ACORN Review Finds No Illegality
An outside review of ACORN has found “serious” problems with management, but no evidence of illegal activity.
An outside review of the beleaguered community group ACORN has found “serious management challenges,” but no pattern of illegal activity.
The review, commissioned by ACORN in the wake of a hidden video expose that showed a few of its employees appearing to offer tips on how to break the law, also largely absolved the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now’s current management, laying much of the blame on founder Wade Rathke for lax oversight and dangerously rapid growth.
Scott Harshbarger, the former Massachusetts attorney who led the inquiry for the Proskauer Rose law firm, found that ACORN is not subject to “basic, appropriate standards of governance and accountability” and suggested specific measures to help restore public confidence.
The review practically absolved ACORN employees caught up in the expose in which a few employees appeared to be offering advice on how to run a brothel.
It also suggested that ACORN should refocus its attention on community organizing, and away from other services. ACORN already announced it would cease offering free tax advice.
Harshbarger called the review “neither an epitaph nor an absolution for ACORN.”
Frank says: