Judge Says Gov’t Must Allow Funding for ACORN

[babylonsister]

Judge Says Gov’t Must Allow Funding for ACORN

by Andrew McLemore


A federal judge retained her position that it is unconstitutional for Congress to prevent funding for the activist group ACORN after a government request that she reconsider.

U.S. District Judge Nina Gershon cemented her earlier decision in December and made the injunction against government intervention permanent, asking all federal agencies to spread the word that money to ACORN be allowed without delay.

The judge wrote that it was "unmistakable that Congress determined ACORN's guilt before defunding it." Congress may investigate ACORN but cannot "rely on the negative results of a congressional or executive report as a rationale to impose a broad, punitive funding ban on a specific, named organization."

The Center for Constitutional Rights had charged Congress in last year's case of violating the group's constitutional protections.

"This is why the Constitution contains a prohibition against Congress enacting a bill of attainder - to prevent Congress from acting as judge jury and executioner," said Jules Lobel, a cooperating attorney with the center.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/03/11

[alstephenson]

1. Great, but too late. The damage has been done.

Nationally the organization has been all but dismantled. Local organizations have had to change their name.