president obama previously served as acorn's lawyer, participated in acorn training programs in chicago, and sat on the boards of two organizations that provided funding to acorn's chicago chapter. just last year, his campaign misrepresented that it had paid more than 800,000 to an offshoot of acorn. the obama campaign initially said that they used this for polling. there really use the money for the same types of voter registration project that have mired acorn in criminal investigations in at least 12 states. the president's ties to acorn take any conclusion that the justice department may reach with regard to whether or not to investigate and prosecute acorn employees. that is why i requested date the attorney journal -- i have requested that the attorney general appoint a special prosecutor. congress also has an obligation to investigate the apostle -- the possibly illegal conduct of acorn. acorn has received $53 million in federal funding. it is disappointing that that is a pat -- the democratic majority have taken no steps investigate the wrongdoing, even though the majority of th

acorn is based out of new orleans. there is an allegation of fraud in several different areas, particularly involving taxpayer money, which is what we are principally interested in. and the public nature of this has been very helpful to us through the committees here. we have seen a lot of information and witnesses have come forth. you have been a great help enlighten us on a lot of different issues to help us narrow bands -- the focus of our investigation. it is important to point out that as to the financial fraud, it was those people who brought this forward. it is not a democrat or republican issue. you put people in jail -- the justice not ask them if they are democratic -- democrat or republican. this is important to everybody and since this occurred in louisiana, a legion -- a louisiana agency would be remiss to sit on their hands and not do anything about it. that is why our office is involved in particular. i did want to point out that it was covered in the media that we executed a search warrant on the acorn

acorn is based out of new orleans.an allegation of fraud in several different areas, particularly involving taxpayer money, which is what we are principally interested in. and the public nature of this has been very helpful to us through the committees here. we have seen a lot of information and witnesses have come forth. you have been a great help enlighten us on a lot of different issues to help us narrow bands -- the focus of our investigation. it is important to point out that as to the financial fraud, it was those people who brought this forward. it is not a democrat or republican issue. you put people in jail -- the justice not ask them if they are democratic -- democrat or republican. this is important to everybody and since this occurred in louisiana, a legion -- a louisiana agency would be remiss to sit on their hands and not do anything about it. that is why our office is involved in particular. i did want to point out that it was covered in the media that we executed a search warrant on the acorn offices in

poverty is big business for acorn. and it's time to let the poor people stand up instead of them standing on their backs. >> thank you for being willing to tell the truth. we appreciate it. mr. von spakovsky, given what you know and what you've heard, could any easterly tax or election laws have been -- any election laws have been violated? >> i'm not an expert on tax law, but i think it's pretty clear that they violated their tax-exempt status. and at the very least, they should lose that tax-exempt status and pay whatever fines are associated with having received partisan political contributions and money to engage in political activity. i think there's all kinds of potential, federal election campaign violations. mismoncrief herself has testified under oath in court in pennsylvania about the fact that when she was working for acorn, they received a list of maxed out donors from the obama campaign and the instructions were to have acorn and project vote go to those people to raise more money so that they could use it

and as part of that protective order they put in a correspondence from acorn, the attorneys for acorn saying, well, we're going to comply with the federal subpoena but not with the state subpoena. and that caused concern, simply because with this amount and this type of massive investigation, i mean, if we have to litigate that before a state court judge who's got to review hundreds of thousands of documents in camera it's just never going to get done. so that caused us concern. and now in discussing that initial conversation with acorn's lawyer, that's when she told me, she said, i just want to let you know that we've had a couple of hard drives that we're in the process of trying to get back but we weren't successful. and she did say those may contain information that would be relevant to you. and so that caused us concern. because while we had heard other things around the country regarding potential destruction of documents and that type of thing, all of that was to attenuate it. that additional piece provided us with probable cause. so we were not able to get -- it was very early

acorn, i was on this with bertha lewis. she talked about the members of acorn. how do you get to be a member of acorn. i do not want to leave you, excessively, but if you come here for support, you will become a member? >> that is correct. when you do the counseling session, they would have an option where you could be part of the credit report or you could be a member of the acorn. this is about $110 per year. they were losing out on that but many people chose to sign up. they also have the provisional members. you could sign the card if you wanted to be contacted and they would contact you and you could become a full member. . n drive. they actually had an acorn membership card attached to the voter registration cards and they would use them to drive up their membership. >> so let's run back through. this the government and foundations and other groups contribute money to various acorn affiliates to do community work, to help the poor, to help the disadvantaged. and in the process of giving these briefings and so on on loan restructuring and other advice that

