ACORN probe needed immediately

As a clear view of ACORN finally emerges, it is useful to know how important ACORN has been for President Obama over the years.

In a speech to ACORN in November 2007 he said, "I've been fighting alongside ACORN on issues you care about my entire career. Even before I was an elected official, when I ran Project Vote! voter registration drive in Illinois, ACORN was smack dab in the middle of it, and we appreciate your work."

Obama represented ACORN against Citibank in 1994 to make more loans to marginally qualified African-American applicants. After winning a settlement, ACORN pushed hard to get subprime mortgages with very favorable terms through their offices in more than 30 cities.

Beside being a trainer extraordinaire for Project Vote!, Obama was a lawyer for ACORN against Illinois in 1995, successfully forcing implementation of the motor voter law. The victory was particularly useful for Obama's various election runs. Other linkages: Bill Ayers and Obama served together on the Woods Foundation and the failed Chicago Annenberg Challenge. Together they funneled well over $160,000 to ACORN.

There are numerous online video clips of ACORN executives of this "nonpartisan" organization proclaiming support for Obama for president. Maybe that's because the Obama campaign paid ACORN more than $830,000 in Spring 2008.

With the public's discovery of ACORN's promotion of widespread voter registration fraud, tax cheating, prostitution rings and child slavery it isn't surprising that Obama wants to distance himself from ACORN. However, Obama and ACORN have been scratching each others' backs for many years.

Isn't it time to weed out this massive infestation? Apparently Dick Durbin, Roland Burris, Jan Schakowsky and too many others among our local elected officials don't think so. The real solution is to initiate a RICO investigation on ACORN and its myriad affiliates immediately.

Dave Deetjen

Naperville