Frank: ACORN is Bush’s fault

| September 24, 2009

Reversing the statement that was put out by his office yesterday, Barney Frank has suddenly decided that what ACORN did was bad in regards to helping hookers and pimps set up houses of ill-repute in low income neighborhoods and staffing those houses with underage immigrants. However, he’s not ready to accept responsibility that he and his party are responsible for ACORN’s behavior nor funding. In fact, Frank, of course, blames the Bush Administration (Washington Examiner link);

I very much disagree with the partisanship that has entered into this. ACORN was the recipient of funding throughout the Bush administration, with $14.2 million going from the Bush administration to ACORN through HUD. And I can attest that this was an entirely Executive Branch decision: No congressional action in any way, shape or form required that any of these funds go to ACORN as opposed to other organization. And I do not remember during the period from 2001 to 2006 when the Republicans controlled the White House, HUD, the House and the Senate, and ACORN was receiving millions of dollars, any Republican objection to this.

Yes, I remember clearly that Republicans have always pushed for ACORN to receive federal funding. I also remember ACORN advancing Republican candidates in inner cities in exchange for Republican patronage. In fact, I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen ACORN representatives in Republican neighborhoods trying to convince the scotch and soda crowd to register to vote.

How dumb does Barney Frank think we are?

Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Congress sucks, Usual Suspects

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NHSparky

Define irony: A Congressional representative who has supported a group for decades, only when faced with evidence of same said group offering to facilitate underage prostitution, withdraws his support, despite his having a gay escort service run OUT OF HIS OWN HOUSE.

Did I miss anything there?

CRaissi
Richard Romano

How this moron has a job is beyond me — how can his constituents tolerate this pathetic hack is just remarkable.

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[…] Jonn at TAH slaps down Barney Frank’s attempt to pin ACORN on Bush! […]

bman

ACORN has been real active out here in southwest kansas. I can’t count the number of republicans they have signed up to vote and their support for Pat Roberts is very strong. Also, I have heard that Brownback has received greatly needed support in Wichita.

Scorch

Just the name Barney Frank makes me cringe. I can see why he will say anything to cover his own butt with the salaries and benefits he’s raking in. It’s a shame when incompetent people like him just cannot admit they should not hold the position they are in and bow out gracefully.

Garnette

I had posted about this article in May, when Barney Frank made sure that ACORN continued to get funding. I think he needs to be reminded of this battle.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/lawmaker-news/36206-frank-and-bachmann-do-battle-over-key-acorn-amendment

Fred

Is this the same Barney Frank whom is largely responsible for current economic meltdown?

Bob

Bush had to accommodate the Democratic push to have ACORN receive federal funding in exchange for their supports for Bush’s actions against Iraq. In Oct 2002, ACORN received $351,000 from HUD via a $22 million self-help grant: http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr02-125.cfm. Rep. Boehner pointed out last year October that ACORN has been receiving federal funds since 1998 (http://republicanleader.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=104821). Here the breakdown of ACORN money chart: http://republicanleader.house.gov/UploadedFiles/101608acornchart.pdf

Note all the cities in that chart: they’re all Democratic strongholds. Congressional Democrats have the power to influence a US President, whether Democratic or Republican, to fund Democratic pet projects in exchange for their supports for any major Presidential action (such as Bush for Iraq). It’s all about timing and opportunity.

Just pointing out, guys.

NHSparky

“Just pointing out, guys.”

Just pointing out that Democrats are easily (and cheaply) bribed? $351K is all that Bush had to pay to convince the Dems to go into Iraq? Whateva.

Bob

NHSparky, that’s only scratching the surface on just how easily and cheaply Congresscritters can be “bribed” (wink-wink, nudge-nudge) in Congress. It’s all “I-scratch-your-back-if-you-scratch-mine”.