Resolution on ACORN; rip off and modify freely

[eridani]

Note--commends and censures include only those who represent parts of the 11th State Legislative district and both senators.

11th LD Democrats Resolution 2010-7

Resolution to Commend Those Members of the Washington State Democratic Congressional Delegation Who Voted against Defunding ACORN and to Censure Those Who Voted for Defunding ACORN

WHEREAS Andrew Breitbart and James O'Keefe, Republican partisan propagandists, created and published scam videos falsely implying that ACORN activists told a fake pimp and a fake prostitute how to shelter illegal income; and

WHEREAS O'Keefe was later arrested after an attempt to tamper with phone lines at Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in New Orleans; and

WHEREAS Republicans have been attacking ACORN for years on the grounds of “voter fraud,” though it has never been shown that a single voter registered improperly by an ACORN worker has ever cast a single vote in any election; and

WHEREAS Republican John Boehner submitted HR 3571, requiring the Office of Management and Budget, the Secretary of HUD, and the Secretary of Treasury to defund ACORN and prohibit the organization from ever again receiving federal funding; and

WHEREAS the majority of Democrats in both the House and the Senate joined Republicans in supporting this measure without any sort of congressional investigation; and

WHEREAS a federal judge blocked the congressional effort to defund ACORN on the grounds that such an action amounted to an unconstitutional “bill of attainder,” and ordered that all federal agencies resume ACORN funding without delay:and

WHEREAS the same congressional Democrats who voted to defund ACORN have ignored a bill offered by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) which would prohibit “the Federal Government from awarding contracts, grants, or other agreements to, providing any other Federal funds to, or engaging in activities that promote certain corporations or companies guilty of certain felony convictions,” which is not specific to any group or corporation but which would likely result in defunding groups like KBR, charged with poisoning as many as 100,000 people, including US troops; and

WHEREAS the national media, led by the New York Times, knowingly continued to propagate completely false information about ACORN for months after the congressional vote; and

WHEREAS as a result, ACORN has suffered a severe drop-off in its donations from all sources and on March 21, 2010 voted to shut down its operations as a national organization; and

WHEREAS Representatives Smith, Baird, Inslee and Dicks and Senators Cantwell and Murray voted for this abhorrent piece of legislation, while Representatives McDermott and Larsen voted against it;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 11th LD Democrats formally commend Representative McDermott for his NO vote; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 11th LD Democrats formally censure Senators Cantwell and Murray and Representative Smith for their YES votes: and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge our Democratic delegation to co-sponsor Representative McCollum’s bill and a senate version should it become available: and

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the 11th LD Democrats send copies of this resolution to our entire state Democratic delegation.

Submitted to the 11th Legislative District Democrats for endorsement at its meeting of April 21, 2010

Disposition: TBD

References

http://www.truthout.org/acorn-permanently-shut-its-offices57898
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7721
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/judge-orders-federal-agencies-resume
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7519
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7705
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3571/show
Representativc Betty McCollum’s bill; http://www.mccollum.house.gov/images/stories/Statements2009/092909%20mccollum%20acorn%20act.pdf

[sabrina 1]

1. Excellent, they need to apologize and more than that

they need to pass a resolution of some kind putting it on the record that that vote was unconstitutional.

The 75 who took the brunt of the attacks from rightwingers for their 'no' votes, and many of them did, deserve to be commended for not getting swept up in the hate generated by the mob of rabid rightwingers, led by the seriously disturbed Breitbart.

I doubt any of the so-called 'liberal' organizations will join in this effort. We helped build them up with donations and support, but now they have 'access', like Moveon, and prefer not to lose it by standing up for the poor. Having cocktails with insiders in DC has made them more than a bit reluctant to take a stand against the right when they go after people like Van Jones and ACORN.

The over one million newly registered voters ACORN signed up before the 2008 election helped many of the same members of Congress who voted 'yes' with Republicans to keep their jobs, and helped validate the scum known as James O'Keefe, Breitbart and Hannah Giles. Shame on all of them and the Media, CNN and the NYT.

K&R ~

[The Wielding Truth]

2. Yes. ACORN deserves to be redeemed and those who harmed it

should be should be reprimanded.

[sabrina 1]

3. A list of Democrats who had the courage to vote 'no'!

The tables have turned since this vote took place. These 75 Members of Congress were vilified on rightwing boards who were feeling so powerful after this vote. The list is from a link on one of those sites where you can get an idea of what was being said about these Democrats.

http://www.valuesvoternews.com/2009/09/first-senate-now-house-votes-to-defund.html

Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc.
Xavier Becerra, D-Calif.
Robert Brady D-Pa.
Corrine Brown, D-Fla.
G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C.
Mike Capuano, D-Mass.
Andre Carson, D-Ind.
Betty Castor, D-Fla.
Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo.
James Clyburn, D-S.C.
Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y.
Elijah Cummings, D-Md.
Danny Davis, D-Ill.
Diane DeGette, D-Colo.
Bill Delahunt, D-Mass.
Mike Doyle, D-Pa.
Donna Edwards, D-Md.
Keith Ellison, D-Minn.
Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.
Chakka Fattah, D-Pa.
Bob Filner, D-Calif.
Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio
Al Green, D-Tex.
Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.
Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.
Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii
Rush Holt, D-N.J.
Mike Honda, D-Calif.
Jesse Jackson, Jr. D-Ill.
Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Tex.
Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Tex.
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich.
Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio
Rick Larsen, D-Wash.
Barbara Lee, D-Calif.
John Lewis, D-Ga.
Stephen Lynch, D-Mass.
Markey, D-Mass.
Betty McCollum, D-Minn.
McDermott, D-Wash.
McGovern, D-Mass.
Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.
Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va.
Gwen Moore, D-Wisc.
Jim Moran, D-Va.
Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.
Richard Neal, D-Mass.
John Olver, D-Mass.
Frank Pallone, D-N.J.
Bill Pascrell, D-N.J.
Donald Payne, D-N.J.
Jared Polis, D-Colo.
David Price, D-N.C.
Nick Rahall, D-W.Va.
Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y.
Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif.
Bobby Rush, D-Ill.
Linda Sánchez, D-Calif.
Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.
David Scott D-Ga.
Bobby Scott, D-Va.
Jose Serrano, D-N.Y.
Brad Sherman, D-Calif.
Albio Sires, D-N.J.
Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y.
Pete Stark, D-Calif.
Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.
Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y.
Niki Tsongas, D-Mass.
Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y.
Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
Diane Watson, D-Calif.
Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
Robert Wexler, D-Fla.
Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif.

Seven Senators voted 'no' also. I think they too ought to be commended:

Dick Durbin D-IL
Roland Burris D-IL
Kirsten Gillebranc D-NY
Robert Casey D-MA
Patrick Leahy D-VT
Bernie Sanders I-VT
Sheldon Whitehouse D-RI

[eridani]

4. And on a more positive note, ask them to support McCollum's proposed legislation n/t

[Stevepol]

5. Recommended summa cum laude

[Hissyspit]

6. Whereas ACORN was cleared of wrongdoing in Massachusetts AND NYC by independent investigators:

More Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7992502

[eridani]

7. Excellent! I'll add it! The rewards of trial balloons on DU!

Seriously folks, you are all a big help to this particular policy wonk.

[Hissyspit]

9. In addition, an internal investigation within ACORN cleared its people, too.

Although, the 'fox guarding the henhouse' charge was made by the right immediately.

[Ysabel]

8. k and r / nt...

[xchrom]

10. Recommend