Despite Recent Criticism, Rep. Steve King Has Voted To Fund ACORN
Over the past year, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) has emerged as one of ACORN's fiercest critics, often giving weight to unfounded conspiracy theories. On December 21, 2009, the American Spectator reported that King viewed ACORN as "thousands of times bigger than Watergate." It's worth noting that King has cast numerous votes directing federal money to ACORN and ACORN Housing.
Rep Steve King: ACORN Is "Bigger Than Watergate"
American Spectator:
ACORN critic Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) is mystified that both the Democratic-controlled Congress and the Obama administration aren't doing much about the tax-subsidized organized crime syndicate ACORN even as evidence of its wrongdoing continues to pile up.
"It's thousands of times bigger than Watergate because Watergate was only a little break-in by a couple of guys," said King. "By the time we pull ACORN out by its roots America's going to understand just how big this is." [American Spectator, 12/21/09]
Rep. Steve King Himself Has Voted To Fund ACORN
Rep. Steve King Voted For FY 2005 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill That Included A $140,000 ACORN Earmark. Rep. Steve King voted for the conference report for the bill making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005 included "$140,000 for the New York Acorn programs to prevent teen delinquency." [FY 2005 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, accessed 9/28/09; HR 4818, Vote #542, 11/20/04]
Rep. Steve King Supported $61 Million For The Self-Help Homeownership Program (SHOP), Which Provides ACORN With Funding. The bill making FY 2006 for the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development included: "For the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program, $61,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008." The bill passed the House 392-31, with 204 Republicans, including Rep. Steve King, voting "yea." ACORN Housing Corporation often receives funding through grants affiliated with the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP). [GovTrack.us, accessed 9/28/09; HR 3058, Vote #605, 11/18/05; HUD, 2/23/06; HUD, 10/24/02; HUD, 11/7/01]
Rep. Steve King Supported $42 Million For HUD "Housing Counseling," Which Trains ACORN Housing Workers. The bill making FY 2006 appropriations for Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development included: "For the HOME investment partnerships program, as authorized under title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, as amended, $1,750,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That of the total amount provided in this paragraph, up to $42,000,000 shall be available for housing counseling under section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, and $1,000,000 shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund." The bill passed the House 392-31, with 204 Republicans, including Rep. Steve King, voting "yea." According to ACORN Housing, "we're a non-profit organization that was established to help low-to-moderate-income people become and remain homeowners. But our Housing Counselors are trained and certified by the US dept. of Housing and Urban Development." [GovTrack.us, accessed 9/28/09; HR 3058, Vote #605, 11/18/05; ACORN Housing, accessed 9/30/09]
