Congressman Charles Boustany is calling for the House Ways and Means Committee to investigate the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for tax fraud and Sen. David Vitter has proposed an amendment banning any federal funding of the organization. The mistrust follows the release of three videos from filmmakers James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles recently aired on Fox News. In the videos, O'Keefe and Giles, posing as a pimp and a prostitute, receive tips on filing for a mortgage and covering up their illegal activity from ACORN workers. The videos can be viewed online at biggovernment.com.
The ACORN employees in the film have reportedly already been fired and the organization is threatening a lawsuit against Fox News, claiming the films were doctored. Nevertheless, the U.S. Census Bureau announced Friday it will no longer use ACORN in assisting with next year's census count. Boustany, who sits on the Ways and Means Committee, told The Advocate, “These serious allegations involve the administration and enforcement of our federal tax laws, which fall directly under the jurisdiction of the subcommittee on oversight."
(Editor's note: Sen. Vitter was one of nine senators absent when the chamber voted Monday on Senate Amendment 2355 to prohibit federal funding of ACORN. Sen. Mary Landrieu joined 82 fellow senators in supporting the measure.)