House Faces H.R.3571, the "Defund ACORN Act"

Text of a press release from N.C. Republican Rep. Walter B. Jones:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) became an original cosponsor of H.R. 3571, the Defund ACORN Act. This legislation, introduced by House Republican Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), would sever all ties between the federal government and the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

"Recent news reports have described potentially criminal activity involving ACORN associates and, last year, ACORN was linked to multiple instances of voter registration fraud and other illicit activity," Congressman Jones said. "It's clear that ACORN is not capable of using federal funds in a lawful way."

It is estimated that ACORN has received more than $53 million in direct funding from the federal government since 1994, and has likely received substantially more indirectly through states and localities that receive federal block grants.

"The U.S. Census Bureau has already ended its partnership with ACORN, and I hope all other federal agencies follow suit – whether their ties to ACORN consist of partnerships or the awarding of federal funds," Jones continued. "Since other federal agencies may not voluntarily take similar action, Congress needs to stop this waste of taxpayer dollars by swiftly passing the Defund ACORN Act to immediately terminate all federal funding of ACORN and its affiliates."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi finds herself in a tight spot. There is no justifiable defense of ACORN at this moment, considering that employees have been caught supporting tax fraud and the trafficking of minors for prostitution at five offices (thus far) without batting an eye.

But ACORN has long been an asset to the Democratic Party in general and this President in particular, who has literally volunteered his time to help make the organization what it is today. The DNC is also heavily invested in ACORN's symbiotic relationship with the Service Employees International Union, a group developed in parallel with ACORN and which has been responsible for acts of intimidation and violence during heath-care town hall meetings over the course of the August recess.

The House Democratic leadership and President Obama do not want to sever ties with ACORN.

The real question now seems to be whether they risk the political capital to obfuscate on ACORN's behalf so close to the 2010 elections with such popular disgust running against the group and their close alliance with the Democratic Party.

Update: The House voted to defund ACORN as part of a motion on a student loan bill. The bill passed 345-75.

Michelle Malkin has the votes.