Mollohan Votes For ACORN
House moves to cut federal funds for controversial groupBy JOSELYN KING With AP Dispatches
Fact Box
HOW THEY VOTED
WEST VIRGINIA
Mollohan (D)
No
Capito (R)
Yes
Rahall (D)
No
OHIO
Wilson (D)
Yes
Space (D)
Yes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan voted "no" Thursday on legislation that would halt federal funding to ACORN.
A total of 345 House members - including 172 Democrats and 173 Republicans - voted "yes" on the measure, which passed by a vote of 345-75.
Mollohan, D-W.Va., was among the 75 members, all Democrats, who voted "no."
The provision related to the liberal-leaning ACORN, or the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, was attached to House Resolution 3221, the "Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009."
Calls and e-mails directed to Mollohan's office late Thursday afternoon did not receive an immediate response.
The GOP-led strike against the scandal-tainted community organizing group came just three days after the Senate took similar action.
On a hidden-camera video released Monday, two ACORN employees are seen apparently advising a couple posing as a prostitute and her pimp to lie about her profession and launder her earnings. The video was the latest in a series that already hs led to the firing of four ACORN employees in Baltimore and Washington. The video was created by James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles and posted on BigGovernment.com, where O'Keefe identifies himself as an activist filmmaker.
"I am outraged at the actions of ACORN's employees and believe they should be penalized to the full extent of the law," Space said in a news release. "Our government must be vigilant in ensuring that organizations that are found to act fraudulently do not receive taxpayer dollars.
"What ACORN has done is wrong, unacceptable, and unconscionable," he added. "We are going to continue pursuing this until we get to the very bottom of it and uncover how this was allowed to happen."
Wilson, meanwhile, focused his comments not on ACORN, but on what the legislation as a whole will do to help students afford a college education.
"With rapidly rising tuition costs and a still struggling economy, I'm thrilled we could come together to expand critical opportunities for higher education in this country," Wilson said. "Allowing our students to graduate with a better education and less debt is the best way to ensure that American workers remain competitive in the future.
"These common sense initiatives are long overdue, and I am proud to have voted for legislation that improves education opportunities while lowering our deficit," Wilson added.
On Monday the Senate voted 83-7 to deny housing and community grant funding to ACORN.
Republicans accelerated their attacks on the liberal-leaning group a year ago when ACORN, in conducting a massive voter registration drive, was accused of submitting some false registration forms.
ACORN spokesman Scott Levenson blasted the video shot at the organization's Brooklyn office, saying the group believes the voices of the couple were dubbed over to alter the conversation and make the interaction appear more objectionable than it may have been. ACORN said Wednesday that it is ordering its own independent investigation of the incidents, while stressing that they were isolated cases.
The Census Bureau, meanwhile, also has severed its ties with the group for the 2010 census.
Republicans have urged federal officials to go further by launching a comprehensive investigation of how ACORN spends and manages federal money.
"As long as taxpayers are subsidizing ACORN and its affiliates, we need to use every measure possible to ensure that those dollars are being spent and managed appropriately," said U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., sponsor of the measure that passed the House.
The Senate and House initiatives to cut funding for ACORN won't take effect until the bills to which they are attached clear Congress and are signed by President Barack Obama. The Senate measure is attached to a fiscal 2010 spending bill.
"President Obama needs to indicate whether he'll sign this bill and join us in ending all taxpayer funds for this corrupt organization," House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said after the vote.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs on Wednesday said the conduct seen on the tapes "is completely unacceptable." He said the Obama administration "takes accountability extremely seriously" and noted that the Census Bureau had determined that ACORN could not meet its goal for conducting a fair and accurate count next year.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a conference call with reporters, called the latest allegations against ACORN "horrible." However, she pointed out that ACORN has many honest employees and was conducting an internal investigation, and that it was up to House-Senate negotiators to determine whether the provision to cut funding would be in the final version of the bill.
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EllisWyatt
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09-19-09 5:39 PM
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wv26003 The GOP controlled Congress for 12 of the last 15 years, won 7 of the last 11 Presidential elections and has a very good chance of picking up the Governor chairs in New Jersey and Virginia next year. The Republicans will also make inroads into the House, though they will not pick up a majority, and they may get enough Senate seats to filibuster and block the Dems until 2012. According to a July, 2009 Gallup poll, 40% of Americans called themselves Conservative, up form 37% last year. 35% described themselves as moderates, and 21%, liberal. Remember that the same people who were mobilized to come out and vote for Obama in California also voted to ban gay marriage. The GOP is losing because it lost its' way; it became too much like the Social Democrats. The Republicans lost not because they were too conservative, but because they were not conservative enough.