area, will still cut checks to acorn. again, i told the rules committee yesterday this is a bittersweet time. i yield myself another 30 seconds. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. latham: i told the rules committee yesterday this is a bittersweet time. the fed conference is completed and that in itself is an accomplishment. there is a lot of good policy in the transportation-h.u.d. conference bill. but this package, with all of the six bills piled together, is about $390 billion and five appropriations bills too large. thank you, mr. speaker. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from massachusetts, for what purpose do you rise? mr. olver: mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from new york, nita lowey. nita lowey is the chairwoman of the state and foreign operations subcommittee of appropriations, one of the bills which is included. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york is recognized for three

to start with, acorn is a political animal.or immoral, it should be stopped. i vote republican but i am embarrassed by the behavior of republicans, most of them right now, about a barack obama. he is one of the most intelligent people i have seen in president in my 60 years. this condemnation of him, the only problem i have with him and i have this problem with everybody, energy got us into this situation. the price of gas going up affects small business as part of host: let me point to to what we are talking about as far as the regulations passed by the house as far as wall street. what are your thoughts about that? caller: talking about the cpr was a good idea. i made union and might cpi has always been locked down very i have not got much of a race in two or three years. we hear about ceo's making a lot of money and getting bailout money. i think our politicians need to look at that, too. host: tennessee on a republican line, go ahead caller: thank you for taking my call. i would like to say that i have been a republican and

we think that organizations like acorn are important.l continue to support organizations like that. i thought that the town hall meetings were incredibly tense and difficult. at the end of the day people had the opportunity to hear a debate around critical issues of health care. some of them began as screaming matches that did not help the debate. we are all trying to figure out a way to have their issues heard so that people are not just screaming at each other. coast don't read you, republican line. maryland. -- host: ray, republican line. maryland. caller: can they cut back on the tip -- trimming of the trees along the highways? we often lose our electric because these trees fall on the power lines. they have not been through here on these roads where i live for the last three years. guest: that is why it is so important for federal governments to provide stimulus to local governments. as the economy is in a difficult place with workers not working, states and local governments having less resources, if we cannot figure it out we cann

after that, house republicans discuss the group known as acorn. and in portions of the senate for debate on health care legislation. >> this week the senate continues debate on health care bill. see it all live on our companion network, c-span2, the only network with the whole debate and edited and commercial-free. read the senate bill and a house version and to watch video on demand, though it is c-span's health care of. >> the fact is that is his policies that have to give us the longest and deepest recession. only this prime minister thinks that we should all be pathetically grateful for this long and deep recession for it somehow he has led the world when he leaves britain behind. >> now from london, prime minister's questions from the british house of commons. this week, prime minister gordon brown responded to several questions about president obama's speech on afghanistan. recently, the prime minister said that he would send 500 additional british troops to afghanistan. members also questioned mr. brown on the british economy and the upcomi

if you imagine a small seed, an acorn, it's going to grow into a big oak tree, and while it starts to grow, there are many tiny roots and it looks so weak and yet the life force in that seed is such that the water, the roots can work through boulders and butch them -- push them aside, and that little shoot will eventually break through and knock it down. we take the boulders in the wall to represent all the ills we have put on the planet environmentally and socially, this is hope that all the young people can break through and make this a better world for living things. so the message each one of us makes a difference every single day. we impact the world around us, and we have a choice, and every group gets the word out there, every group chooses three different kind of projects, one to help people, one to help animals and one to help the environment. and it's preschool all the way through university, it's getting more and more adult groups, like the staffs of big corporations, senior citizens, and it's in 111 countries in every u.s. state, and it's right across china and growing fas

i cannot count how many acorns -- amendments that we voted on. it would be a forest of oak trees if those acorns were planted. but we voted on them regularly, religiously. we made sure we took care of acorn but we didn't take care of the people's business because those amendments just wasted our time. i have a statement here relative to the omnibus bill and my particular appropriation bill, and without objection, i would like to ask that it be entered into the record after my remarks. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. durbin: and i yield the floor. mr. reid: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. reid: i ask -- we're not in a quorum call. the presiding officer: that is correct. mr. reid: mr. president, we're here today, it's 7:00. my friend -- and i want to make sure the record reflects that he is my friend, the republican leader. we scuffle and argue out here but we've done a lot of things together over the years. but i do have to look at this, this direct quote from my friend just this afternoon. "i'm anxious

we all know and acorn is going to grow into a big oak tree and when it starts to grow there are these little tiny roots that's chute and it looks so we can get the life force is such that to reach the water they can work through boulders and eventually push them aside and that to reach the sunlight can work through crevices and a brick wall and eventually knock it down so if we take a bold first to represent all of the ills that we humans have inflicted on the planet environmentally and socially this is hope, hundreds of thousands of young people are around the world can break through and make this a better world for all living things. the main message each one of us makes a difference every single day we impact the world and have a choice and every group is hands on, roll up your sleeves, get out there every group chooses three different projects, one to help people, one to help animals and that includes domestic animals and want to help the environment they share and its preschool all the way through the university's. it is getting more and more adult groups like the staff of a big

