating (fill in with your favorite lib name)
jbh45 on September 23, 2009 at 4:51 PM
I wonder if ACORN and this woman are connected strange stuff
Bladerunner1701 on September 23, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Wake me when they lose their tax-exempt status.
Vashta.Nerada on September 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM
I love the smell of acorns burning….smells like…VICTORY!
dont taze me bro on September 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/09/23/former-baucus-aide-complicit-in-max-baucuss-humana-insurance-harassment/
ninjapirate on September 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Would have been a better announcement if it had said
“IRS dropping ties with ACORN – But will still meet with them to FULLY AUDIT their books and practices to determine if any federal tax laws were violated by the group”
FloridaBill on September 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Oh, I thought they were taking away their tax free status.
lonestar1 on September 23, 2009 at 4:52 PM
How is it tax evasion if you are helping people to pay their taxes when they can’t find an official description of their line of work on IRS forms?
If you help a prostitute fill out IRS forms as a performance artist, you’re helping her avoid being audited by the IRS because you’re facilitating the payment of her taxes.
Dan Minardi on September 23, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Other headlines you will never read before 2012:
Justice Department investigating Black Panther
Justice Department investigating ACORN
Justice Department investigating Fanni Mae
Justice Department investigation Freddie Mac
jbh45 on September 23, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Hell yeah!
Maquis on September 23, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Yeah, but if ACORN reorganizes and changes it’s name to OAK, NUT, SEED, PLYWOOD or any other name in the near future, odds are the White House will immediately get the government money train and contracts going again.
jon1979 on September 23, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Go see the Brooklyn vid, where she teaches her to hide her money in the backyard, and not tell anyone about it.
tessa on September 23, 2009 at 4:56 PM
You know something? They are going to have to disband operations and come back as something new and shiny. ACORN can not be saved. They need to find some other nut to name themselves after.
Terrye on September 23, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Breitbart is just waiting in high grass for Congress to lose some interest or forward motion on ACORN, then the drip drip will continue…….brilliant!!
PatriotRider on September 23, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Someone should pass this news along to http://www.serve.gov:
http://myproject.serve.gov/(S(btrunu551gwdja55dmnvnh55))/public/OpportunityDetail.aspx?projectId=14502&subProjectId=4837604
ACORN does free tax preparation for low-income families and also helps to educate families by giving credit counseling classes, and free financial literacy courses.
This is just one of the many ways that you can help members of the community build a resevoir of assets and savings. By volunteering with ACORN, you will at the very least help each family save hundreds and at the most help families receive back taxes and tax credits worth thousands of dollars.
One of the ways New Orleans ACORN has worked to increase families’ self-sufficiency Post-Katrina was to help families stand on their feet by having some back-up savings, and helping families save their precious dollars by offering an alternative to cash-checking institutions, bad refund anticipation loans, and paying to get their taxes done.
Dates: Now/Anytime
Days: Once
Location:
NOLA ACORN, 2609 Canal St, 3rd Floor, New Orleans, LA, 70119 See Map
Tasks for Volunteers:
Patience is needed, as well ast the ability to follow directions.
There are not any special skills needed, but ACORN needs your time to take the trainings that are neededed It would be great if you had tax preparation experience but we are looking for tax preparers, benefits application assisance, and financial literacy counselors alike. If you do not have time to do trainings, but would like to help us call back previous clients to make appointments for next year, this is crucial. We also need people who will distribute fliers for our free services and classes.
Training begins in the next month. ACORN needs help setting up their site and satellite sites. There is plenty to do now to make sure we do sufficient outreach to let hard-pressed families know of these necessary services. ACORN offers year-round tax preparation, preparation of back year taxes, and financial literacy courses.
Learn More:
Email this address tharris@acornmail.net and ask for Tanya
Available to:
Anyone, including kids under 13
Anyone at least 17 years of age
Claudin on September 23, 2009 at 4:58 PM
I just want more pics of Hannah in the hooker outfit.
toliver on September 23, 2009 at 4:59 PM
I’d like to see “U.S. citizens dump IRS”.
justltl on September 23, 2009 at 5:00 PM
I’m not a fan of the IRS. In this case maybe the enemy of my enemy is my friend?
