GOP Nuts Throw ACORN From a Glass House

by Laura Flanders

Continuing the GOP's attack on the poor people's organizing group ACORN, the House this month passed by a wide margin a provision that would bar ACORN from receiving any federal funding. Every House Republican voted 'aye' as well as 172 Democrats. Only 75 Democrats opposed it. Soon the Senate, which has already -- by a 83 to 7 margin -- barred ACORN from receiving federal housing grants, is considering its own complete ban measure.

Let's hope they enjoy their gloat and then get right back to business.

The legislation they passed in all their rush, you see, is written so broadly that it just comes in very handy.

Rep. Alan Grayson (D of Florida) has already asked the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) to find out which other contractors might be caught in the ACORN net.

Abuse of federal funds -- Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are top of the list, with 20 fraud cases between them. And where those military contractors go, the cash for killers -- Blackwater can't be far behind. And then there's Halliburton and the magically disappeared federal cash for troop services and Iraq reconstruction.

Recipients of the $750 billion financial bailout program known as TARP are bound to show up. Earlier this year, federal investigators said they had opened 20 criminal probes into possible securities fraud, tax violations, insider trading and other crimes.

If the GOP can get this hot and bothered over the $50 million ACORN's supposed to have received from the federal government -- over the past 15 years -- I can hardly wait to see how outraged they'll be about the BILLIONS received by banks in the blink of a brokers' eyelid.

Not to be left out, among the bankers, brokers, death merchants and liars, let's not forget the child molesters...

Several faith based groups, recipients of federal grants, currently stand accused of misspending that cash on covering up child molesting clergy.

To name just one: Catholic Charities -- in at least two cities Catholic Charities stands accused of using federal funds to settle or cover up sex abuse charges. But that didn't stop Catholic Charities from receiving a federal government contract this August for $100 million to work with victims of natural disasters.

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http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/09/25-1