following that, house republicans discussed the group known as acorn. >> on december 7, 1941, a surprise japanese attack on pearl harbor left to thousand 390 americans dead. the national park service has been collecting survivors' stories about the day. here is one. >> mccain in port on friday afternoon, on december the fit -- we came in port on friday afternoon. we waited in mid channel for the lexington, which at the time was the world's largest aircraft carrier. as soon as the lexington got under way, we took her place. monday, the ship was scheduled to come back to the states, and i would have gotten out. i had saved like four hundred dollars and i was going to go to medical school. bvgi did not go anywhere. i did not go ashore because honolulu in those days was not a favorite port because there were no women. their 2010 for everyone in. -- there were 2000 men for every woman. what are all those planes doing out on a sunday morning? i could vaguely hear a droning, which was not unusual. about the time i looked up skyward i saw this group, and i am almost positive there were six of th

, would have withdrawn acorn's federal housing ecertification. given the group's clear throing illegal and inappropriate activities, how can we divert precious resources from legitimate housing counselors working overtime to help strucking homeowners. unfortunately, this bill will not allow an up or down vote on any of these issues. these issues deserve a full and fair debate and a vote on the house floor. i urge my colleagues to oppose this rule and i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from colorado is recognized. mr. perlmutter: i yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from maine, ms. pingree. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for three minutes. ms. pingree: i thank the gentleman from colorado, my good friend on the rules committee, both for yielding me the time and for his hard work on the rules committee. i know committee members have worked long and hard on this particular bill that's going to be before us. for too long we have looked the other way as the big banks and

us to call this bill until he had a chance to offer another amendment -- another amendment on the acorn organization. we have had a series of these amendments. we have flogged this group mercilessly for month after weary month, and, yet, they were going to hold up unemployment benefits for this senator to have one more chance at one more swing that the organization. that, to me, is not responsible. the responsible thing to do is to recognize all of these families that were counting on us. time was lost that could have been used not only to provide unemployment benefits in a more expeditious manner, but also to consider these appropriation bills. appropriation bills in the past and not too distant past used to take one or two days before the united states senate. the members would come to the floor, readies would be offered, debated, -- amendment would be offered, debated, now even routine bills with no controversy take weeks because of amendments which are to be offered, which, frankly have little or no relevance to the nature of the bill before us. we brought up the commerce, justice,

creates additional billion dollar spending in the barney frank slush fund, housing slush fund, and makes acorn available to get back in the game. much to the chagrin of this body. it also replaces the $2 billion in clash for clunkers money that came out of the stimulus bill last summer. we were on the floor when the proponents of the cash or clunkers said this will not increase the deficit because we'll take it out of the stimulus money. immediately the speaker came to the floor along with others saying contrare, we'll find a replacement for that $2 billion in this bill. now the stimulus bill, first stimulus, is up to $789 as you know we all enjoyed the cash for clunkers, but this money is back in the bill with respect to this new stimulus. the other bill i'd like to talk about is the defense department appropriations bill, this bill waives the demand, requirement, that the chairman of the appropriations committee post on the internet the earmarks and/or plusups depending how you want to call those in this bill. some 1,700 of them we are told. some good, some bad. we ought to know what's in th

wondering if we quit giving tax money to these organization that is she represents as far as her and acorn senators take back to their state and just stop that, we would have enough money to take care of the people that doesn't that want to buy a television but not their health care. guest: we're so proud that we're actually all member-funded. our average donation is $42. we have 5 million members and our members contribute to the projects we work on because they are in the best interest of the american people. host: no government funding? guest: none whatsoever. host: what is the best place to get ahold of you? guest: www.moveon.org. host: thank you for spending time with us on the "washington journal." up next we continue our discussion with the republican from oklahoma. but first here's news from c-span radio. . . >> south korea's defense ministry says that nothing critical was stolen, but they are investigating whether north korea may have been behind another incident of computer hacking. the ministry says that the attackers stole a document on u.s. and south korean military plans in t

about the catholic churches -- all those rape victims, boys in the catholic church, they are like acorn to me. host: a couple of different points. do you want to respond to them? guest: i guess not. it took you hear from victims, especially those dealing with rape from family members, relatives. how often do you hear that story when they let it continue? that they do not feel they can prosecute the stepfather? guest: is a complex issue, especially with children. how do children know that they know they are being violated, but who do they go to? they're very close power sources, their parents, are the ones perpetrating on it, so it is difficult for them. we recognize and we understand that there could be years ago by before we can muster the courage or the strength to do that. host: thank you very much for joining us. >> less than 24 hours left in the health-care debate in the senate. senator jeff sessions is holding a news conference, talking about an updated analysis from the congressional budget office on the impact of the bill of the medicare trust fund. he may also get a question ab

