Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on November 7, 2009

ACORN HQ building in New Orleans is up for sale

ACORN RAID!

From Capitol Confidential, Big Government: BREAKING: ACORN’S New Orleans Office Raided by Louisiana Attorney General:

In a fast-breaking development comes word that agents of the Attorney’s General office in Louisiana have raided ACORN’s offices in New Orleans. ACORN’s New Orleans was, for decades, the headquarters of the national community organizing association. News of the raid comes from Marcel Reid and her colleagues at ACORN 8, an association of former ACORN leaders and board members. Many of the individuals involved with ACORN 8 were fired from ACORN for demanding a forensic audit following an embezzlement scandal involving Dale Rathke, brother of ACORN co-founder Wade Rathke…

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has served a search warrant at the ACORN office at 2609 Canal Street, according to Tammi Arender Herring, a spokeswoman with the office.

Investigators in khaki pants and polo shirts loaded several dozen computers and other electronic items into an SUV. They are also carrying records out of the building on handcarts.

The large office building sits at the corner of Dorgenois and Canal. ACORN staffers were given no notice that a search would be conducted today, Herring said…

From Associated Press: Computers, records seized at ACORN offices in Louisiana:

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — State investigators raided ACORN offices on Friday, taking away computer hard drives and documents as part of a probe into alleged embezzlement and tax fraud when the organization’s national headquarters was based in New Orleans.

“This is an investigation of everything — ACORN, the national organization, the local organization and all of its affiliated entities, specifically as it relates to any potential violations of Louisiana law,” Assistant Attorney General David Caldwell said.

ACORN staff on the scene declined to comment, but an attorney for the group said in a statement the raid was prompted by allegations that former ACORN employees had removed or altered electronic documents and may do so in the future.

From Michael McCray, Big Government: Louisiana Attorney General’s Office tells ACORN – Show Me The Money (the books and the corporate records):

For decades the Crescent City has played host to one of the most feared and revered political organizations in America, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). Today, the Louisiana Attorney General’s office executed a search warrant on ACORN’s National Headquarters at its Canal Street address.

“We’re looking for corporate records and financial documents” states Investigator Scott Bailey; which are essentially the same things the ACORN 8 sought nearly 18 months ago. “We also wanted ACORN real estate records” states Marcel Reid, President of ACORN 8.

“We sent letters to the entire ACORN Board of Directors nearly a year ago, stating that it was either provide this information through the ACORN 8’s Writ of Mandamus (request for books and records) or we were going to go to the Police” continues Reid.

“It could not have happened at a better time” states Michael McCray, National Spokesman for the ACORN 8. “We believe that ACORN is trying to flee this jurisdiction. Since Louisiana seems to be the only government agency that is seriously investigating ACORN.”

“If ACORN hopes to survive then the know nothing, see nothing, do nothing board of directors must by replaced by individuals with the strength and capabilities to fulfill their fiduciary obligations and the courage to reign in corruption within ACORN’s senior management ranks” continues Reid.

“ACORN as we know it today is finished. It’s a 40 year old business model that never adopted to changing political times or new technology” McCray continues, “and a do nothing board of directors can not operate such a high-profile multi-national corporation.”

ACORN is still reeling after a barrage of bad press and negative government reaction following undercover videos of “pimps and prostitutes” seeking ACORN assistance; and is desperately struggling to remove itself from this legal imbroglio.

In a letter that ACORN Attorney Schwartz sent to “ACORN Friend’s in the Legal Community” stating, “We need some top-notch bankruptcy advice and maybe representation. The reorganization may involve the creation of new nonprofit entities in each state where ACORN functions, as ACORN considers moving from a centralized corporate structure to a decentralized federated structure. ACORN will need help from people who have handled rebranding …”

“That’s like putting lipstick on chitterlings,” states McCray, “If ACORN was afraid of the independent audit and forensic examination which eight ACORN board members demanded; I can’t imagine what they will do once a U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee is appointed to investigate ACORN.”

