The American Conservative Union & Anita MonCrief – ACORN Whistleblower – have joined forces to track ACORN during this most important 2010 Election Season but we need your help.

VISIT www.acuACORNaction.com and familiarize yourself with the new organizations and the past leaders of ACORN.

LISTEN to Anita MonCrief – ACORN Whistleblower – on the Sean Hannity Radio Show on 77WABC this Friday afternoon September 3, 2010 at 4:05pm to hear the latest news regarding ACORN.

and

WATCH for ACORN and its past leaders in your neighborhood and contact us a www.acuACORNaction.com when you see an ACORN office changing its name; see, hear, or read about past ACORN leaders; or read about ACORN-related activities in your neighborhood.

Because together we must:

1) Track all of ACORN’s former leaders.
2) Ensure that we know when they create new groups to continue ACORN’s work.
3) Work with Congress to ensure these new groups do not get federal funding.
4) Provide training to candidates this year so they are aware of ACORN’s tactics and what ACORN might do in their districts or states to defeat them.

At a time when the number one issue for the American people is jobs and the economy, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Obama oil drilling moratorium alone will cause a loss of 23,000 jobs. That is why the American Conservative Union is partnering with the American Petroleum Institute in order to protect domestic job growth.

With a current political environment that seeks to inhibit small business owners and decrease local energy employment, we need individuals such as you to make sure the desire for economic freedom is represented. An emphasis on increasing energy equals more jobs, higher incomes, and greater economic growth. The federal government needs to realize that millions of Americans’ livelihoods depend on the oil and natural gas industry.

Don’t let Washington marginalize American energy-related jobs or consumers any longer. Stand up for economic growth and American prosperity.

Throughout September, thousands of Americans will assemble together to call upon the government to re-open the gates of American energy prosperity. You have the ability to be heard! This September 7th, stand up for American jobs and economic freedom at the “Rally for Jobs” event in Canton, Ohio.

Doors open at 11:00 a.m.

Canton Memorial Civic Center
1101 Market Ave N.
Canton, OH 44702

We strongly encourage you to attend your local rally and represent the millions of energy industry-related jobs worth protecting! Please contact us at ACUActionDesk@conservative.org with any questions.

Regards,

Larry Hart
Director of Government Relations
The American Conservative Union

At a time when the number one issue for the American people is jobs and the economy, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Obama oil drilling moratorium alone will cause a loss of 23,000 jobs.  That is why the American Conservative Union is partnering with the American Petroleum Institute in order to protect domestic job growth.

With a current political environment that seeks to inhibit small business owners and decrease local energy employment, we need individuals such as you to make sure the desire for economic freedom is represented.  An emphasis on increasing energy equals more jobs, higher incomes, and greater economic growth.  The federal government needs to realize that millions of Texans’ livelihoods depend on the oil and natural gas industry.

Don’t let Washington marginalize American energy-related jobs or consumers any longer.  Stand up for economic growth and American prosperity.

Throughout September, thousands of Americans will assemble together to call upon the government to re-open the gates of American energy prosperity.  You have the ability to be
heard!  This September 1^st, stand up for American jobs and economic freedom at the “Rally for Jobs” events across Southeast Texas.

All doors open at 10:30 a.m.

American Bank Center Convention Center – Henry Garrett Ballroom
1901 North Shoreline Boulevard
Corpus Christi, TX 78401

George R. Brown Convention Center – Hall E
1001 Avenida de las Americas
Houston, TX 77010

Port Arthur Civic Center
3401 Cultural Center Drive
Port Arthur, TX  77642

We strongly encourage you to attend your local rally and represent the millions of energy industry-related jobs worth protecting! Please contact us at ACUActionDesk@conservative.org with any questions.

Regards,

Larry Hart
Director of Government Relations
The American Conservative Union

Director of Government Relations :: Larry Hart

Like those monsters in horror films that are never quite dead the first time you think they are, Congress came back today for a one day encore. The Democrats got an unneeded boost during what was to be the August recess after Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe cut a deal with Senate Majority leader Harry Reid to pass a state bailout bill to pay for Medicaid and education costs.  That allowed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call the House back into special session with much fanfare to pass the bill today on a party line vote.  The media has played into the Obama Administration’s claims that this will “save” hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs, it is really a sop to 1/states like New York and California that have spent themselves into bankruptcy and 2/ teachers unions who have deliberately accepted layoffs as the alternative to benefit cuts.  The unions know two things:  their dues depend on the number of members and they need the dues this election year to defeat conservatives.  In an excellent American Spectator piece today (also on our website), Vincent Vernuccio uses the Milwaukee school system as an example.  Right now, Milwaukee teachers get $40,000 in benefits, including a Cadillac health care plan costing $26,000 per year. When asked to accept a plan with co-pays to avoid layoffs, the union refused.  On top of that, the bill doesn’t actually require the funds be used for teachers, and the bloated education bureaucracies will surely find other uses that have nothing to do with the classroom.

