Mark Watson

Previous and numerous voter fraud indictments around the country weren’t enough to turn off the federal spigot spewing funds to Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

When undercover journalists James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles taped ACORN staffers advising them how to falsify tax forms and seek illegal benefits for young girls from El Salvador, to be illegally imported for a child prostitute ring, Congress appeared to become righteously indignant.

Be back soon!

Shortly after five videos aired on national television, the Senate voted 83-7 while the House voted 345-75 to cut off all funds to ACORN.

Since the votes defunding ACORN took place last month, shouldn’t this be old news, you might ask? Remember, we’re talking about Congress.

Those principled senators voting in favor of continuing to fund underaged and illegal immigrant prostitution include Dick Durbin and Roland Burris from Illinois, Patrick Leahy and Bernard Sanders of Vermont, Pennsylvania’s Robert Casey, New York’s Kirsten Gillibrand and Rhode Island’s Sheldon Whitehouse.

All senators are Democrats except for avowed Socialist Sanders.

Among the 75 better-known members of the House in favor of funding proponents of filing false tax forms is the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Charles Rangel, who presides over tax revenue legislation. In 2008 Rangel, paid $10,800 in back taxes for rental income from 2004 through 2006 on unreported rental income earned from his Dominican Republic beach house.

Other sterling House members in favor of helping struggling prostitutes and pimps include James Clyburn, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Sheila Jackson-Lee, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Dennis Kucinich, John Lewis, Pete Stark, Maxine Waters and Henry Waxman. If you’re wondering what party each of these members belongs to, you aren’t paying attention.

Since reading legislation they vote on is not a requirement for congressional members, it won’t surprise anyone that the details of the defunding vote is a bit devilish. On Wednesday, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) revealed that the federal tap will again be turned on at midnight Halloween night.

Talk about a trick and a treat. Taxpayers get tricked while counseling for tricks gets ACORN treats.

Bachmann has asked in a letter to Sheila Bair, Chairman of the FDIC and of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, for a thorough examination of the role ACORN plays in helping banks satisfy their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) obligations.

In her letter, Bachman said, “ACORN has earned a reputation with the public for extremely poor systemic controls that have led to persistent unethical behavior and repeated disregard for voter registration and other federal and state laws. Recent videos showing ACORN employees giving advice on how to set up a prostitution ring as a legal enterprise by violating tax and immigration laws and abusing government housing grants have demonstrated ACORN’s flagrant abuse of the public trust and complete disrespect for the law.”

The Census Bureau cut ties with ACORN last month. The IRS says it will no longer associate with the group through its tax assistance program.

How long will it be before these sanctions against ACORN are lifted?

ACORN has received more than $53 million in direct taxpayer funding since 1994 and countless millions more through grants from financial institutions throughout the country.

So once again Congress only pretends to do the right thing when the stench of wasteful federal tax dollars becomes too much for inaction. When the scatological aroma subsides and attention wanes, Congress returns to its true nature.

By defunding this organization only long enough for attention to be diverted elsewhere, Congress once again demonstrates its disdain for voters and its constitutional obligation.

It’s time voters demonstrate their disdain for Congress.

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