Click here to read more.

Related ACORN reading:
Chris Berg, Big Government: ACORN — 50 More Days Without Federal Funds
Patterico’s Pontifications: L.A. Times Fails to Disclose that Author of Fact-Challenged Pro-ACORN Op-Ed Has Been ACORN Consultant
Andrew Breitbart, Big Government: ACORN–The LA Story, Part I
Gary Hewson: ACORN–The LA Story, Part II: ‘We knew we were gonna put in Obama.’
James O’Keefe, Big Government: **Breaking** The LA Story, Part III: ACORN Employee of the Year, Felix D. Harris
Government Mess: Computers, Hard Drives Seized at ACORN’s New Orleans Office
Frugal Café Blog Zone: ACORN’s Taxpayer Funding Kicks Back in on Halloween… Congress, What’s Up with the “Trick AND Treat” of Our Tax Dollars? (video) Update: Funds Halted for 50 More Days and ACORN in Another Sex-Fraud Scandal Uncovered by O’Keefe & Giles: Philadelphia… Now City of “Prostitute Love” (video) and Why Did FEMA Award $1 Million ‘Fire Prevention’ Grant to ACORN? and ACORN’s Brazen $7 Million Lawsuit Against Filmmakers O’Keefe, Giles, & Breitbart Has Little Support (video) and ACORN: “We’ll Help You Get Away with Stuff” — Jay Leno, Bill O’Reilly, & Dennis Miller Weigh In (video) and ‘Big Government’s’ Breitbart Lets Major TV News Media Have It for Lying, Ignoring, or Distorting ACORN Child Hooker-Tax Fraud Scandal (video)
Michael McCray, Big Government: ACORN Layoffs are Taxpayer Rip-offs
Kenneth Gladney, Big Government: I Am Kenneth Gladney
Hannah Giles, Big Government: LameStream Media: Why Did You Bypass These Juicy ACORN Nuggets?
Matthew Vadum, Big Government: ACORN Still Owes $2.3 Million in Overdue Taxes and BREAKING: ACORN Ally Nadler Resists Probe While Giving ACORN Advice:
Radio Vice Online: ACORN: Who will be fired in Philadelphia? Housing, prostitution, fraud
Stage Right, Big Government: Media Matters: Never Mind About All Those Facts… We Have a Police Report!
Publius, Big Government: WaPo: Duo Release Another Video of Their Meeting with ACORN Worker
American Spectator: Philly Video Proves ACORN Was Lying
Billy Hollowell, Big Government: The Media’s Complicity: Anaysis of ACORN Coverage
Nice Deb: Video: Breitbart’s ACORN Unveiled Press Conference and Bill O’Reilly To MN Gov. Pawlenty: Take Another Look At ACORN’s 43,000 Votes For Al Franken
Andrew Marcus, Big Government: Major ACORN Victory In New York Thanks In Part To Van Jones
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), Big Government: FEMA Grant to ACORN is Offensive
Wall Street Journal: Bank Pulls Back From Acorn Work
US News & World Report: ACORN Story Shows How Internet Reporting Is Beating the New York Times
Traction Control: New Hannah vid – Acorn caught in more lies
Macsmind: Let’s Ramp Up Investigation into All the Organizations of the Left
Republican Redefined: ACORN at it Again: The War Against the Popular Rule Rages On
James O’Keefe, Big Government: Unsolved Mysteries and Irreconcilable Difference for Mr. Scott Harshbarger

Categories: Economy, Government, Law & Constitution, Media & Communication, Social and Political Climate
Tags: ACORN, ACORN 8, ACORN embezzlement, ACORN financial records, ACORN fraud, ACORN HQ raid, ACORN raid, ACORN scandal, ACORN voter fraud, Attorney General Caldwell, Buddy Caldwell, Dale Rathke, David Caldwell, Louisiana, Marcel Reid, New Orleans, Wade Rathke