This bill also has the same flaw as the stimulus.  It’s a one time shot of money.  Those who accept it will be in the same fix next year, thus in the position of asking for another bailout.  As for the allocation of funds, a large percentage will go to states that have been the most irresponsible, such as New York, New Jersey and California. One state won’t get anything:  Texas, because they refused to use the stimulus money to increase spending, instead shored up their rainy day fund and don’t need a bailout.

Interestingly, besides giving more money to the Bath Iron Works in Maine, the Democrats were forced to make actual cuts in a number of popular welfare programs, such as food stamps and renewable energy grants to fully pay for the $26 billion cost of the bill.  However, both Reid and Pelosi assured the liberals in the caucus that they would figure out a way to restore the funds later, admitting these were phony cuts.

With any luck, the monster is really dead this time until September 13, when showdowns loom over energy, taxes and possibly the START Treaty with Russia, although many believe that will be held until the inevitable lame duck session after the election.

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Check out the video and learn more here www.acuacornaction.com.

With your help the ACU will:

1. Track all of ACORN’s former leaders.
2. Ensure that we know when they create new groups to continue ACORN’s work.
3. Work with Congress to ensure these new groups do not get federal funding.
4. Provide training to candidates this year so they are aware of ACORN’s tactics and what ACORN might do in their districts or states to defeat them.

Director of Government Relations :: Larry Hart

The deal cooked up by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the two Republican Senators from Maine, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, to get a badly need win for the Democrats, not surprisingly turned out to involve money for Maine.  Each time this $36 billion bill has been brought up there have been different funds to partially offset the cost.  One part of it would have meant less money for Bath Iron Works, a sacred cow of funding in Maine since the days of Senator Bill Cohen, a Republican who became bill Clinton’s Defense Secretary.  So that was scrapped and Reid was able to convince House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call the House into special session next week to pass the new version of the bill, another demand by Snowe.

Now Reid is taking grief from the powerful renewable energy lobby for stealing $1.5 billion from the bloated renewable energy loan program set up in the stimulus to help offset the state bailout.  The solar energy industry has packed a powerful political punch with Republicans and Democrats in western states, including Reid’s Nevada, and they are furious with Reid for not including a mandate to purchase renewable energy in his energy bill. So Reid now says he will find a way to “restore” the funds to the program, which is also missing $2 billion used for the absurd “Cash for Clunkers” program.  Reid has a point on this one, since most of the $20 billion in the program has never been given out, due to bureaucratic ineptness and the odd requirement of the program that the Treasury Department share responsibility.  Treasury, of course, had no one in the Department with knowledge on these issues.

Nevertheless, the state bailout bill is a big win for the Democrats who had failed for weeks to get a vote on their “jobs” agenda.  Most of the money will go to big urban states such as New York, New Jersey and California where the state employee unions are strong.

www.conservative.org

Director of Government Relations :: Larry Hart

Just when it looked like the Democrats in Congress had completely failed to pass any of their much heralded “jobs” agenda before the August recess, the Republicans came to their rescue.  Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins provided the votes to pass a state bailout bill. This bill gives $16 billion to the states to help pay their Medicaid bills and $10 billion demanded by the teachers unions who claim it will save teachers jobs in some states.  Up until now, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had been frustrated at every turn in attempts to pass a small bank bailout bill and any type of energy legislation.  To get the Republican votes, Senate Democrats had to actually cut some spending on food stamps and some feel-good programs to “foster industrial and scientific innovation.  They are also raising taxes on multinational companies by restricting the use of a foreign tax credit.

The irony is that the House originally scheduled its recess to begin August 6 along with the Senate, but with no action by the Senate decided to leave a week early for an unprecedented six week summer break.  But have no fear. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will call the House back into special session next week to pass the bill and give her Democrats something to talk about other than the miserable failure of the Stimulus and the rest of the Obama/Pelosi/Reid agenda. The bill is small potatoes as far as government spending goes these days but it gives the Democrats a much needed morale boost at a time when all major legislation has come to a halt and the polls are looking grim for them.