Big Government has breaking news
Blacksmith8 on September 23, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Where is Timmy Geitner going to go for Tax help now?
jpmn on September 23, 2009 at 5:00 PM
What, suggesting to potential clients that they can claim their under-age illegal-alien sex-slaves as dependents isn’t tax evasion?
Maquis on September 23, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Yea, but I betcha they don’t get an audit!
Irenaeus on September 23, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Is the IRS the pimp or the ho?
txag92 on September 23, 2009 at 5:01 PM
I’ll example you with thievery.
The sun’s a thief, and with his great attraction
Robs the vast sea: the moon’s an arrant thief,
And her pale fire she snatches from the sun:
The sea’s a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
The moon into salt tears: the earth’s a thief,
That feeds and breeds by a composture stolen
From general excrement: each thing’s a thief:
The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power
Have uncheque’d theft. Love not yourselves: away,
Rob one another.
fronclynne on September 23, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Only in the Commonwealth countries.
unclesmrgol on September 23, 2009 at 5:04 PM
AyresCORN today, tomorrow — ObamAryes! Go BigGovernment!
starboardhelm on September 23, 2009 at 5:04 PM
I’d also like to see “Mothership returns all liberals to home planet”, but that ain’t likely to occur either.
justltl on September 23, 2009 at 5:06 PM
As with many thing that are Teddy Roosevelt’s doing, I reject your reality and substitute my own.
fronclynne on September 23, 2009 at 5:09 PM
How about telling them they can use 12 underage illegal alien prostitute children as tax deductions? Think that might be a little off base? I mean, I’m no IRS auditor, but that one would concern me.
JusDreamin on September 23, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Damn, this is horrible news. I was going to fire my CPAs and have ACORN prepare my 2009 returns.
If they can figure out tax savings for an underage prostitute ring and brothel, my filing would be a walk in the park.
TXUS on September 23, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Amid all of this good news about the dumping of ACORN, we shouldn’t forget how disturbing it is that it took to non-professional journalists in their 20s to do this. The implications are disturbing. Where was the media, and what does that tell you about how informed the general public is?
RightWinged on September 23, 2009 at 5:14 PM
filthy communists
Aquateen Hungerforce on September 23, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Since this may be future lawsuit territory, you should probably say it was published by Big Government. It was produced by Giles and O’Keefe.
John on September 23, 2009 at 5:20 PM
Big G better have more, because this is all smoke and mirrors. ACORN is sitting just as pretty with the guv as they they were before the tapes came out. Come on, people, these are Obama’s peeps from back in the day. They ain’t goin’ nowhere.
Rational Thought on September 23, 2009 at 5:20 PM
ACORN has an $800,000 tax problem. A sub of ACORN gets paid $800,000 by the Obamao campaign.
Coinkidink?
I think not. You think the IRS is going to look into this? Anyone? Anyone?
(crickets…..)
TheAdmiral on September 23, 2009 at 5:20 PM
In light of this latest ACORN dropping, I am wondering if those 7 Senators who previously voted against dropping Senate ACORN support, most notably two of Illinois’s favorites, Big Dick Durbin and Roland “Magic Man” Burris, would now be willing to revise their previous B.S. stories for why they voted the way they did.
pilamaye on September 23, 2009 at 5:22 PM
If I told you what the IRS actually is, I’d be banned from HA and probably the Internet itself.
The words themselves could be legally banned, even under the 1st Amendment.
TXUS on September 23, 2009 at 5:23 PM
IT’ON! Breaking News APNewsBreak: ACORN Sues Filmmakers
fbcmusicman on September 23, 2009 at 5:26 PM
“The best of Acorn”
the_nile on September 23, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Now that’s a change I’m hoping for…..but I’m not gonna hold my breath.
Oldnuke on September 23, 2009 at 5:29 PM
There goes Tim’s staff…
right2bright on September 23, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Acorn is wounded , it’s easier now for other people to speek up.
the_nile on September 23, 2009 at 5:31 PM
Was just coming to link that!
Discovery’s gunna be a beeyitch!
JamesLee on September 23, 2009 at 5:33 PM
ACORN is in my state, but they’re not filing the required charity annual reports with my state Attorney General. How odd.
HotWeaver on September 23, 2009 at 5:34 PM
Where can we contribute to Giles’ and O’Keefe’s legal defense fund?
Mary in LA on September 23, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Get your popcorn ready. Discovery in this suit is gonna be a real show.
TXUS on September 23, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Can ACORN sue in Maryland? I’m not finding a corporation for “Baltimore ACORN” nor “Baltimore County ACORN” in Maryland. If the corporation does not exist, how can it sue?
HotWeaver on September 23, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Outstanding!
Jeff from WI on September 23, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Actually I like the way it is now. There’s no more pretending by the media that they are fair, EVERYONE with an IQ above 9 knows they’re just a propaganda tool of the DNC.
Jeff from WI on September 23, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Hatchet. Axe. Saw.
{Timber}
Thanks to Giles & O’Keefe!!
TN Mom on September 23, 2009 at 6:02 PM
+ 100!
Key West Reader on September 23, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Full IRS Audit, Revoke Tax Exempt Status, RICO investigation into every tentacle of the organization…
… nothing less!
Seven Percent Solution on September 23, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Blacksmith8
Maybe those 25,000 will get audited? LOL
elclynn on September 23, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Newsflash for Dan!
They told her to claim the smuggled sex slaves as “dependents” and went into great detail to explain that she was too young to claim as many as she was smuggling. Derrrrrrrr.
Key West Reader on September 23, 2009 at 6:11 PM
ACORN files lawsuit!!??!!….where do I send the check for the defense fund? The nerve of those ACORN lowlifes, extreme emotional stress my a**.
elclynn on September 23, 2009 at 6:15 PM
That’s a poorly written article. ACORN cannot sue for emotional distress of its employees. They would have to sue the filmmakers as individual plaintiffs. Secondly, should this be found to be investigative journalism, then the FCC rules of “recorded” conversations could be thrown out. Notice they’re not suing for ‘video’ recording without permission.
Remember when CBS (when they were real journalists) went undercover at Food Lion stores in the 90′s?
Good luck, ACORN. I’d love to see defense counsel’s Interrogatories and Requests to Produce.
/idiots.
Key West Reader on September 23, 2009 at 6:16 PM
No loss here. It isn’t like IRS kicking out a big CPA firm.
The IRS can run some programs and check to see if returns from a certain preparor have more errors. At one point in time, one of the national brand cheap tax firms was highly ranked in error rates.
seven on September 23, 2009 at 7:40 PM
They offered “free” tax advice? Nothing is free, who payed for it? The taxpayers?
njpat on September 23, 2009 at 7:43 PM
If it was free tax advice, why did the ask Giles for money? And since they did ask for money was that also against the law?
njpat on September 23, 2009 at 7:44 PM
In a sane government, it would be ‘Census Bureau follows the lead of the IRS. ACORN had’t yet cheated the census.
James on September 23, 2009 at 7:59 PM
We don’t have enough IRS agents for all of these audits. How many poor people file taxes? How many deductions can one take when their income is tax free?
holymoly on September 23, 2009 at 8:59 PM
The IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program uses trained volunteers (like me) to do free tax preparation for anyone who wants it.
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=107626,00.html
The training is hard but I enjoyed helping so many folks. It uses an online tax preparation called “TaxWise On-Line” (not TurboTax, which I greatly prefer).
I am a bit surprised that they have any affiliations with any groups; the training is all just IRS training and the ACORN folks had to pass the same tests I passed.
One main reason for doing this is to keep people away from the “instant refund” loan sharks. The IRS has a goal of next day turn-around on electronically submitted returns. That’s right, you’d get your refund automatically deposited the next day. This year, returns completed (correctly) by noon Thursday would get their refunds deposited the next Monday.
Pythagoras on September 23, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Breitbart is right to save the next ACORN tapes for conference committee time.
For ages, the congressional and executive SOP is to let time pass, the story becomes old news, everyone forgets the story, and the drop the ACORN defunding amendments.
For the lawsuit, Breitbart’s attorneys should issue detailed discovery requests to ACORN.
slp on September 24, 2009 at 1:32 AM
http://veteranoutrage.com/?p=1011
What the hell obama?
I mean you have hired so many felons
The Federal bureo of prisions is actually having to lay off guards..
they are all working for the IRS or in your cabinet.
veteranoutrage on September 24, 2009 at 2:17 AM
The IRS would go for ACORN if ACORN and their associated Union thug types would act as the intimidation and collection arm of that hideous agency.
kens on September 24, 2009 at 11:39 AM