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boxerboy
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09-19-09 10:11 AM
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Elllis, thanks. I stand corrected.
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EllisWyatt
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09-19-09 9:32 AM
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boxerboy Rupert Murdoch was born in Australia. He is now a US citizen, sort of like Barry Sotero, who was born in Kenya and is now a US citizen.
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CrashTestDummy
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09-19-09 2:40 AM
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wv26003 09-18-09 9:28 PM It doesn't take much to evoke the ignorance and racism of white trash Republicans. This message board proves that. I have read most of your posts wv26003 and see you are one of the top posters on the board, so what does that make you? Besides a know-it-all wannabe and basher of others for their personal thoughts &n opinions! You are not the only one here and this board does not evolve around you only! I'm just saying...........
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boxerboy
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09-18-09 10:29 PM
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MrMonday, ain't it grand? And the quarter million Snookie garnered for those moth-eaten houses in North Wheeling was a total waste of good money, but it doesn't matter because those proceeds represent a down payment for good press from one of the most flagrant red rags around. I don't mind if Alan supports ACORN. First of all this whole drama is made for television courtesy of British billionaire Rupert Murdock and his Foxy telecommunications network. What the*****does he care about what's good for America as long as the advertising revenue keeps pouring in? And besides, prostitution in the Baltimore/Washington area is considered to be a respectable business. The pimps probably vote Republican for the open shop agenda.
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Thebudman
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09-18-09 10:23 PM
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"Over the past ten plus years, Rep. Mollohan has earmarked $369 million in federal grants to his district for 254 separate programs. Between 1997 and 2006, $250 million of that total was directed to five nonprofit organizations that were created by Rep. Mollohan and staffed by his friends. During the same period, top-paid employees, board members and contractors of these organizations gave at least $397,122 to Rep. Mollohan’s campaign and political action committees." If Rep. Mollohan accepted campaign donations in direct exchange for earmarking federal funds to the nonprofits run by these donors he may have committed bribery and honest services fraud in violation House rules prohibiting dispensing special favors and engaging in conduct that does not reflect creditably on the House.
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Thebudman
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09-18-09 10:19 PM
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday urged a U.S. court to dismiss a lawsuit by gay married couples from Massachusetts who say they were unlawfully denied federal marriage benefits. President Barack Obama won strong support from gays during his presidential campaign and has pressed for repealing the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that bars the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.
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1whoworks
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09-18-09 9:23 PM
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I am going to be brief. What an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Battle1
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09-18-09 9:06 PM
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Mollohan and Rahall needs to be impeached for supporting ACORN after what Fox news brought to light about them.
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MrMonday
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09-18-09 8:53 PM
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I can't undestand why Mollohan continues to want to fund such an extremist group with taxpayer dollars. The fact that this organization has stooped so low as to try to camouflage a child prostitution enterprise certainly adds insult to injury. The fact that a conservative newspaper like the News-Register has never said a negative thing about Rep. Mollohan -- who happens to be one of the biggest tax-and-spenders in Washington, has continually dismayed me. Of course, the answer is obvious. It's because of all the federal pork-barrel he's funded for this area -- not the least of which is the Vandalia Heritage Corp., oh whose board of directors sits none other than Snookie Nutting, wife (or sister) of N-R publisher G. Ogden Nutting. And despite Mollohan's still being under investigation bythe FBI for his less-than-ethical campaign practices, Nutting's underling Mike Meyer, editor of the News-Regsiter, has gone out of his way to minimize these charges.
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beach1
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09-18-09 8:42 PM
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WHY? LEAVE MY HEALTH CARE ALONE!! VOTE IN 2010!
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mernie
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09-18-09 8:00 PM
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What did he say were his reasons for his vote?
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Blueline
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09-18-09 7:56 PM
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Bearing in mind that pro and con are words with opposite meanings in the American language, then if progress means to move forward, what then would congress mean?
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robojock
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09-18-09 7:15 PM
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Is it any wonder why this criminal voted for ACORN. This pig of a man has been involved in numerous land / tax scams just like his buddy the current racist in charge. Look at the fact that he was tied to the use of federal tax funds used to renivate an old hotel in Morgantown. He then received money back from the owner of the hotel for his election bid. This fool, like the racist in chief, should have been indicted long ago.
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Howard
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09-18-09 7:07 PM
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I think Mollohan's vote on this issue says all that needs to be said about him. He is a lockstep Democrat who couldn't care less about what's right or wrong. Even 172 other Democrats had the courage to step up and do the right thing in this instance. Not the Hon. Congressman Mollohan. The opportunity to remove this jerk from his office will be available next November. Here's hoping.
