Rep. Bachmann Is Using Falsehood About ACORN That Didn't Stick The First Time
Rep. Michele Bachmann hosted a press conference criticizing a bill that "would allow ACORN and other organizations indicted for voter fraud to receive taxpayer dollars." Rep. Bachmann has a problem, though. Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller said, "it's important to keep in mind that this was a case of registration fraud, not voter fraud."
Bachmann's Belligerent Bellyaching
On May 14, 2009, Rep. Michele Bachmann hosted a press conference criticizing a bill allegedly allowing ACORN to receive taxpayer funding. In the press release announcing the event, Bachmann's office wrote, "last week, the House passed yet another bill which would allow ACORN and other organizations indicted for voter fraud to receive additional taxpayer dollars."
The phrase "ACORN and other organizations indicted for voter fraud" FALSELY states that ACORN has been indicted for voter fraud.
Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller has insisted this is not the case. He said, "it's important to keep in mind that this was a case of registration fraud, not voter fraud." (Emphasis mine)
The difference between the two charges is enormous. In order to commit voter fraud, a fraudulent vote must be cast in an election. Voter registration fraud, while still a serious offense, is the submission of a false registration form and will not affect the outcome of an election.
Additionally, Rep. Bachmann's press conference will host Anita MonCrief, an ACORN whistleblower. MonCrief, however, is hardly a reliable source of information. She was fired for using ACORN credit cards to pay for personal expenses... not exactly a track record of honest behavior.
Workers who violated the law should be prosecuted; no one believes otherwise. But punishing an entire organization for the improper actions of a few is irresponsible and unproductive.