for instance, that stimulus bill had billions of dollars for community organizers like acorn. we had money in that bill to produce that website that created congressional districts that don't even exist, claiming that jobs were created. that's a waste of money. the next thing is as you properly pointed out is -- thing as you properly pointed out is you start taxing people. you tax them on energy. and so now this guy that's got a business, perhaps he uses a fair. a energy, uh-oh, i'm going to have taxes on energy now. and that issue you properly pointed out, you start creating this sense of fear and uncertainty. and so the guy -- now you have red tape and more taxes and more taxes. the guy thinks, how in the world ambition i going to make a living with that? and that's what's being done not just in missouri and pennsylvania, it's being done to our economy because we're doing the wrong thing. and it's not so complicated because other presidents have shown the right way to go. and that is to let those small businessmen -- let's just take a look at what we're doing, just hammering

i have been working with some groups, acorn, naca, they are not working anything out.nator specter's office in january of 2004, countrywide acted as the plaintiff and who shows up in this meeting? we had a conference meeting. fannie mae's attorneys. i could have written a check to pay my house and full and fair and a's attorney would not work anything out. in the court proceeding, countrywide was listed as the plaintiff. this is the problem we are seeing. when you look at these foreclosures, i helped my neighbors stop there sheriff's sale back in june. several people claiming to their loan. what is getting to me is what is going on in the court proceedings. what are the judges and elected officials doing? i have taken this to the fbi, me and other people. they don't even want to look of the records. meanwhile watching the center's talk about what they will do about a but i have heard nothing about the judiciary and foreclosure process. host: kalamazoo, michigan. michael on the republican line. caller: my question is, the va hospital was originally built for 80 million

those rape victims that have been done to those little boys in the catholic church, they are like acorn to me in the catholic church should be disbanded. tpwhr thank you. did you want to pond to any of that? guest: i guess not. host: you hear from some of these victims especially those dealing with rape and reign by family members and relatives. how often do you they're that story in which they let it continue, that they don't feel as if there is a path for them to prosecute a stepfather or go after an uncle or deal with the abuse they are facing? guest: it is a common challenge that the trauma itself is not factored into the issue, especially with children. how do children know that they know they are being violated but who do they go to? their power sources, their parents are potentially perpetrating on them. we recognize the need and we understand there could be years that go by before they can muster the courage or strength to do that. host: will marling thanks for joining us. we will continue looking at crimes in america and also the incarceration rate among african-american men an

it was giving money so that organizations like acorn could apply for community organizing and a lot of things that really were never going to create jobs in the first place or if they were, they were government jobs. those things, the result has been, look, we've got unemployment by the time you get into the latter part of this year, up in excess of 10%, not 8% but 10% unemployment. that's not a big surprise. so today, what do we do? we passed many stimulus -- mini stimulus. little brother to big brother stimulus. this was, instead of $787 billion, only $150 billion today. did we learn anything from our experience? no. i think it was einstein who said if you repeat the same thing over and over again expecting a different result, you may be crazy. that's what we've done today. we came up with a junior stimulus bill and passed it on this floor and the people who voted for it were the democrats. they were a little reluctant in voting for it because it didn't work very well the first time when they did the stimulus and they're not so confident that it's going to work again. so what are we

that share the wealth phrase that came out of president obama's mouth is in the mission statement of acorn. mr. burgess: i think the gentleman has summed things up very well. and i cannot be nearly as eloquent as he is delineating the history and what created greatness in this country. all i know is the people who seem to be making the decisions today are the people who never held a job in the private sector. it is a startling thing to watch as we see once again the administration is going to lunch forward with a jobs creation strategy when the jobs creation strategy exists right before our eyes. it's the small businessman and woman in america who has the capability of creating those jobs. but they are scared to death of the 8% payroll tax. they don't know what we will do in energy. the financial services committee, they will try to figure that one out. is it any wonder why small businesses across this country are holding back. they know about taking risks. that's what brought them to where they are now, but when so many things are in flux, tax policy, health care, energy, financial servic

chicago is any further ahead or behind any major cities, and particularly after stopping the use of acorn? did that have any affect? >> i was in the chicago region just a few weeks ago. they have a wonderful feature of their mobilization for the sense is that i think is a model for other regions. a group of local on patients got together, offered small grants to communities throughout illinois to help them advertise the census. that has filled a gap in that region that needs to be killed and other regions. state and local governments are in hard times right now. many of the staff that we used in 2004 are reache0 for at react there now. the activities of private foundations are filling adapt. chicago is a wonderful example of that i think. >> we have a question on the phone. >> thank you. in talking to some of the local liaison, they have a number of frustrations with address canvassing and the master address file. 01 is obviously the short deadlines, which cannot be helped. the information they have gotten back from the census bureau is murky in terms of what new addresses had been added.