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EllisWyatt
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09-18-09 6:58 PM
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If Barry Sotero has released all of his records, as you liberals say, why has he spent more than $1 million in legal fees with 9 different law firms in 13 states? Who does that? Why would you block the release of your birth, school and college records if you had nothing to hide? Why would you spend $1 million plus (now, closer to $2 million) to block access to records that all previous Presidents have released? Barry Sotero had a white mother and a black Arab-African father. He was raised by his white grandmother, attended a very expensive private high school in Hawaii (paid for by his white grandmother) and went by the name "Barry Sotero". Explain to me how he is our "first black President". Isn't he our first "bi-racial President"? No human being would spend $1 million plus to block access to simple records unless said human being had something to hide.
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formerohvalleyresident
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09-18-09 6:53 PM
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Rasmussen Sept. 18, 2009 Strongly approve of the Obama as President 32% Strongly Disapprove of Obama as President 40% Net Negative –8% About 13 points BELOW George Bush right BEFORE 9/11/2009 at the same point in his presidency. He shot way UP after 9/11. Gallup polls twice as many DEMS as GOP, not exactly level playing field! I got an “A” in math, did you fail IQ?
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formerohvalleyresident
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09-18-09 6:23 PM
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Obama’s popularity is about as high as Michael Vick at a PETA convention!!!!!! Arf Arf!! That is why you liberals are getting so desperate with your ignorant hate filled posts! And BTW, a local Federal Judge here in Orange County, CA (yes THE “OC”) has ruled the trial on the validity of the birth certificate is going FORWARD. Obama attorneys have filled a motion to dismiss, to be heard on October 5. Another $1 million for attorney fees while another bunch of workers lose their jobs. Obama lies as the economy dies!
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formerohvalleyresident
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09-18-09 6:16 PM
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Wiki: “Socialism refers to various theories of economic organization advocating public or direct worker ownership and administration of the means of production and allocation of resources, and a society characterized by equal access to resources for all individuals with an egalitarian method of compensation. “ OK, so public ownership of GM, Chrysler, AIG, Lehman, etc. = “Public ownership of the means of production, CHECK. Government Paid Health Care for everyone =equal access to resources, CHECK! Social Security—the more you pay, the more you collect = UNEQUAL access to resources—UNCHECK! God forbid somebody actually look something up before they run their mouth, 26003!!!
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formerohvalleyresident
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09-18-09 6:02 PM
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003, He must have been born in KENYA otherwise he would not spend $1.5 million in attorney fees to hide the fact that he "was born"!!!! Obviously he was BORN, the question is WHERE? Think how STUPID all of his accusers would look if he showed the long form birth certificate and it shows the same hospital in Hawaii as the short form. Slam Dunk, make fools out of millions! The bigger question here, though: what kind of a man spends $1.5 million to fight a disclosure of a birth certificate but contributes NOTHING to his brother who lives on $12 a year in a friggen mud HUT?? “We should all be our brother’s keeper”-Barrack Obama. Huh? Then you are doing a p*ss poor job! The same kind of guy who worked for Acorn and doesn’t have the cajones to speak out against their blatant mismanagement? If this is how you lead by example, STEP DOWN, selfish a**hole!
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florida
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09-18-09 5:59 PM
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Vote no on Mollohan during the next election.
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WVEXPAT
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09-18-09 5:57 PM
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Wonder states; "I sure hope we investigate and prosecute bush and cheney for warmongering and profiteering. Haliburton, Bechtel, Carlyle, Harkin, Blackwater." If 345 members of the House and 83 members of the Senate felt that strongly about it, I'm sure they would!
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Littlebeavis
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09-18-09 4:26 PM
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WV26003 - Sorry you can't see the difference between "using" a prostitute and "running" a house of prostitution that is paid for by the federal government. But then, you do have Barney Frank, democrat House member from Massachusetts who did both. And by the way, Medicare is socialism and no, I don't like it. It should never have been started in the first place and helped get this country in the health care mess it's in now.
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wvhoopie
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09-18-09 3:20 PM
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blackrock, what you cannot comprehend is it isn't the organization that is bad, it is some of the people. Acorn is not a bad organization, but there are a few who have done bad things. Why you cannot understand that is beyond me. Bernie Maddoff was a bad person who stole money. That doesn't make all money investors bad people. Man, some of you have a brick for a head.
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Blackrock
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09-18-09 2:43 PM
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hoopie, as usual, your arguments are baseless. To compare any religious organization to a political organization is ludicrous. Kinda fits you to a T. Taxpayer money is being heavily "invested" in Acorn by the Left. Imagine your outrage if the same was done to your local church.
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