U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., did not represent his constituents well in supporting the controversial, rotten ACORN organization last week.

We think most West Virginians are upset about the cozy relationship between the federal government and ACORN - the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. Mollohan's excuse for supporting ACORN simply won't wash.

During a speech Saturday in Weirton, Mollohan, who represents this region of the state, attempted to defend his vote for ACORN. It was cast on a procedural issue Mollohan accused Republicans of using as a "gotcha" against Democrats.

The effect of the measure House members voted on was to cut off federal funding for ACORN, which depends upon taxpayers for millions of dollars in support each year.

But Mollohan was incorrect - as he knows - in attempting to portray the ACORN vote as a partisan one. The measure to cut off funding to ACORN passed by a 345-75 vote. One hundred seventy-two of Mollohan's fellow Democrats, as well as 173 Republicans, voted in favor of it. Just 75 representatives, including Mollohan and U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, also D-W.Va., voted "no."

Mollohan, then, clearly is in the minority even in his own Democratic Party.

Mollohan claimed Saturday that he is defending ACORN because he does not believe "a few rotten apples spoil a barrel."

But it has become apparent that the rot in ACORN is widespread. As many Americans know, there are videotapes of ACORN operatives in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore giving advice to a man and woman they believed to have been a prostitute and her pimp. The ACORN officials advised them on how to dodge the law and taxes in setting up a house of prostitution and using children smuggled in from abroad as prostitutes.

The man and woman who made the videotapes were working undercover as citizen journalists. They have said they have similar tapes from ACORN offices in other cities.

But the current scandal is far from the only one involving ACORN. Last year its operatives were caught helping people to register to vote illegally in several cities. According to one report, more than two dozen ACORN operatives were caught red-handed in that operation.

Mollohan may have been attempting to make a preemptive strike against the press on Saturday, when he used an analogy in regard to misbehavior at ACORN.

Inappropriate behavior can be found in many professions, the congressman noted. He singled out the press: "A reporter with the New York Times made up stories and won awards for them. And they were not real. They were factually made up. But that doesn't indict the New York Times or all printed press," Mollohan said.

Indeed, such an incident occurred. The Times fired those responsible - as would any newspaper of which we are aware.

In a similar situation, however, ACORN did not fire a wrongdoer. He was the organization's co-founder, Wade Rathke. Several years ago, Rathke's brother, Dale, was caught embezzling about a million dollars from ACORN. Wade Rathke helped cover up the incident - from law enforcement and most ACORN board members. Dale Rathke remained on the ACORN payroll for years after the embezzlement. Wade Rathke remained ACORN's chief organizer until 2008.

ACORN has been thoroughly rotten for years. Mollohan should be ashamed for attempting to keep our tax dollars flowing to the organization.