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August 4, 2010

Honorable Senator Daniel Inouye, Chairman
Honorable Senator Thad Cochran, Ranking Member
Committee on Appropriations
Room S 128
U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC 20510

Honorable David Obey, Chairman
Honorable Jerry Lewis, Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee
H-218
U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Inouye, Chairman Obey, Senator Cochran and Representative Lewis:

Today the American Conservative Union, the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots conservative organization, launched a new effort entitled ACU ACORN ACTION.

Despite the fact that Congress voted to cut funding for ACORN, multiple stories have surfaced that groups housing former ACORN leadership and staff are being established throughout the country to simply avoid scrutiny.   It is our belief that these entities may seek to obtain taxpayer funding despite the desire of Congress to eliminate funding for programs directed by these very same leaders.

ACU is tracking these entities.

To date, as you can see on our website www.ACUAcornAction.com we have identified several organizations whose close ties to ACORN raise suspicion.

We look forward to working with your staff to help you identify these groups.

Millions of Americans were shocked by the actions of ACORN office staff members shown on videos last year.  In addition, ACU and others have raised concerns over ACORN’s potential role in the subprime mortgage crisis and voter fraud.

We urge you to remain vigilant in ensuring that taxpayer funds are not misspent on illegal, unethical or political activities.

On behalf of our ACU members throughout the nation, I appreciate your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Larry Hart,
Director of Government Relations
The American Conservative Union

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST 4, 2010
CONTACT: BRENT LITTLEFIELD 703-836-8602

ACU Launches New Major Project to Track and Expose Former ACORN Leaders and Spin-Offs
The American Conservative Union will notify Members of Congress of potential groups seeking funding

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Conservative Union today launched a new major project months in the making – ACU ACORN ACTION.

With a new website at www.ACUAcornAction.com members of the largest and oldest conservative group in America and concerned citizens can track the former leaders of ACORN, follow their activities, and expose new spin offs which may seek taxpayer funding.

“It is clear that ACORN is not dead; it is merely playing dead,” said David Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union. “There are reports from across America that ACORN is simply changing names and taking on new logos in an effort to cover up its activities and potentially come back to the taxpayer trough to seek funding. We are going to track and expose their leaders and new organizations.”

Anita MonCrief, a former ACORN employee who came forward to expose ACORN activities, has joined the new ACU effort. In a video available on www.ACUAcornAction.com she describes ACORN’s activities and says nothing has changed. As she says, “it appears to be business as usual for ACORN just under a different name.”

ACU is now tracking those names and exposing them. In addition, ACU has published online photos and descriptions of former ACORN leaders in an effort to help citizens track their whereabouts and provide more information.

Today letters are being sent to Capitol Hill notifying leaders of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees of ACU’s new effort and providing a list of organizations with currently known ties to ACORN. This list is available at www.ACUAcornAction.com.

ACU will continue to provide Members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, as well as other leaders, information on ACORN related groups in an effort to keep them informed of those who might seek taxpayer funding.

“ACORN’s leaders will claim that they are being maligned, but where there is smoke there is fire,” said David Keene, “ACORN has been accused of voter fraud, misusing taxpayer funds and other illegal activities. We will seek to hold those accountable who might engage in these activities.”

#   #   #

Director of Government Relations :: Larry Hart

Adding to a growing list of failures, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid threw in the towel today on yet another bill he had promised to pass before the August recess.  After capitulating on cap and trade, Reid has drawn up an “energy” bill dealing with oil spill liability, more energy tax increases (oil tax) and further restricting domestic energy production.  In addition, although the bill claims to be a “response” to the BP oil spill, it would pave the way for BP and a few other large oil companies to dominate offshore oil drilling by eliminating any cap on the amount of liability a company would have for a spill.  No small or medium size company could afford that type of risk. Senate Republicans led by Lisa Murkowski have drawn up an alternative bill that would be more favorable to domestic energy production but would give the Obama Administration the power to decide liability caps which is not what some conservatives would think is a good solution to the problem.   In any case, by refusing to allow Republican amendments to bills some Republicans would have helped pass, Reid has failed on every issue since the financial overhaul bill with the exception of an extension of unemployment insurance.

As expected, Republicans are going through the motions on the Kagan nomination to the Supreme Court. They have agreed not to object to dealing with other business during the Kagan debate.  This helps lessen the intensity of media coverage on issues the Democrats would just as soon avoid, such as Kagan’s unlawful actions in throwing military recruiters off the Harvard Law School campus.

Congress is due to go into recess Friday, not with a bang, but with a whimper.

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